On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders shocked the football world, coming from behind to defeat the Baltimore Ravens on the road. Coming into the game as the biggest underdog on the Week 2 slate, no experts gave the Raiders much of a chance in this one, especially going East to play one of the best teams in the AFC.
At the start, it looked like it could be another lost weekend, as the offense was struggling, and the defense was keeping the Silver and Black in the game. Trailing 6-3 in the second quarter, quarterback Gardner Minshew II threw a terrible interception to Ravens star cornerback Marlon Humphrey, setting up what could have been an avalanche of sadness for Raider Nation.
However, the unquestioned leader of the Raiders stepped in, grabbing Minshew on the sidelines and firing the veteran signal-caller up.
Maxx Crosby appears to hype up and inspire Gardner Minshew following an INT 🤝❤️😤 pic.twitter.com/WGMrhVaXB4
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 15, 2024
The leadership move by Crosby seemed to inspire Minshew, who threw for 240 yards in the second half alone, orchestrating an improbable Raiders comeback. The Ravens would extend their lead after halftime, thanks to a Zay Flowers touchdown, but once the score reached 16-6, it seemed like something clicked for Minshew and the Raiders offense.
Raiders battle back to defeat the Ravens on the road
Las Vegas answered right back, scoring their first touchdown of the game thanks to a one-yard rush by running back Alexander Mattison. Derrick Henry would open the fourth quarter with a touchdown run of his own, extending the Baltimore lead to ten, but it was all Raiders after that.
Minshew began picking apart the Ravens defense, thanks to some incredible plays by Davante Adams and Brock Bowers, leading to a Daniel Carlson field goal, and then a touchdown grab by Adams. The defense stepped up once again, giving Las Vegas the ball back with 2:21 left in regulation, as Minshew orchestrated another drive that set up a game-winning field goal.
Whatever Crosby said to Minshew definitely woke the quarterback up, as the offense had been stagnant through the first six quarters of the 2024 NFL season. In the end, the Raiders came away with their first victory of the Minshew Era, and he certainly did enough to quiet the quarterback talk for at least the next week.