Defensive end Chandler Jones recovered a fumble on a lateral play and took it 48 yards to the end zone against his former team with time expired to give the host Las Vegas Raiders a stunning 30-24 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday evening.
With the score tied 24-24, Rhamondre Stevenson took a handoff on the final play of regulation. He gained 23 yards before tossing a lateral backwards to receiver Jakobi Meyers, who then launched the ball back toward midfield to try and keep the play alive.
Jones snagged the ball in mid-air, stiff-armed Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and made the victory trot to the end zone to give the Raiders (6-8) their fourth win in the last five games.
Stevenson had scored on a 34-yard run with 3:43 remaining, and Mac Jones found Meyers for a successful two-point conversion to put New England (7-7) up 24-17. Derek Carr’s 30-yard TD pass to Keelan Cole with 32 seconds left served as the equalizer before the wild finish.
Carr completed 20 of 38 passes for 231 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Josh Jacobs rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries, while Davante Adams was held to just four catches for 28 yards.
Stevenson finished with a career-high 172 yards on 19 touches. Mac Jones tallied just 112 yards on 13-for-31 passing.
Momentum started to shift toward New England just 2:53 into the second half when Kyle Dugger’s pick-6 pulled the Patriots within 17-10. Nick Folk kicked a 47-yard field goal just under 11 minutes later before also hitting from 54 yards out at the beginning of the fourth to make it a one-point game.
Carr hit Darren Waller for a 25-yard TD pass with 5:18 left in the second quarter to put Las Vegas up 10-3.
Things quickly got worse for New England, as Malcolm Koonce blocked Michael Palardy’s punt to set the Raiders up at the Patriots’ 20 with 27 seconds remaining before the break.
Four plays later, Carr connected with Mack Hollins for a 5-yard touchdown to allow Las Vegas to take a commanding 17-3 advantage into intermission.
–Field Level Media