Mayfield Miracle on Stadium Drive. LA Rams comeback instant classic

Punt and score? Exactly as planned

This win never happens if the LA Rams’ defense allows even one first down. After allowing a second down eight-yard burst by Raiders RB Josh Jacobs, the Rams faced third down and just one yard to go. But veteran ILB Bobby Wagner and DL Marquise Brown stopped Jacobs for no gain, forcing the Raider to punt the football.

That punt landed on the Rams’ 20-yard line and then rolled for 15 seconds more before being downed by the Raiders on the Rams’ two-yard line. For the Raiders players covering the punt, they celebrated as though they had won the game already.

The Rams had the football, but only had 1:45 seconds to drive the football 98 yards down the football field.  Still, it’s always darkest before dawn. And the dawn of new LA Rams QB Baker Mayfield had arrived.

On two successive plays, one with an interception, the other with a huge QB sack, it appeared once more as though the Rams would lose this one. But on each occasion, the Las Vegas defense was penalized, giving the Rams’ offense new life. That is when QB Baker Mayfield found WR Ben Skowronek for 32 yards, and suddenly this Rams offense began to gain yards and positive momentum. Two more completions advanced the football to the Raiders’ 23-yard line with just 16 seconds remaining, prompting the Rams’ new QB to spike the football and stop the clock.

Mayfield finds Jefferson in the endzone for a game-tying touchdown

On the very next play, Mayfield found Rams WR Van Jefferson in the endzone for the game-tying touchdown.

How rare was that offensive drive to win the game? I think you could say that it doesn’t happen very often. And I’m willing to bet that it has never happened behind a quarterback who has less than 48 hours learning the offense of his new time in the history of the NFL.

Kicker Matt Gay completed the comeback win for the Rams, kicking the extra point to place the Rams ahead by the score of 17-16 with 10 seconds remaining.