Jacobs rushes for 116 yards as Raiders improve to 2-0 under Pierce, beat Jets 16-12
Josh Jacobs rushed for 116 yards, Aidan O'Connell connected with fellow rookie Michael Mayer for the game's only touchdown, and the Las Vegas Raiders improved to 2-0 under interim coach Antonio Pierce, beating the New York Jets 16-12 on Sunday night.
The Raiders, who got to the .500 mark with Sunday's win, turned away two late attempts by the Jets to rally. Robert Spillane intercepted Zach Wilson's pass at the Las Vegas 15 with 1:22 left, and after the Raiders punted, Wilson's heave to the end zone fell incomplete on the game's final play.
Jacobs ended a 14-game streak of failing to gain 100 yards, getting 27 attempts as Pierce committed to a run-first attack, but his fumble late in the fourth quarter gave the Jets (4-5) a chance.
O'Connell became the second Raiders rookie quarterback to win two of his first three starts — Mike Rae in 1976 was the other — by passing for 153 yards with one interception.
It was 9-9, with each team having made three field goals, when O'Connell scrambled and found Mayer in the end zone early in the fourth quarter. Las Vegas' defense took care of the rest.
Wilson passed for 263 yards, and Garrett Wilson caught nine passes for 93 yards, but the Jets have gone 36 consecutive drives without a touchdown.
Greg Zuerlein connected on field goals of 47, 53, 30 and 45 yards for New York, which led 9-3 after his third field goal early in the second quarter. Zuerlein has made at least one field goal in 26 consecutive games, extending the NFL's longest active streak.
New York had opportunities to take a bigger lead early, but had all three scoring drives interrupted by penalties. The Jets entered the game last in the league in converting red-zone opportunities in touchdowns at 23.8%, though only one of those drives got inside the Raiders 20.
Daniel Carlson made his second field goal, a 54-yarder on the final play of the first half, to get the Raiders within 9-6. Late in the third quarter, DeAndre Carter returned a punt 32 yards to the Jets 45. The Raiders converted a fourth-and-1 before the drive stalled, and Carlson booted a 40-yard field goal to tie it.
After Mayer put the Raiders ahead with the first TD catch of his career, the Jets responded with a 35-yard catch-and-run by Breece Hall. But that drive only resulted in another field goal.
ROOKIE MISTAKES
O'Connell fumbled a snap and threw an interception on consecutive plays late in the first quarter. Pierce tried to challenge the pick, but wasn't allowed to because all turnovers are automatically reviewed. The aborted challenge cost him a timeout.
INJURIES
Jets: LB C.J. Mosley went into the blue medical tent in the fourth quarter. ... Garrett Wilson appeared to injure his wrist in the third quarter, but returned to the game.
Raiders: LT Kolton Miller didn't play because of a shoulder injury. Jermaine Eluemunor moved from the right spot to play that position and Thayer Munford started at RT. ... CB Marcus Peters (knee) played after being listed as questionable. CB Amik Robertson suffered a concussion early in the second quarter trying to tackle Hall.
UP NEXT
Jets: At Buffalo on Sunday in an AFC East matchup.
Raiders: At Miami on Sunday, their only road game in a six-week span.
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