‘Better late than never’: Road victory gives Raiders 1st winning streak
NEW ORLEANS — The Raiders, to do something they have not done all season, remained true to a blueprint they drew up months ago.
They ran the ball well and controlled the line of scrimmage against the Saints on Sunday at Caesars Superdome. They won the turnover battle, did well on third downs and got solid quarterback play.
The result was a convincing 25-10 road victory despite the team’s travel issues Saturday. The win gave the Raiders their first two-game winning streak of the season.
“I guess better late than never,” said quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who completed 20 of 35 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
Sticking to the script
O’Connell’s most important accomplishment Sunday? Zero turnovers. The Raiders (4-12) did not turn the ball over for just the second time this season. They also didn’t have a turnover in last week’s home win over the Jaguars.
The Raiders’ running game played a huge role in Sunday’s victory as well. They had a season-high 156 rushing yards against the Saints, with veteran Ameer Abdullah gaining 115 yards on 20 carries.
It was the first 100-yard game of the 31-year-old Abdullah’s NFL career. He credited the offensive line for his big day.
“We were just beating them up up front,” Abdullah said. “They understood when to come off on double teams, and when you have that kind of synergy with the O-line and backs, we just do our job.”
Tight end Brock Bowers had seven catches for 77 yards, giving him 108 receptions for 1,144 yards on the season.
Bowers broke Mike Ditka’s NFL record for yards by a rookie tight end (1,076) and Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua’s record for most catches by any rookie (105). He also broke tight end Darren Waller’s record for the most receptions in a single season in franchise history (107).
Bowers’ performance helped power a Raiders offense that scored points on six of its first eight drives. Kicker Daniel Carlson made all four of his field goal attempts, while wide receivers Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker caught touchdowns from O’Connell. The Raiders converted 10 of their 18 third downs and scored touchdowns on two of their four trips to the red zone.
Well connected 🛜#LVvsNO | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/f6DveutCFb
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) December 29, 2024
The defense, on the other hand, allowed the Saints to convert just one of their 10 third downs. The Raiders also held New Orleans to 81 rushing yards, recorded four sacks and grabbed two interceptions off rookie fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler.
“It’s a process,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “And (it’s) just (about) staying true to it.”
Questions remain
The win was both satisfying and maddening.
The Raiders knew this formula was their only chance at success this season. They had too many holes on their roster to try to win games otherwise.
But following the blueprint proved to be an elusive endeavor. The Raiders, after starting 2-2, lost their next 10 games. That stretch might end up costing some people their jobs.
“We would have liked (to fix things) earlier in the year and not (go into) the slump that we did,” O’Connell said.
The Raiders didn’t. So they’ll head into the offseason with difficult questions.
They need to decide whether to bring Pierce back for another season, and whether they will run things back at quarterback with O’Connell and veteran Gardner Minshew battling for the starting job.
Pierce said “no comment” when asked about his job security Sunday. O’Connell, for his part, has shown he can be effective in the NFL. But his inconsistency raises questions about whether he can lead a team to the playoffs over a 17-game schedule.
The Raiders will search for answers in the coming weeks and months. For now, they’ll leave New Orleans understanding they can win football games if they follow the right blueprint.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com . Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
