A big day for Brock Bowers coupled with takeaways from the defense and a turnover-free day on offense helped the Raiders get back in the win column on Sunday.
Here are some key takeaways and metrics from the 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
O'Connell Plays Clean In Return
After missing the Raiders' Monday Night Football game against Atlanta with a knee injury, quarterback Aidan O'Connell returned to make his fifth start of the season. He completed 24-of-38 (63.2%) passes for 257 yards and an 82.9 passer rating. Most importantly, O'Connell commanded an offense that committed zero turnovers for the first time this season.
Per Next Gen Stats, O'Connell fared well when getting the ball out quick (under 2.5 seconds), completing 14 of his 16 such attempts for 152 yards (9.5 yards/attempt).
Not known for his elite escapability, O'Connell also showed an ability to extend plays and avoid pressure, adding a career-long 13-yard run.
"I don't know what got into Aidan tonight, but whatever he ate, Wheaties or cereal or whatever little snack he had, he needs to do it again," Head Coach Antonio Pierce joked after the game. "He was moving way more than I've ever seen. I think you guys can attest to that as well. I think that's just the determination that this guy and this team had today to get a win."
100 + 1,000 For Bowers
Brock Bowers received 40 targets in Weeks 11-13. In Weeks 14 and 15, that number dropped to 11. Ahead of Sunday's game, interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner acknowledged the need to get the star rookie more involved.
"He's got a big bullseye on him," Turner said. "They're going to try to take him away. So, I've just got to do a better job with moving him around, trying to get some easy – I mean there's nothing easy in this league – but some less challenging catches because he's so great with the ball in his hands. We've just got to get it to him because he breathes life into our team."
Turner did just that as Bowers opened the game with a 32-yard gain on the offense's first play from scrimmage. It was a sign of what was to come as he finished with team-highs in receptions (11) and receiving yards (99). All 11 receptions came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Bowers specifically found success on out-breaking targets, according to Next Gen Stats, catching all eight targets for 86 yards, with 55 yards coming after the catch.
Bowers and Odell Beckham Jr. (four) are the only two players at any position in NFL history to record four games of double-digit receptions in their rookie season. Bowers also tied Tim Brown (four in 1997) for the most games of 10+ receptions in a single season in Raiders history.
Bowers also surpassed 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards on the season, becoming one of only three tight ends in NFL history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in their first NFL season (Kyle Pitts and Hall of Fameer Mike Ditka). With 10 more yards, Bowers will break Ditka's record (1,076) for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history.
Defense Handles Jags
Entering Week 16, Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones had started four games in place of starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In those four starts, Jacksonville scored more than 10 points just once and ranked 31st in yards per game.
Like the Falcons last week, the Jaguars took advantage of Raiders' special teams mistakes/favorable field position and a blown defensive assignment but otherwise had little offensive success. Jacksonville's first scoring drive began at the Raiders 29-yard line after a 26-yard punt return and a 15-yard penalty on a late hit out of bounds. The other touchdown came on a wide open deep pass to Brian Thomas Jr.
On the Jags' other 10 possessions, the Raiders defense took care of business, forcing two takeaways, seven punts and a game-clinching turnover on downs.
The Silver and Black's defense has held their opponents to 15 or fewer points in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 9-10 of last season (Giants and Jets).
Numbers To Know
- While the Raiders offense has leaned heavily on its young players this season, it was 10-year veteran Ameer Abdullah who made arguably the biggest play of the game. Trailing in the fourth quarter, Abdullah came down with a huge reception on a third-and-three play to move the chains. He accounted for 36 yards on the drive and capped things off with a seven-yard touchdown run to give the Raiders a five-point lead. Abdullah finished with 85 scrimmage yards, his most in a single game since the 2017 season.
- Isaiah Pola-Mao became just the second defensive back in Raiders history (since 1999) to record multiple forced fumbles in a single game - joining Charles Woodson (3 times). In addition to recording his first two career forced fumbles, Pola-Mao matched his career high in tackles set last week (nine).
- Playing against his former team, K'Lavon Chaisson logged the Raiders' lone sack on the day and added a pass defensed. His 3.0 sacks over the last four games are tied for the sixth most in the NFL in that span.
- Kicker Daniel Carlson made two of his three field goal attempts and surpassed 800 career points as a member of the Raiders. He is one of only four players in franchise history to score 800+ points with the Silver and Black, joining Sebastian Janikowski, George Blanda and Chris Bahr.
View the best photos from the Raiders' Week 16 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Allegiant Stadium.