Kicker Justin Tucker hit a 36-yard field goal in the final minute of overtime Sunday to lift the Ravens to a wild 34-31 win over the Minnesota Vikings at M&T Bank Stadium.
Tucker’s game-winning kick with 20 seconds left punctuated a 10-play, 82-yard Ravens drive and erased a disappointing start and end to regulation in Baltimore. The comeback win was the Ravens’ third this season in which they’ve trailed by double digits. Before this season, quarterback Lamar Jackson had been 0-6 in such games, including in the playoffs.
With the win, the Ravens moved to 6-2 and kept hold of first place atop the AFC North. They’ll have a short week before Thursday’s game against the disappointing Miami Dolphins (2-7), when they could get back key injured players like tight end Nick Boyle, wide receiver Sammy Watkins and defensive tackle Brandon Williams.
Jackson had 21 carries for 120 yards — tying Michael Vick’s NFL record for most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback in regular-season history with 10 — and finished 27-for-41 for 266 yards passing, three touchdowns and two interceptions, the last of which spoiled a potential game-winning drive early in overtime. Outside linebacker Anthony Barr tipped a pass in the flat to himself, absorbed a hit from running back Devonta Freeman and somehow came down with the ball secured at the Vikings’ 38-yard line.
Jackson outdueled Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who finished with 187 yards and two touchdowns on 17-for-28 passing. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson had three catches for a game-high 69 yards. Running back Dalvin Cook had 17 carries for 110 yards, the bulk of which came on two big carries.
It was a game of decisive momentum swings. After Kene Nwangwu opened the second half with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, restoring Minnesota’s two-touchdown lead at 24-10, the Ravens finally found a spark on offense. On the first of three consecutive touchdown drives, Jackson found fullback Patrick Ricard for three catches, including a 1-yard score on fourth-and-goal.
On the next, Jackson connected with wide receiver Devin Duvernay in the back of the end zone for his first and only catch of the game, a one-handed 5-yard score in which he got his knee down just in time.
On the go-ahead drive, the Vikings just could not stop the Ravens’ suddenly resurgent running game. The Ravens at one point ran five straight times to get down to the 1-yard line, and running back Le’Veon Bell rumbled in soon after for the go-ahead score. The Ravens had their first lead all game.
Minnesota (3-5) wouldn’t go back home quietly. The Vikings covered 75 yards in 10 plays, including a 27-yard catch to fullback C.J. Ham on third-and-3 against safety DeShon Elliott, who left the game with an upper-body injury. Cousins found Jefferson for a 12-yard completion on fourth-and-9, and two plays later, Thielen came down with an end-zone jump ball over cornerback Anthony Averett. With 66 seconds remaining, the game was tied at 31.
The Ravens’ final push in regulation ended short of midfield. They’d also had to deal with a rough start. After their offense opened the game with a field goal, their defense was knocked back by a familiar culprit: big plays.
On the Vikings’ fifth play from scrimmage, Cousins found wide receiver Justin Jefferson wide open downfield. The second-year star had separated easily from cornerback Marlon Humphrey on a double move and cruised into the end zone for a 50-yard score.
Three plays later, running back Dalvin Cook zoomed around the corner on a 66-yard pitch play. He wasn’t tackled until safety Chuck Clark tackled him at the Vikings’ 15. Minnesota inched to the goal line, and the Ravens appeared to have avoided a double-digit hole after Cousins’ goal-line pass to tight end Tyler Conklin on fourth down fell incomplete.
But inside linebacker Chris Board was called for pass interference in the back of the end zone, and Cousins sneaked in two plays later for a 1-yard score and 14-3 lead.
The Ravens couldn’t seem to catch up. They went as far as Minnesota’s 45 over the next four drives, with Jackson throwing an interception on their first drive of the 2-minute drill. On their second, the Ravens took advantage of a pass-interference penalty, and Jackson found running back Devonta Freeman on fourth down for a 5-yard score.
As they headed to halftime, the Ravens had a silver lining: As bad as they’d played on offense and defense, they trailed only 17-10.
Week 10
RAVENS@DOLPHINS
Thursday, 8:20 p.m.
Line: Ravens by 6 ½
