Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones's reactions to his game-winning touchdown belied its strange nature.
“Great team win! Let’s keep it going!” Jones tweeted after Las Vegas beat the Patriots 30–24 when he returned a backward pass 48 yards for a touchdown as time expired.
The play, the highlight of a mostly sluggish 6–8 season for the Raiders, unfolded in a way that surprised even Jones.
“Listen, I’m not gonna get ahead of myself,” a smiling Jones said in the locker room postgame. “I’m gonna stick to rushing the passer, and see if I can master that first.”
With the game tied at 24, New England quarterback Mac Jones handed the ball off to running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson picked up about 25 yards before lateraling the ball back to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
Meyers, backpedaling 10 yards, proceeded to loft a backward pass to Jones. Chandler Jones snagged the pass, wrestled the Patriots’ Jones to the ground and ran 48 yards for the winning touchdown.
