Las Vegas Raiders (3-3) – New England Patriots (1-5): 21-17
Fans of offensive and spectacular football did not have much hope heading into this meeting. No expectations, no disappointment. On paper, a Mac Jones – Jimmy Garoppolo duel was not attractive. The two quarterbacks were not catastrophic, but they seemed incapable of making big differences.
Jimmy G led the Raiders attack well in the first part of the match (14/22, 162 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). Nothing flamboyant, but Garoppolo in the text. An attack that advances slowly but surely, including the only touchdown of the game for the Raiders scored on a pass for Jakobi Meyers. A relationship of former Patriots against their former franchise.
Jimmy Garoppolo injured again
Unfortunately for Las Vegas, there was also the bad side of Jimmy Garoppolo. In addition to an interception which is in no way his fault, it is above all a new injury which casts a shadow over this victory. After the shoulder, hand, thigh, knee and foot, it is now a back injury which could keep Garoppolo from the field for several weeks. No diagnosis, yet, but the fact that he went to the hospital during the match doesn’t indicate anything good.
Who will replace him ? Aidan O’Connell, the rookie, who showed some flashes despite the loss to the Chargers two weeks ago? Or Brian Hoyer, the veteran? No hesitation for Josh McDaniels. In his business of creating the Patriots from 2010 to 2023, who better than Hoyer, who spent eight of his fifteen seasons in the NFL under Bill Belichick? For his 77th career match, Hoyer fulfilled his mission rather well (6/10, 102 yards) and allowed the Raiders to score two field goals which kept the advantage.
The Patriots (still) harmless
17 points scored may be a small thing for you, but for them it means a lot. No, that doesn’t mean they’re free, it just means they were a little less bad than the previous weeks. After ten consecutive quarters of drought, the Patriots finally found their way to the end zone, twice (Ezekiel Elliott and Rhamondre Stevenson). Mac Jones was decent (24/33, 200 yards, 1 INT), but not enough to overcome an abysmally weak squad.
However, the Patriots believed in it until the end. With 2min23 on the clock, Mac Jones had the opportunity to move up the field to win. A field goal would have been enough. But after two penalties which pushed the attack back to its own 4 yards, Jones was dropped by his line and Maxx Crosby tackled the quarterback in the end zone for a fatal safety.
Bill Belichick’s 300th career victory will have to wait (again). We would have thought that the legendary coach and his players would raise the level against the Patriots 2.0, but it is clear that this New England team is far too weak. Certainly, there is better compared to the last two weeks. At the same time, it was difficult to do worse.
