BALTIMORE – Gardner Minshew and the Raiders brushed aside years of frustration and criticism with a memorable performance on a splendid afternoon for underdogs.
Minshew led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, Daniel Carlson kicked a go-ahead 38-yard field goal with 27 seconds left and Las Vegas rallied to beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-23 on Sunday.
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Baltimore appeared headed toward its first win of the season after Derrick Henry plowed into the end zone for a 23-13 lead with 12 minutes left. But the Raiders (1-1) stormed back behind Minshew.
After Carlson kicked a 25-yarder to cut Las Vegas' deficit, Minshew connected with Davante Adams on a 1-yard TD pass to tie it with 3:54 to go.
The Raiders quickly got the ball back and Minshew moved Las Vegas downfield before Carlson kicked his fourth field goal of the game.
The comeback defied logic given that Minshew came in with a 15-23 career record as a starter. Not only that, but Las Vegas scored only 10 points last week in a loss to the Chargers.
Not to mention, the Raiders haven't had a winning season since 2021 and were on the road against a team that forged the best record in the NFL just one year ago.
“I look forward to continue to build on that momentum,” Minshew said. “Everybody feels pretty great about it. There’s a ton of tape to clean up. We’re going to do that, but I think everyone feels and believes what we can be as an offense.”
Seeking to bounce back from a harrowing 27-20 loss to the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens instead dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 2015.
“Disappointing loss, tough loss,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “It could have gone our way, but we didn't get the job done. (We're) 0-2, but it's a 17-game season, and we will be defined by the next 15 games."
Minshew went 30 for 38 for 276 yards. He was sacked five times and intercepted once, but none of that mattered as he led the Raiders to a stunning comeback on the road.
Baltimore's Lamar Jackson completed 21 of 34 passes for 247 yards. He was limited to 20 yards rushing after amassing 122 on the ground against the Chiefs.
“I told these guys last night and throughout the week to beat one of the best teams in football last year and to beat one of the best players in the game, Lamar, we need all the units to play at their best," coach Antonio Pierce said. "It all came down together in the fourth quarter.”
Especially the final 12 minutes.
Henry rushed for 84 yards and a score.
Signed as a free agent during the offseason to bolster Baltimore's running game, Henry finally looked like a four-time Pro Bowler in the second half. Two plays after peeling off a 17-yard run to the Las Vegas 6, Henry took a direct snap and ran straight ahead. With a helpful push from lineman Ronnie Stanley and fullback Patrick Ricard, Henry scored to make it 23-13 with 12:11 to go.
It was his 92nd career rushing touchdown, giving the former Tennessee Titans star sole possession of 11th place on the NFL's all-time list.
Not that it matters, because the Ravens are 0-2.
“I know the guys in the locker room, and how we feel about it. Trust me, it sucks more for us than anybody else,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “I just know we're going to put our head down and keep going and correct our mistakes.”
Up 9-6 following a lackluster first half, the Ravens opened the third quarter with a 70-yard drive that featured a 29-yard run by Henry and ended with Jackson finding Zay Flowers in the middle of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown and a 10-point lead.
Minshew subsequently took the Raiders to the Baltimore 26 before misfiring on a fourth-and-2 pass to Adams into the end zone.
Minutes later, Las Vegas linebacker Robert Spillane plucked a pass from Jackson out of the arms of receiver Rashod Bateman. Minshew turned the interception into seven points, converting a third-and-8 with a 27-yard pass to rookie tight end Brock Bowers before Alexander Mattison barreled in from the 1.
Adams finished with nine catches for 110 yards and played an integral role in the comeback.
“We played pitch-and-catch to one of the best receivers in the game,” Pierce said. "I thought it was a good job by our guys just being resilient.”
Injuries
Raiders: LB Divine Deablo left in the fourth quarter with a hip injury.
Ravens: LB Kyle Van Noy notched two sacks despite missing much of the week with an eye injury.
Up next
Raiders: Home opener against Carolina next Sunday.
Ravens: At Dallas next Sunday.
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