NEW ORLEANS — Aidan O’Connell and the Las Vegas Raiders showcased remarkable energy and sharpness during their game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, despite being at the bottom of the league standings and dealing with challenging travel issues. O’Connell threw for two touchdowns while tight end Brock Bowers set two rookie NFL records, leading the Raiders to a 25-10 victory, marking their fourth win of the season.
The Raiders faced significant flight delays that forced them to arrive at their hotel in New Orleans well past midnight, nearly 12 hours before the game began. “These guys didn’t blink or flinch,” said Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce, clearly pleased with his team’s performance. “We got in at 1 o’clock in the morning, got up this morning and rolled.”
Bowers shined in the game with seven receptions totaling 77 yards, bringing his season totals to 108 catches for 1,144 yards. His performance surpassed the previous rookie tight end record of 1,067 yards set by Mike Ditka in 1961 and the 105 receptions mark for any rookie held by Puka Nacua in 2023. Furthermore, Bowers broke the franchise record for receptions in a season, previously held by Darren Waller since 2020. “It’s pretty shocking to me,” he commented, reflecting on the unexpected success transitioning from college to the NFL.
Ameer Abdullah also had a standout game, rushing for 115 yards, marking his first 100-yard performance in his decade-long professional career. “I’m not surprised by it,” Abdullah remarked. “I put a lot of work in. I’m very consistent… but I still think there’s a lot more out there for me.”
O’Connell totaled 242 yards passing, with touchdown passes of 3 yards to Jakobi Meyers and 18 yards to Tre Tucker. His success helped the Raiders secure their second consecutive victory after a lengthy 10-game losing streak. “Better late than never,” O’Connell said, expressing confidence in the team’s resilience.
Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson contributed significantly, scoring four field goals, with a long drive of 54 yards, solidifying the Raiders’ offensive efforts. The Saints, on the other hand, were without their former quarterback Derek Carr due to an injury to his non-throwing hand, compelling rookie Spencer Rattler to make his fifth career start. Unfortunately for Rattler, he remained winless, completing 20 of 36 passes for 218 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi pointed to dropped passes, costly penalties, and issues with pass blocking as the main factors hindering his team’s offensive performance. “I felt like Spencer really never got settled in there,” he said, although Rattler managed to display some effectiveness by moving around the field. He also led the ground game for New Orleans, rushing for 46 yards for the second week in a row.
The game began with a clever trick play from the Saints, giving them a brief edge with a 7-3 lead. Running back Kendre Miller pretended to execute a sweep before throwing a lateral to Rattler, who then passed it to tight end Foster Moreau for a touchdown. However, the Raiders regained the lead with a touchdown just before halftime.
The travel woes for the Raiders involved mechanical difficulties with their flight, forcing them back home for several hours before finally traveling to New Orleans. O’Connell described the peculiar situation and the surprise of returning home briefly. “It was pretty weird… but last night was a late night.” After the unplanned delay, the team aimed to bring a positive energy into the game. “It was really a lot of juice from a lot of guys… who tried to just enjoy it,” O’Connell mentioned.
In terms of injuries, the Saints suffered multiple setbacks during the game, including Kendre Miller leaving with symptoms of a concussion and linebacker Jaylan Ford appearing to sustain a serious injury. The Raiders will look to capitalize on this momentum as they face the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday, while the Saints prepare for a matchup against Tampa Bay.
