Thursday Night Football Recap: Baker leads remarkable comeback as Rams steal one late against Las Vegas 17-16

Rams 17, Raiders 16

This was a game where offense was of the rarest kind. The Raiders put together some positive drives, but the Rams could not move the football effectively all night. With that said, it is hard to blame them as they rolled out Baker Mayfield, who has been with the team for only a few days.

Mayfield was asked to do a lot in his first game in Los Angeles. He completed 22-of-35 attempts for 231 yards and a touchdown. Ben Skowronek was the leading receiver with 89 yards on seven catches. Van Jefferson caught Baker’s first pass and last pass which ended up winning the game.

It was a tough game for Derek Carr as he completed 11-of-20 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions without throwing a touchdown. Josh Jacobs carried the offense for most of the night, with 99 yards rushing and a touchdown on 27 carries.

The Raiders would get out to a hot start on their opening drive. They would lead a 12-play drive resulting in a 1-yard touchdown run from Josh Jacobs, giving Las Vegas a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Raiders would commit to the run early in the game, as Jacobs had 18 carries in the first half.

John Wolford got the start for the Rams; however, he would only see the field for one drive. The first drive of the game for the Rams consisted of three handoffs and the only action Wolford would see on the night.

The Raiders would strike again to gain a 10-point lead in the first quarter. This time, it would be a nine-play drive ending in a 52-yard Daniel Carlson field goal putting Vegas on top 10-0.

On the next drive, the Rams turned to newly signed quarterback Baker Mayfield who immediately saw success scoring on his first possession. The Rams got on the board with a 55-yard Matt Gay field goal cutting the deficit to 10-3 in the first quarter. Baker’s first pass as a Ram was a 21-yard completion to Van Jefferson, giving Los Angeles hope for an improved offense without Matt Stafford under center.

Las Vegas would answer right back with a field goal of their own to start the second quarter. The Raiders continued to take advantage of a depleted Rams defense leading a 10-play drive ending in a 31-yard field goal pushing the lead back to 10 for the Raiders. The half would end with the Raiders leading 13-3 without much pushback from the Rams. Mayfield had completed less than half his passes, and the running game was mostly unproductive.

The scoreboard would remain unchanged until early in the fourth quarter. The Raiders would extend their lead with a 36-yard field goal after an 11-play drive giving them a 16-3 lead.

The Rams would narrow the deficit to six on their next drive with their first touchdown of the night. After an 18-play drive that took nine minutes off the clock, Cam Akers would cap off a marathon drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, putting the Rams in a position to come back. With just over three minutes to play, the Raiders led 16-10.

The unthinkable happened in the final minutes as the Rams came up with a huge stop on third-and-short, giving the Rams the ball back with under two minutes to play. A great punt from AJ Cole pinned Los Angeles at their own 2-yard line, making the comeback even more unlikely. Mayfield and the Rams drove 98 yards down the field on eight plays with a 23-yard dime to Van Jefferson giving the Rams the lead 17-16 with 10 seconds left in the game.

The Raiders would end the game on an interception from Derek Carr, marking an unbelievable 17-16 comeback win for the Rams, who have done nothing but struggle since winning the Super Bowl last season.

Up Next (Rams): @ Packers

Up Next (Raiders): vs. Patriots