Lamar Jackson and Ravens Stun Cowboys in Wild Finish
Seven seconds. That was all Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens needed to turn what looked like overtime into one of the wildest finishes of the NFL season.
Baltimore escaped Rio de Janeiro with a 34-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, closing out a back-and-forth battle with a sequence that almost seemed impossible given how little time remained. (WMAR 2 News Baltimore)
The Ravens appeared to have taken control when Jackson found rookie tight end Matt Hibner for a two-yard touchdown, giving Baltimore a 31-28 lead with 1:30 remaining. Dallas answered. Dak Prescott moved the Cowboys down the field, eventually setting up Brandon Aubrey for a 23-yard field goal that tied the game at 31.
There were seven seconds left.
Overtime felt inevitable. Lamar Jackson had other plans.
Dallas elected to send the ensuing kickoff through the end zone for a touchback, giving Baltimore possession at its own 35-yard line without taking any time off the clock. Jackson needed one play. He dropped back and fired a 27-yard strike over the middle to Zay Flowers, who went down at the Dallas 38. Jackson immediately found an official and called timeout with just one second remaining. (CBS Sports)
Suddenly, Baltimore had a chance to win.
Tyler Loop walked onto the field and drilled a 56-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Ravens into celebration and completing a game-winning drive that lasted all of seven seconds. According to ESPN’s database, it was the latest a game-winning drive following a kickoff has started since at least 1978. (Baltimore Ravens)
The ending also produced an unusual piece of NFL history. Aubrey’s game-tying kick and Loop’s game-winner meant both teams successfully kicked field goals in the final seven seconds. According to NFL Research, it was the first game in at least 25 years to feature two made field goals in the final seven seconds. (Athlon Sports)
The finish capped a game that had already delivered nearly everything. Baltimore led 24-13 in the third quarter before Dallas stormed back. Prescott connected with Jake Ferguson for a touchdown, CeeDee Lamb hauled in the ensuing two-point conversion, and KaVontae Turpin later scored on a nine-yard run to put Dallas ahead 28-24.
Jackson responded when Baltimore needed him most.
And in a game filled with momentum swings, touchdowns and late-game drama, the lasting image will be what happened when almost no time remained.
Seven seconds. One throw. One timeout. One 56-yard kick.
Somehow, that was enough for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
