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Lamar Jackson thrilled a rain-soaked M&T Bank Stadium crowd with an MVP-case-bolstering, 13-play touchdown drive in the final minutes of regulation to save the Baltimore Ravens from defeat. Then in overtime, Baltimore punt returner Tylan Wallace pulled a walk-off 76-yard punt return touchdown for a 37-31 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
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With just over a minute to play in the fourth quarter, Jackson hit Zay Flowers for a go-ahead touchdown before the Rams put together a field goal drive to force overtime. The Rams’ only overtime offensive drive stalled leading to Wallace’s touchdown return.
Jackson’s dominant day featured 316 passing yards, three touchdown passes and 70 rushing yards to outduel a vintage performance from Matthew Stafford, who finished with 294 yards and three touchdowns.
Odell Beckham Jr. finished with 97 receiving yards on four catches, highlighted by a 46-yard touchdown over the team he won Super Bowl LVI alongside.
Jackson’s clutch fourth-quarter drive came on the heels of a masterful drive from Stafford, who had just orchestrated an eight-play, 85-yard, go-ahead-touchdown drive of his own.
With the win, Baltimore improved to 10-3, equaling its win total from last year and giving them a temporary pole spot atop the AFC. Los Angeles saw its three-game winning streak snapped with the loss, dropping the Rams to 6-7.
Meet Tylan Wallace
Wallace had never returned a punt in his NFL regular-season career when he was forced into action today when Devin Duvernay went down with a back injury. He became the Ravens most unlikely hero to date with his 76-yard punt return touchdown in overtime. Wallace, a 2021 fourth-round pick, has made little contributions as a receiver during his first three years. He’s on the team because of his special teams ability and he made one of the team’s biggest plays to date. — Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens beat writer
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Ravens' Tylan Wallace has 'once-in-a-lifetime moment' with OT touchdown vs. Rams
Jackson shined when Baltimore needed him most
There was plenty said and written about all the results that went in the Ravens favor last week while the team was on bye. However, if they lost Sunday, the Ravens would have given anything gained last week right back. Forget for a moment about the prospects of them getting the No. 1 seed. The Ravens would have been in a dogfight to try and stay atop their AFC North. As the Ravens were beating the Rams, the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals were both winning. The Ravens’ division lead over the Browns would have been down to one. That would have been pretty tenuous, especially when you consider the Ravens’ next three games are against division leaders (Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins) and they then close the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. We’ll see where the Ravens go from here, but this was a hugely important win.
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Jackson was at his best when he needed to be. It wasn’t a perfect day for Jackson, but when the Ravens needed a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to take the lead, Jackson drove them 75 yards on 13 plays. On third-and-17, he made one of his best throws of the day, hitting Flowers for a 21-yard touchdown while Aaron Donald was in his face. Jackson then found Flowers for the two-point conversion, which the Ravens needed, because it put the Rams in position where a field goal only tied the game. — Zrebiec
Rams special team struggles
The Rams’ all-rookie special teams unit has had its issues all year. After Davis Allen dropped a third-down pass, Ethan Evans’ punt in overtime was returned for 76 yards, a touchdown, and the win. Allen had an outstanding game, including a touchdown catch in the first half, but the drop plus multiple missed tackles by the punt return unit doomed the Rams in the end. — Jourdan Rodrigue, Rams beat writer
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Rodrigue: Rams' overtime loss to Ravens a head-spinning range of realities
Los Angeles secondary faltered
Breakdowns in the secondary were a major plot-line for the Rams’ defense all day, and no worse than the go-ahead touchdown allowed on third-and-17, followed by a two-point conversion to put the Ravens up three points. Stafford got the ball back with 1:16 to play and drove the offense 57 yards downfield to set up the game-tying field goal by Lucas Havrisik — the young kicker who believed he had lost his job at the beginning of the week. — Rodrigue
Highlights of the game
TYLAN WALLACE ICES THE GAME ❗❗❗ pic.twitter.com/On4jjuacED
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 10, 2023
Lamar Jackson finds Zay Flowers in the end zone and the Ravens take the lead late 👀
🎥 @NFLpic.twitter.com/DoLdd7FJ2D
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) December 10, 2023
Required reading
(Photo: Michael Owens / Getty Images)
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