Oklahoma football: Baker Mayfield still has some ‘Magic Man’ left

If you are a sports fan, by now you’ve certainly heard about the miracle former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield pulled off in leading the Los Angeles Rams to a thrilling 17-16 come-from-behind victory on Thursday Night Football.

Mayfield started the week as a back-up quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, the team he was traded to in the offseason after a roller-coaster four-year run with the Cleveland Browns. On Monday, he was released by Carolina and by mid-week he was on his way to Los Angeles as the newly signed property of the Rams.

What’s even more surprising is he was on the field Thursday night as the quarterback for the Rams. He certainly couldn’t have had much time to study the Rams’ play book having barely been with the team for 48 hours.

John Wolford started the game for the Rams against the Las Vegas Raiders, but after Los Angeles’ first possession, Rams head coach elected to go with the newly acquired Mayfield.

Just two days after Los Angeles had acquired the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick, Mayfield stepped into his new role, completing 22 of 35 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown.

"“There was kind of a shortened list of plays that I was really, really studying,” Mayfield told reporters in the postgame interview session. “I will say we dipped out of that little list and got into some other things.”"

Mayfield completed 15 of 20 passes in the fourth quarter in leading the Rams on two long scoring drives to overcome a 16-3 deficit. With 12:20 remaining in game, the former Sooner star directed a 17-play, 75-yard scoring drive that consumed almost nine minutes and cut the Las Vegas lead to 16-10 with 3:19 to go.

The Rams’ defense forced a Las Vegas punt that left Los Angeles offense backed up against its own goal line at the two-yard line, 98 yards away and just under two minutes remaining. All of a sudden it was Mayfield’s time to shine, like he had done so many times before in an Oklahoma uniform.

Mayfield methodically led the Ram offense down the field. Faced with a 2nd-and-10 from the Raiders’ 23-yard line and10 seconds left on the game clock, Mayfield connected with Van Jefferson on the left side of the end zone to tie the game at 16. Matt Gay added the game-winning extra point, and Mayfield and the Rams had competed an early Christmas miracle, snapping a six-game Los Angeles losing streak.

"“I don’t know if you can write it any better than that,” Mayfield said after the game. “Obviously, we like to be a little more stress-free, but it’s a pretty damn good story.”"

Indeed it was, and it’s good to see the Magic Man still has some of that left in him in what has been a much-criticized, not all of which was truly warranted, five-year NFL career.