Early in the third quarter, Flacco hit Torrey Smith with a 54-yard pass that moved the Ravens into field goal range where Tucker hit a 43-yarder to get the Ravens back within a touchdown. Later, Bernard Pierce got stonewalled on a 4th & 1 at the Chargers’ 14-yard line after a 10-play drive and the Ravens wound up with nothing to show for their best drive of the day. The Chargers got another 30-yard field goal from Novak that made it a two-score game, 13-3, with less than eight minutes remaining.
Now in trouble on the road again in San Diego, Flacco employed the no huddle and shotgun, marching the Ravens down the field on a nine-play, 76-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard Dennis Pitta TD grab that pulled the game to 13-10 with 4:19 left.
The Ravens defense got the ball back after an impressive three-and-out stop, and Flacco went back to work from his 40-yard line needing only a field goal to tie the game. There was still 3:09 left on the clock and plenty of time to lead a drive. Flacco hit Pitta for 16 yards on 2nd down, and he appeared to be finding the tempo he needed. But the drive hit the rocks when Marshall Yanda was called for holding and then Flacco was sacked and stripped on a 3rd & 20 by former Ravens linebacker Antwan Barnes, fumbling the ball before Michael Oher fell on it.
Now, it was all but over, and Flacco had one play. The Ravens were suddenly facing 4th & 29 from their 37-yard line needing to reach the opposite 34-yard line to keep the game alive at the two-minute warning.
In the huddle, Flacco called all nine routes, which is code for “just run toward the Pacific Ocean and I’ll throw it.” After the snap, Rice, who was protecting Flacco in the backfield, slipped to the right side into the flat. There was nothing but traffic downfield as the Chargers defenders had essentially formed a wall at the opposite 35-yard line and were set to knock down anything that came deep. Flacco, perhaps out of habit, perhaps out of chance, decided to dump the ball to Rice near the line of scrimmage and pray for the best.
Rice caught ball on the 37 to the right hash and had plenty of space to run forward. He knew he needed a lot of real estate and started picking up steam near the 50 as the entire Chargers defense collapsed like an accordion trying to get him down into the middle of the field. His first burst of speed came past midfield as Takeo Spikes turned him further into the middle of the field as eight men in powder blue shirts came rumbling. Former teammate Jarret Johnson came in pursuit, but Rice pulled away, dodging Marcus Gilchrist, Demorrio Williams, and Corey Lynch as he ran toward the opposite sideline.
Chargers defensive back Eric Weddle had the best angle to make the tackle coming from the back. He was sizing Rice up for a hit near the 40, but was derailed – if not de-cleated – on a vicious side block from Anquan Boldin, who leveled Weddle as Rice dove at the feet of Chargers defensive backs Antoine Cason and Quentin Jammer. Jacoby Jones was standing at the 34-yard line and instantly signaled first down with his left arm. All Norv Turner could say was, “Did he get it?”
It was, quite simply, one of the greatest football plays that most fans will ever see. It was a dramatic play, and you could feel the air get sucked out of the stadium instantly. It was almost mystical. No one makes that play. No one had ever seen anything like it converting a 4th & 29 on a dump pass with the game on the line.
The Chargers disputed the spot, and the officials reviewed the run and spot. After several minutes of replays and debate, the referee signaled a first down for the Ravens and the game continued as Justin Tucker hit the tying 38-yard field goal as time expired, sending the 13-13 game into overtime.
After trading possessions in the fifth quarter, Flacco and the Ravens inherited the ball at their own 11-yard line, but began marching on a series of short passes to Pitta, Rice, and lightly-used wide receiver Tandon Doss. On 3rd & 10 near midfield, with the drive stalling, Flacco floated a deep right pass into the waiting arms of Torrey Smith who battled Jammer for the ball, coming down at the 16-yard line.
“That’s a helluva catch,” Ray Lewis screamed at him as Smith rose to his feet after making the play. “That’s football man!’
The Ravens ran the clock and brought on Tucker, who drilled his second 38-yard field goal of the afternoon and the Ravens had shocked the Chargers with a 16-13 victory in overtime to run their record to 9-2.
After the game, most were at a loss for words to even express the miraculous nature of Rice’s run and the ensuing result. Rice was asked if that crazy play had name? “Checkdown, ‘Hey Diddle Diddle Ray Rice up the middle’,” Rice said with some whimsy, unknowingly channeling the old Baltimore Colts motto of the mid-1970s when running back Lydell Mitchell heard a similar refrain from local fans.
