‘I just couldn’t even believe it:’ Raiders react to Henry Ruggs’ game-winning TD
Miracle at MetLife?
No matter what you want to call it, the result was a season-saving touchdown for the Raiders, and it was felt 2,502 miles away in Las Vegas.
Derek Carr fired off a Hail Mary and Henry Ruggs III was on the receiving end for a 46-yard game-winning TD with 5 seconds remaining to give the Raiders a 31-28 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
The win keeps the Raiders (7-5) in the thick of the AFC playoff race, even if they had to go all out to overcome the winless Jets (0-12).
For the short term, it triggered a big celebration in East Rutherford, N.J.
Just ask defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who returned after missing two games because of COVID-19.
“We get one deep ball over the middle to Darren (Waller) and then DC floated one super deep to Nelson (Agholor) over the middle and we were like ‘Oh my God, bro. Nah, you can’t overthrow him,’” Ferrell said.
“Very next play, they send an all-out blitz and DC (went) to Henry in the left corner and we were like ‘What? This is not real.’ I was like ‘Oh my God!’ It was a crazy sway of emotion. I just couldn’t even believe it. (At the same time), I still can believe it because I know the weapons we got. It just shows a true definition of how fun this game we get to play.”
Raiders starting running back Josh Jacobs was back home in Nevada, sitting out this week with an ankle injury. But he clearly was following the game closely.
After the winning touchdown, Jacobs tweeted at Ruggs with “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”
Waller, the Raiders tight end, who had 13 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns, said he sprinted toward Ruggs and celebrated with the rookie and other teammates.
“It didn’t feel real to me,” he said. “I was like I didn’t know what was going on. That was an incredible play by Henry and a great call by coach to take that chance, and a great throw by Derek. It was pandemonium on our sideline. The resilience of this team definitely showed today on every side of the ball.”
To that point, it had been a bad game for Ruggs (one ball went off his hands for an interception and he later fumbled), but he knew he had to respond if called upon again.
He knew his dad would raise hell for his two turnovers during the game.
“My dad was not going to be happy,” said Ruggs, who received the game ball. “Of course he’s watching and I had to make a play so I can make him proud, and the way the game was going, the play that I had I knew he wouldn’t be happy with (how) the game was going. I wasn’t even happy about it. I knew at some point in the game I had to come back and make a play and make up for it. Just happened coach called my number at the end of the game.”
Ruggs said he hasn’t decided who’s going to get the game ball. It’s down to his daughter or dad.
Regardless, the dad already has a pretty cool early Christmas gift in the catch that his son made in a critical spot.
Carr’s comeback
Not to be lost in Ruggs’ spotlight moment was the man who delivered the pass.
It capped Carr’s 20th fourth-quarter comeback and 23rd game-winning drive of his pro career. It ties Matt Ryan for most fourth-quarter rallies in NFL history through a player’s first seven seasons.
Carr said he was upset that he missed some throws on the previous drive that gave the Jets the ball back with 1:32 remaining.
The Raiders had two timeouts left.
The Jets ran it three times and ended up punting, giving Las Vegas the ball back with 42 seconds remaining.
“I was praying for one more chance,” Carr said. “We hit Darren on a big play, a corner route, corner stop thing and put ourselves in position with (13) seconds left, I couldn’t believe they all-out blitzed us, but as soon as I saw it, I was thankful and that’s why we prepare the way we do and that’s why coach teach us the way he does.
“To win a game like that, in the fourth quarter, a lot of emotions. Big-time roller coaster to say the least.”
This story was originally published December 6, 2020 at 4:35 PM.
