Raiders Play Clean Enough to Win, Beat Jaguars 14-7
The Las Vegas Raiders played a nearly flawless game, recovering two fumbles and converting on the ground in the red zone to secure a 14-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite struggling on the ground overall, the Raiders were able to convert frequently enough to reach the end zone twice. The defense also made key stops, including recovering two live balls for takeaways, although neither produced points.
Quarterback Aidan O’Connell made a few desperation throws that appeared headed for disaster but landed in the hands of teammates for first downs. The Raiders finally executed well enough to come out on top, a rare feat for a team that has struggled under coach Antonio Pierce.
For the Jaguars, quarterback Mac Jones played well enough to win, but the team’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities ultimately led to their defeat. Jones focused on standout rookie Brian Thomas Jr., who caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. However, the Jaguars wasted opportunities, had eight penalties accepted against them, and failed to find a rhythm on offense.
Tight end Brock Bowers continued his impressive rookie campaign, catching 11 of 13 targets for 99 yards and moving closer to Mike Ditka’s rookie receiving record for tight ends. Bowers is already the first rookie tight end to snag 100 receptions and has two games left to reach the record.