NFL Thursday night: Baker Mayfield beats Raiders out of nowhere
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs carries the football during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com
Behind a quarterback who joined the team as a waiver claim on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Rams scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns – the second with 10 seconds to play – to beat the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16 on Thursday night.
A four-year starter for Cleveland after being the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Baker Mayfield lost his job with the Browns when they acquired Deshaun Watson in the offseason. Mayfield started the Carolina Panthers' first five games this season before an injury took him out of the lineup. He started once more for Carolina in a 13-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 20 before the Panthers let him go on Monday.
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John Wolford handled the Rams' first series on Thursday night in place of injured quarterback Matthew Stafford. But Wolford was on the injury report this week, too, with a neck ailment, and he was replaced after a three-and-out by Mayfield.
The Raiders limited the Mayfield-led offense to one field goal until Los Angeles' final two possessions. After a 17-play, 75-yard drive – made possible when Las Vegas jumped offside on a punt -- pulled the Rams within six points with 3:19 to play, Los Angeles moved 98 yards in eight plays for the final touchdown – a 23-yard pass from Mayfield to wide receiver Van Jefferson. The Rams' game-winning drive took 95 seconds and was aided by two Las Vegas penalties – one that nullified an interception and one that nullified a sack.
Mayfield completed 16-of-19 passes for 161 yards on the final two series. For the game, he was 22-of-35 for 230 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The NFL's leading rusher, Josh Jacobs, was going for his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game. The Raiders running back came up 1 yard short – and that 1 yard might have cost Las Vegas the game.
The former Alabama standout had 26 carries for 99 yards and one touchdown and two receptions for 15 yards, when the Raiders lined him up at fullback and slipped Jacobs a handoff on third-and-1 on the final play before the two-minute warning. Los Angeles stacked up Jacobs for no gain, and Las Vegas punter AJ Cole launched a 64-yard punt that rolled dead at the Rams 2-yard line with 1:45 remaining.
Las Vegas has a 5-1 record when Jacobs runs for 100 yards and an 0-7 mark when he doesn't in 2022.
Jacobs scored the game's first points on a 1-yard run with 9:13 left in the first quarter. The Raiders moved 75 yards in 12 plays to cross the goal line on their opening possession, then reached Los Angeles territory on five of their next six series – including three that penetrated the 20-yard line – but couldn't get into the end zone again.
He just marched right in there 🙌@iAM_JoshJacobs in for SIX!
📺 Prime Video pic.twitter.com/9OHmG5lIlg
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) December 9, 2022
Jacobs missed a portion of the third quarter for a trip to the locker room after sustaining a finger injury.
In addition to Jacobs, three other players with Alabama football roots got on the field during the Las Vegas-Los Angeles game:
· Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (Homewood) caught two passes for 17 yards and returned a kickoff 15 yards.
· Raiders cornerback Anthony Averett (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Rams offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (Florence) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (Auburn) made all his attempts in the game, connecting on field goals of 52, 31 and 36 yards and making an extra point. Carlson is currently the NFL scoring leader with 110 points in 2022. He has tied for the NFL scoring lead in each of the previous two seasons.
· Raiders guard Lester Cotton (Central-Tuscaloosa, Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Raiders defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy) made three tackles, which tied the rookie's career high.
· Rams outside linebacker Terrell Lewis (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive. A back injury prevented Lewis from practicing this week, and he missed his second straight game.
· Rams defensive end A'Shawn Robinson (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham (Auburn) dressed for the game but did not play.
Los Angeles broke a six-game losing streak – the longest for a defending NFL champion – to improve to 4-9. Las Vegas dropped to 5-8.
The Rams will play in prime time again next week, taking on the Green Bay Packers in the Week 15 Monday game at 7:15 p.m. CST Dec. 19 at Lambeau Field. The Raiders also were supposed to play in prime time in the Week 15 Sunday night game, but the NFL dropped their appearance against the New England Patriots to put the New York Giants-Washington Commanders contest in the night slot. Las Vegas hosts the Patriots at 3:05 p.m. Dec. 18 now.
Daniel Carlson of the Las Vegas Raiders kicks a field goal during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah carries the football during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)