BSJ Game Report: Raiders 30, Patriots 24 - Leading late, New England surrenders TD, lateral return for TD

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ win over the Raiders in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Patriots grab defeat from victory on bizarre play: After trailing 17-3 at halftime, the Patriots grabbed a 24-17 lead with 3:43 to play. Then, in the final two minutes, they allowed a 4th and 10 conversion, a 30-yard touchdown with 32 seconds left (controversial that replay let stand) and ... we're not done ... then as the game appeared headed to overtime on a draw play to Rhamondre Stevenson with 3 seconds to play, the running back lateraled to Jakobi Meyers, who then tried to throw it back to Mac Jones. The only problem? Former Patriot Chandler Jones caught it, stiff-armed Jones' tackle attempt and then ran 48 yards for the game-winning score. Words can't do the ending justice. It's up there with the Miracle in the Meadowlands, the Miami Miracle, Flutie vs.Miami, Music City Miracle ... any absurd, improbable final play you can think of

"Just trying to do too much," Meyers told reporters after the game. "Trying to be a hero, I guess. I didn't see the dude back there as I was trying to throw the ball. I was just trying to do too much, you know what I'm saying? I should have just went down with the ball.

"That was me. That was just me trying to make a play. ... Whether (Stevenson) pitched it to me or not, that's not his fault. It's on me."

Said Stevenson: “The play call was just a draw play. Nothing more, nothing less than that. I’m supposed to know the situation… I failed to do that today.”

Said Mac Jones: "I got to tackle the guy. It's on me, and it's my fault. Because if we tackle him – or I tackle him – then we play for overtime. It’s all on me. Got to make that, not good enough by me. It is what it is, just got to tackle him and play for overtime. So, it’s on me.

"I think Jakobi is one of the best teammates I've ever had. I mean, he's a fighter, and he does everything he can to try and help the team. Obviously, you'd have to ask Coach [Belichick] about it and see what our plan was. At the end of the day, the guy's out there fighting and trying to compete to win the game, and there's a lot of things I could have done better in the game – like I said earlier – so we were not even in that situation. When I don't play very well, we're in that situation, and it's terrible. It's tough, but I love Jakobi, and I love all the guys on our team. It's not to Jakobi’s fault. I think we just got to watch it and see what we can do better.”

NFL says there was not definitive proof that Cole was out of bounds: This is the play that allowed the Raiders to tie the game and setup the ridiculous final play.

NFL NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Walt Anderson was asked by a pool reporter after the game about the play:

Question: How did you determine that was a touchdown catch by Keelan Cole in the fourth quarter?

Anderson: “The ruling on the field was a touchdown.”

Question: In replay review, it appeared the receiver’s left foot was on the white. Was that not visible in replay?

Anderson: “We looked at every available angle and it was not clear and obvious that the foot was on the white. It was very tight, very close. There was no shot that we could see – we even enhanced and blew up the views that we had. There was nothing that was clear and obvious that his foot was touching the white.”

Question: Did you have a down-the-sideline angle to aid you in your review?

Anderson: “No, we did not. Probably the best view was what we term a ‘high end zone’ view. TV gave us the most enhanced view that they had as well. We blew it up and I believe TV blew it up and there was nothing that was clear and obvious either way. Had the ruling on the field been incomplete, we would not have been able to change that either.”

Miscues, Mac Jones lead to worst first half of the season: The Patriots were basically a disaster in the first half as they spotted the Raiders a 17-3 lead. Jones was ranting and raving on his way to a first-half line of 8 of 15 for 56 yards. He was out of control at times, acting out worse than previous games. And he missed plays throughout the game, in probably the worst performance of his career (13 of 31, 42%, 112 yards, 3.6 YPA, 52.1 rating). It was so bad, and he was so borderline insubordinate, that I would not have been surprised if Bill Belichick benched Jones for Bailey Zappe. He and it was that bad. That includes and first-and-goal sequence in the second quarter where the Patriots were at the 2, got to the 1 on second down, then Jones missed an open Jonnu Smith, couldn't find Nelson Agholor and then, as the team went for it on 4th down at the 1, Jones didn't allow Jonnu Smith time to set and his false start led to a field goal. Oh, and the Patriots later allowed a blocked punt, which led to a touchdown, when it appeared not all the players were ready to block when the ball was snapped. All around, the first half was a debacle that seemed to get worse with each passing minute.

"We just had too many bad plays and mistakes to win," Belichick said. "I'll just say we made a mistake on the (lateral) play. 

Blocked punt? "A mistake on the play," he continued to say.

Was Stevenson told to go down if the play wasn't there?

"That would have been better than the result," Belichick said. "We've talked about situational football, we talk about it every week.

"Yeah we need to try to eliminate all of the mistakes that we made. All of us."

Defense, Dugger almost deliver a win: The defense certainly did its part, allowing the Raiders just 4.8 yards per play, getting three sacks and holding Davante Adams to 4 catches and 28 yards. The biggest play was Kyle Dugger reading Derek Car like a book, jumping a quick pass and returning it for a 16-yard score giving the Patriots new life.

This is what the defense did in the second half, prior to the final touchdown drive:

TURNING POINT

I think you can guess.

SECOND GUESS

Belichick said a Hail Mary was not thrown on the final play because Jones didn't haves the arm for it.

“Taking a shot at the endzone? We couldn’t throw it that far," Belichick said.

The line of scrimmage was the New England 45. Belichick's line is simply not true. Jones can throw it that far, but he didn't bite postgame and seemed to put Belichick on the spot.

“I think Coach Belichick makes the coaching decisions there, so we put a lot of emphasis on it and work really hard at it, but just got to do better with execution as players.”

A Hail Mary would have been the top option. I didn't mind the draw, but the players know better than to be throwing it around on a play that is not designed as a lateral play. It was designed to try to score if the Raiders messed it up as far as their tackling — which is definitely a possibility with that group.

The bottom is, the final play call wasn't optimal but it was fine. These are professional football players, and Meyers is one of the smartest. Nobody needs to tell them to go down if a lane isn't there, it's self-evident. And certainly no one has said, 'Hey, sure, in a tie game, feel free to throw it backwards some 30 yards across the field to your QB."

The players failed, at the least, to get this game to overtime.

FOUR UP

Kyle Dugger: His pick-six completely changed the game. Great read by him, but just a terrible job by Derek Carr.

Rhamondre Stevenson: Was questionable with an ankle injury and wound up with 19 rushes for 172 yards and a score.

Ja'Whaun Bentley: Had a game-high 10 tackles, including a sack. 

Offensive line: Run blocked well, owning the Raiders inside, and it was a team effort (with TEs and RBs) to keep Maxx Crosby and the Raiders from getting any sacks.

THREE DOWN

Jakobi Meyers: He simply can't throw that ball.

Mac Jones: Had a -19.6 Completion Percentage Above Expectation via NextGenStats, the lowest of his career. Previous lows: -11.7 at Chargers 2021;  -19.5 vs. Bills 2021.

Arguably the worst game of his career to this point, and he was losing his cool in the first half, and cost the team points when he didn't wait for Jonnu Smith to get set on the QB sneak for a TD. Considering his play and on-field attitude, he was lucky he wasn't benched in the second half. Something was said because he was much calmer after the break. 

“I think we just got to score more points early," Jones said when asked about failed goal line sequence. "A play is a play, and I didn't execute enough good plays today. If you don't do that, then you're not going to score. Just a tough situation that definitely falls on me – I got to be better. I'm going to watch the tape, and do what I always do, and just try and get better. Tough deal, but just got to keep working.”

Nelson Agholor: Caught just one of his six targets for 3 yards, and dropped at least one (and maybe a couple).

INJURIES

C David Andrews (unknown): Returned to the game. 

TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

My inclination, before watching the film, is to put this one on the players more than the coaches: Jones missed Jonnu Smith in the end zone, and then didn't want for Smith to get set on 4th down on the goal line. The ball can't be snapped before the punt protection is set, someone obviously misheard something. The Patriots had a chance to ice the game with the ball and 3:12 left, and Conor McDermott went offsides to make it 2nd and 12 to lead to a punt. Marcus Jones was in a tough spot, but he can't get beat over the top for that touchdown. Mac Jones missed some layup throws in this game. Meyers can't throw the ball across the field in a tie game. These are simple plays for professional football players and they failed to do their jobs. The coaches were good enough to win this game.

Mac Jones is treading on thin ice: This is now three straight weeks of Jones losing his stuff during a game, and arguably the first time when it really cost the team in the first half. He seemed out of sorts and out of control. As a second-year player, that can't happen. I would not be surprised if the coaches are going to discuss whether Jones starts next week. I understand the situation that he's been in all year, but it is what it is at this point. The situation sucks, but he needs to lead this team the best he can, and I don't think he's going that right now. The big question is if Jones is just giving voice to what the other players are saying privately — both Devin McCourty and Matthew Slater said this week they've been encouraging Jones to use his voice more. Are they OK with this? The key question Belichick will be asking is if he does sit Jones, what does that mean for his locker room?