The story of the 2022 Las Vegas Raiders has been blowing leads in the second half of games, and it happened yet again on Sunday against the New England Patriots. After leading at halftime 17-3 and needing a last-minute drive to tie the game, Raiders linebacker Chandler Jones intercepted a lateral attempt on the game’s final play and returned it for a touchdown to give the Raiders a 30-24 win.
🚨 RAIDERS WALK-OFF TD TO BEAT THE PATRIOTS 🚨
(via @Raiders) pic.twitter.com/w6bpRnUchv
— ESPN (@espn) December 19, 2022
Before that crazy play, Derek Carr and the offense had to put together a nine-play, 81-yard drive in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter. The game-tying touchdown was a 30-yard pass from Carr to WR Keelan Cole with 37 seconds left. A lot of people felt that it was a catch out of bounds but was ruled a touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN KEELAN COLE
📺: #NEvsLV on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/SuNPv0yZ94 pic.twitter.com/aZZkb5Kpnp— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2022
“Well, I’ve stood up here a lot this year after some crazy finishes,” said Raiders Head Coach, Josh McDaniels after Sunday’s win. “I just told the guys in the locker room; we keep fighting and keep playing with great effort. We obviously have a lot of character in our locker room and continue to fight and press on even when it felt like it was hard. Lost a lead there late in the fourth quarter and the guys came back and made the plays that they needed to make to win. I mean, it’s football, the ball bounces in crazy, crazy ways. It’s not a predictable game sometimes. And obviously, the ending was probably the most insane ending I think I’ve ever been a part of, but we’ll take it. We’ll take it for sure.”
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With this victory, they improve to 6-8, and keep their playoff chances alive, as they have a huge game on Christmas Eve against another 6-8 team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. This Friday Marks the 50th anniversary of the famous Immaculate Reception Game. It occurred in the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Steelers and the Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium back on December 23, 1972.
The Steelers were going to honor Franco Harris on Christmas Eve against the Raiders by making him only their 3rd player to have his number retired.
The 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception is this Friday.
RIP: pic.twitter.com/jBRpUbxNaz
— Michele Steele (@MicheleSteele) December 21, 2022
This Saturday, the Steelers were to retire the Hall of Fame running back, Franco Harris‘ Jersey. Harris was set to be just the third player in Steelers history to have his number retired, after Joe Greene and Ernie Stautner. Unfortunately, Franco died yesterday; he was 72. Rest in Peace to a Legend.
