A wild Week 15 meeting between the Raiders and Patriots gave NFL fans one of the craziest finishes in recent memory on Sunday, courtesy of a game-winning defensive touchdown that has to be seen to be believed.
With the game tied 24–24 in the closing seconds, New England quarterback Mac Jones handed the ball off to running back Rhamondre Stevenson on third-and-10. Stevenson burst up the middle for 23 yards before opting to lateral the ball to receiver Jakobi Meyers as he was getting tackled to keep the play alive.
Meyers then ran a few yards in the opposite direction to avoid the Raiders’ defense before heaving the ball back to Jones. However, just as the ball reached the QB back near the line of scrimmage, Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones leaped into frame for a takeaway, hit Jones with a mean stiff-arm and proceeded to take the ball 48 yards to the house to secure an unbelievable victory for Las Vegas.
Jones, who played his first four seasons in New England, was also credited for a recovered fumble on the play to cap what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most unforgettable sequences of the season. Not to mention, the finish was a pretty absurd way for Josh McDaniels to get a one-up on his former boss Bill Belichick in his second game coaching against the Pats in his career.
In the midst of a season filled with close losses—3–7 in one-score games before Sunday—the Raiders (6–8) managed to keep their slim playoff hopes alive while managing to become the talk of the NFL world coming out of the weekend. Check below for some of the best reactions to the Raiders’ wild walk-off victory:
