On Game Day 2 of the 105th NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens hosted the Las Vegas Raiders in their home opener.
On a sunny 80 degree day, the Baltimore Ravens won the coin toss and sent their defense onto the field first.
The Las Vegas Raiders got off to the worst possible start with their offense today. On the very first attempt, defender Odafe Oweh managed to knock the ball out of quarterback Gardner Minshew’s hand, which fortunately for the Raiders was recovered by Kalton Miller. However, the loss of yardage forced the Raiders to punt after just three attempts early in the game.
The Ravens, for their part, started their first drive better. After a good punt return and a long pass to Zay Flowers, the Ravens quickly found themselves at the Las Vegas Raiders’ 34-yard line. However, the Raiders’ defense held here and after a quarterback sack by Maxx Crosby on Lamar Jackson, kicker Justin Tucker made a 48-yard field goal to score the first points and give Baltimore a 3-0 lead.
The Raiders’ offense also struggled to get going in the second drive. Although Minshew managed to gain a new first down with short passes to Davante Adams, he was stopped again by Oweh with a quarterback sack shortly before the halfway line and forced to punt again. After both offensive lines failed to score, the Ravens went into the second quarter with a 3:0 lead.
Antonio Pierce’s men did better in the second quarter. With passes to his two tight ends, Mayer and Bowers, and receiver Adams, Minshew took his offense all the way to the Ravens’ 32-yard line. However, Roquan Smith’s defense held firm, and the Raiders only managed a 53-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3. If you’re looking for a game that balances intense action and strategy, Hidden Jack Casino offers the same thrill—test your skills and try your luck just like these teams battling for every point.
Now Lamar Jackson finally got involved in the game. Starting at his own 30-yard line, he found his receiver Flowers for 17 yards and tight end Likely for 11 yards and was already in the Raiders’ half after just a few plays. After running back Derrick Henry scored another first down, it looked as if John Harbaugh’s team could finally crown itself with a successful drive. But once again the defense held out against the attack and Justin Tucker had to make another 42-yard field goal to give the Raiders a 6:3 lead.
After another possession for the Raiders, the Ravens’ defense put down an exclamation marker with five minutes left in the first half and scored the first interception of the game. Marlon Humphrey intercepted the ball thrown short by Minshew to Harrison Bryant and thus secured the renewed attack for Baltimore at their own 33-yard line.
After a short run by Henry and a 21-yard pass to Flowers, the Ravens were quickly back in the Raiders’ half. But with 2:30 minutes left in the first half, the Ravens‘ offense was still unable to get into the Raiders’ red zone and Justin Tucker was sent on to the field to try another field goal. But this time the Ravens’ kicker missed wide left and Las Vegas got the ball at their own 46-yard line.
From here, the Raiders made it to the Ravens’ 29-yard line thanks to a pass interference by Humphrey. But after another quarterback sack by Kyle Van Noy for the Ravens, the defense held and kicker Daniel Carlson tied the game at 6-6 with a 51-yard field goal.
The Ravens then got the ball with 1:37 minutes left and, as if Lamar Jackson had just been waiting to play under time pressure, he found one pass receiver after another and managed to get to the Raiders’ 14-yard line in ten plays. Here, however, Justin Tucker had to provide the next points again and so the Ravens went into the half-time break with a 9-6 lead.
Minshew and the Raiders Fight Back in the Second Half
At the start of the second half, the Ravens got the ball and, after a kick beyond the end zone, started at their own 30-yard line. After short runs by running backs Henry and Hill and a spectacular 16-yard catch by Andrews, Henry finally ignited his turbo, distributing a powerful ‘pin arm’ and running 29 yards to the Raiders’ 9-yard line. From there, Jackson found today’s No. 1 receiver Zay Flowers in the end zone for the first touchdown of the game and a 16:6 lead.
The Raiders also got off to a good start in the second half. Minshew fed Zamir White and the completely free Brock Bowers and so the Raiders also got deep into the Ravens’ half. However, the defense was able to force a fourth attempt at their own 25-yard line with the Raiders still needing two yards and also managed to thwart this attempt. Instead of points and a connection for the Las Vegas Raiders, it was ‘turnovers on downs’ and possession for the Ravens. However, the Baltimore’s offense was unable to make anything of the possession and lost the ball after just a few plays. Rashod Bateman was unable to hold on to a sharp pass from Lamar Jackson and let it bounce away from him and linebacker Robert Spilane secured the free-flying ball for the Raiders at the Ravens’ 46-yard line. Las Vegas Raiders possession.
This time Minshew didn’t let the good starting position slip away. With passes to Meyers, Adams and Bowers again, the Raiders got deep into the red zone and were at the Ravens’ 1-yard line after six plays. From here, running back Alexander Mattison ran in the first touchdown for the Las Vegas Raiders to make it 16-13.
The Ravens’ next attack went back and forth due to penalties by both teams and it was not until the end of the third quarter that Lamar Jackson found his receiver Bateman, who secured the ball for Baltimore at the halfway line. At the start of the final quarter, Jackson found his second tight end Likely for 15 yards and after a run by Henry and a subsequent foul for a ‘late hit’, the Ravens were at the Raiders’ 6-yard line. From here, the exceptional running back Henry fought his way into the end zone with two runs and scored his ninetieth career touchdown to give the Baltimore Ravens a 23-13 lead.
Late-Game Drama and Raiders’ Comeback
With twelve minutes left in the game, Minshew got the ball again, but had to accept another split QB sack from Oweh and Pierce. However, the Raiders quarterback was not discouraged by this setback and immediately found Adams again for 26 yards and 30 yards, putting his offense on the Ravens’ 9-yard line in no time at all. But after two incomplete passes by Minshew and a 3-yard run by Mattison, the defense held again and the Raiders only managed a 25-yard field goal by Carlson to make it 23-16.
After a three-and-out for the Ravens, the Raiders got the ball again at the 30-yard line. From here, Davante Adams was again served with a long ball on the first snap and Las Vegas was in the Ravens’ half in no time at all. With further passes to Bowers, the Raiders made it into the Ravens’ red zone again and despite another quarterback sack by Van Noy, Minshew managed to lead his offense to the 1-yard line, also thanks to another pass interference. From there, the QB fed his star receiver Adams with a short pass for the next touchdown and the 23-23 equalizer.
Obviously shocked by the tied score, the Ravens went three-and-out thanks in large part to the second quarterback sack by Maxx Crosby. The Raiders got the ball at the Baltimore Ravens’ 48-yard line and fought their way to the home team’s 27-yard line by the 2-minute warning, forcing the Ravens to take their remaining timeouts. Now all Minshew and his offense had to do was to advance into a field goal range for Daniel Carlson and give him the game-winning field goal shortly before the end. After a Raiders timeout, Carlson kicked from 38 yards out to give the Las Vegas Raiders a 26-23 lead.
With 30 seconds left to play, Lamar Jackson got the ball again but could not do anything with a ‘Hail Mary’ and so the Baltimore Ravens lost their first home game of the season 26-23.
After the narrow defeat, the team from ‘Charm City’ is now (0-2). Next up, the Dallas Cowboys. They suffered a convincing defeat against the New Orleans Saints, yet they represent another tough task for the team from Baltimore.
After the win, the Raiders finally head into their first home game next week against the previously winless Carolina Panthers. After today’s win, confidence abounds.
