Sensational debut
Mayfield grows into a Rams giant in 91 seconds
December 9, 2022, 7:30 a.m
Severe setback for the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL: Despite a 13-3 lead after three quarters, the Nevada team lost 16-17 to the Los Angeles Rams. Quarterback newcomer Baker Mayfield becomes the match winner for the previously disappointing defending champion.
The Las Vegas Raiders with the Stuttgart football professional Jakob Johnson lost their fourth win in a row in the NFL and lost 16:17 with the last attack. The Raiders led 16-10 against the Super Bowl winners Los Angeles Rams with 15 seconds left before Baker Mayfield made his new team’s first touchdown pass on his debut as quarterback for the Rams. It was the end of a remarkable sequence. Within 91 seconds he had driven the Rams out of their own end zone, under the greatest pressure, across the field. Among other things, there was a monster pass over 40 yards.
The defending champions, who have been so disappointing this season, celebrated their fourth win in the American Football League, but the Raiders may have to bid farewell to all playoff hopes. It was the team’s eighth defeat in five wins. “The Rams just played better at key moments,” Johnson said. “We still have four weeks ahead of us, so burying your head in the sand doesn’t help now.”
Mayfield had 230 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t lose the ball. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw the ball twice to the opponent and no touchdown pass. Still, the visitors were in complete control before defensive penalties in the final attack gave the Rams a chance to make a comeback – and Mayfield found Van Jefferson in the end zone. “You can of course pull out the last scene, but there were plenty of opportunities before that where we could have scored. It’s not always just the last scene, it’s all the scenes that went wrong,” Johnson said.
The Rams only signed Mayfield on December 6, the day before he had been released by the Carolina Panthers. The obligation had become necessary because champion quarterback Matthew Stafford was injured and was out for a long time. Mayfield, previously a starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, left the Ohio team for Carolina after signing Deshaun Watson, who was controversial because of the sexual harassment affair. The former number 1 pick was not able to assert itself with the Panthers.