Raiders report: Rookie has breakout game in win over Patriots

Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo looked the same direction each of the first two times he faced third down.

The result was two completions to Michael Mayer that moved the chains and helped spur a 16-play, 69-yard field-goal drive on the game’s opening possession to give the Raiders a lead they would never relinquish in a 21-17 victory over the Patriots on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

Mayer caught three passes on the drive, matching his total for the first five games of the season.

“I don’t think it was part of the plan, I think it just happened,” Mayer said of his early involvement. “I think Jimmy saw me open a couple times and got me the ball. I think there’s going to be a lot more of that for sure.”

The rookie second-round pick out of Notre Dame easily eclipsed his career highs with five catches for 75 yards, securing all but one of his targets.

While the breakout performance might not have been specifically schemed, it wasn’t exactly a coincidence.

Mayer said he feels as comfortable as he has all season and is starting to comprehend his role in the system.

“I’m just understanding it much more in terms of where to be and what to do on each play,” he said. “I think that came with time a little bit and with repetition and playing in games instead of just going against our defense in camp. That’s kind of what it is. It took me a second to kind of understand it, and I think it’s kind of clicking now.

“It’s been a gradual process, but my teammates have been with me the whole time.”

Sunday’s production is what the Raiders envisioned when they traded up in the second round to select Mayer as the heir apparent to Darren Waller, who had been traded to the Giants.

“He’s getting better every week,” coach Josh McDaniels said. “He wants to be great at everything. … Every week is like another step forward, and I think he’s gaining confidence in himself.”

Mayer rewrote the tight end record book at Notre Dame and had a massive game against Brigham Young at Allegiant Stadium in 2022, turning 11 catches into 118 yards and two touchdowns. He offered Raiders fans the first glimpse of that kind of potential Sunday.

“He did his thing,” wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said. “He’s getting better and better every day. Soft hands. Can run with the ball. He works hard every day, just comes in and is the same guy every day.”

Milestone

While the numbers don’t jump off the box score, running back Josh Jacobs had his most productive ground game of the season with 77 yards on 25 carries.

That was more than enough for Jacobs to join Marcus Allen as the only Raiders to surpass 5,000 career yards in 65 games or less.

“Shout out to him for reaching that mark,” center Andre James said. “That’s something not a lot of backs are going to reach, and it speaks about who he is.”

Jacobs is one of four Raiders to eclipse that total in any amount of games. He needed 25 yards Sunday and crossed the threshold on a 6-yard run in the second quarter.

“I didn’t even know about it until like five minutes before the game, and they told me what I needed,” Jacobs said. “I think it’s cool. Obviously, we’ll see how it goes, but I think it’s a good stat to have.”

It was also the 500th win in franchise history, as the Raiders became the 10th team since 1960 to reach that mark. They have a franchise winning percentage of .520, ranking 11th in the NFL for teams with at least 500 games played.

Student beats teacher again

Raiders coach Josh McDaniels tried to downplay the matchup with his mentor, Bill Belichick, all week, referring to the storyline as a horse that had been beaten to death.

But he earned a bit of a historic victory over his former boss.

McDaniels is now the only coach who has gone against Belichick at least three times and never lost to him.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.