LAS VEGAS — For the second straight week, the Las Vegas Raiders barely beat an injury-ravaged team at home. Maxx Crosby called his game-clinching safety Sunday “an out-of-body experience,” but Raiders fans could definitely feel the massive exhale after the sack secured the 21-17 win over the New England Patriots.
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The sack not only evened the Raiders’ record at 3-3, but it gave the Raiders two points and pushed them over 20 points for the first time this season. They were almost the third team since 2010 to not crack 20 points in their first six games, and Josh McDaniels was the play caller on the 2011 Rams as well.
But let’s focus on the positive.
A back injury forced Jimmy Garoppolo to not only leave the game at halftime, but he left the stadium. Brian Hoyer, 37, came in and led the Raiders to two field goals in the second half, and that was enough to hold off the woeful Patriots. He also made it a point to find rookie tight end Michael Mayer, who led the Raiders with a career-high 75 yards on five catches, while Davante Adams had two catches for 25 yards on only five targets.
Adams left before the Raiders’ locker room doors opened to the media and I look at it this way: He faced the music and talked to the annoying plaid army after the losses, so let the younger players enjoy talking to reporters after the win. (I guess it’s also possible that Adams is frustrated at nine targets in his last two games — including last’s week game against his former team, the Green Bay Packers — but I am a glass-half-full guy.)
Garoppolo went to the hospital for more tests on his back, but there were some reasons for hope offensively for a team that now travels to face another terrible team in the 1-5 Chicago Bears. I came up with four, because there will be plenty of time for negativity.
GO DEEPER
Backup Brian Hoyer preserves Raiders' victory, but team may have QB debate on its hands
Mayer is showing some serious YAC ability
Mayer, the Raiders’ second-round pick, talked last week about how he was able to get into the game against the Packers because he was thrown the ball on the first possession and his confidence and aggressiveness in blocking all skyrocketed. The coaches heard him, and he had three catches in the first six plays Sunday.
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What stood out was his ability to juke defenders after the catch, after the big brute showed he could run guys over last week.
“I can run guys over to get a first down and I can get around them,” Mayer said. “The more you break tackles and the more yards after catches you get, the more balls you’re going to get. … I hurdled and stiff-armed some guys in college, I just haven’t had the chance here yet.”
No. 87 getting started early 💪#NEvsLV | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/iFFO4y2hOY
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 15, 2023
Mayer said getting him involved early was not necessarily the game plan.
“Jimmy just saw that I was open a couple of times and got me the ball, and there’s going to be a lot more of that for sure,” Mayer said.
Mayer is open more because he knows what he is doing now.
“I am understanding the offense way more,” Mayer said. “In terms of where to be, what to do, and I think it just came with time and repetitions in games, and not just practice. It’s kind of clicking for me now.”
His teammates have noticed.
“He has soft hands and can run with the ball, and he is finding his rhythm,” receiver Jakobi Meyers said.
“I love the kid,” running back Josh Jacobs said. “He is not a rah-rah guy but he just comes in and works and never gets frustrated. He played well today and I hope he can keep stacking those performances.”
As for Meyers, the former Patriot caught his team-high fourth touchdown of the season.
“A lot of people here feel that we gave a lot to that team, so this team absolutely means more than others,” Meyers said.
Raiders completed a deep pass
Raiders fans — still apparently caught in the magic of Aidan O’Connell’s preseason success — booed Hoyer when he came on the field to start the second half. (O’Connell was inactive as the No. 3 quarterback.)
Hoyer promptly threw a strike down the middle of the field on his first third-down play, and the 48-yarder to Tre Tucker was by far the Raiders’ longest of the season.
Tre Tucker with the speed 💨#NEvsLV | 📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/LJGOrDUT3r
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 15, 2023
Defenses have been stacking the line of scrimmage against Jacobs and he was smiling when asked about the play.
“I love it,” Jacobs said. “Defenses are going to have to respect that. Hopefully, we get a few more like that on film and then we see how they start to play us.”
Hoyer admitted he was playing conservatively because he trusted his defense and didn’t want to risk putting them in a short field. But he thought his former team would lean their coverage to Adams and Meyers on that play, and he took a shot.
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“Tre’s worked his butt off and everyone in that room has confidence in him, and that was a play we had in our pocket for a while,” Hoyer said.
Whether it’s Garoppolo, Hoyer or O’Connell playing next week, McDaniels should have confidence in his players and empty his pockets more.
Offensive line gave the QBs time
The offensive line didn’t allow a sack — Garoppolo appeared to get injured when taking a hit from Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai after completing a pass to Meyers late in the first half — and both quarterbacks had time to find receivers.
Jacobs, who finished with a season-high 77 yards rushing on 25 carries, said the run blocking was better as well.
“I thought a couple of those runs were going to be big, very big,” he said. “It’s good to win, but we’re still a little chippy because we need to fix some things still. But we’re headed in the right direction.”
Raiders are starting to tap into their speed
Tucker only had two targets all season before Sunday and slot receiver DeAndre Carter was another speedster who was going to be finally given a chance to make plays against the Patriots. And sure enough, Carter had a third-down pass slip through his fingers on the first drive when he had plenty of space to run. He wouldn’t touch the ball again.
But Tucker did and you could see the 4.40 40-yard dash speed on his 48-yarder, as well as on a 9-yard catch and a 4-yard run. The Raiders’ rookie class has arrived.
‘“He got to show his speed,” Mayer said. “What you guys just saw, he does every day in practice. And Hoy threw a great ball to him. That’s the kind of player Tre is, he can run past downs and he can catch, and what you saw today, there will be a lot more of that, too.”
(Top photo of Michael Mayer: Sam Morris / Getty Images)
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