The quarterback play may not have been appealing, but Jimmy Garoppolo got his team over the top when the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Green Bay Packers 17-13 on Monday Night Football.
Las Vegas, at home, led 10-3 at the interval thanks to Jakobi Meyers hauling in a nine-yard touchdown catch to cap off a 14-play, 62-yard drive.
Green Bay finally added scoring drives in the third quarter and outscored Las Vegas 10-0 to reclaim the lead, with AJ Dillon running home from a few yards out.
The fourth quarter saw Jordan Love in a two-minute drill for a chance to steal a road win down 17-13, but he threw a pick in the end zone with 44 seconds to go that sealed the deal.
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Let's delve into the game further with five takeaways as both teams are now 2-3:
A slow-paced game until the third quarter
The Packers had a sizeable crowd show up at Allegiant Stadium, but there wasn't much to cheer for until receiver Christian Watson had a 77-yard catch-and-run play midway through the third.
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That was the most lively play in what otherwise proved to be a dull game with both offenses offering little creativity. Green Bay failed to get a touchdown despite gaining all that yardage.
It did spark the atmosphere the rest of the way as the intensity mounted in the closing stages, but if you have FOMO, you're just fine.
Davante Adams doesn't get his statement game
Adams must've circled this game on his calendar the moment the schedule released. But his first game against his previous team didn't go as planned, at least on a personal level.
The 30-year-old had just one catch for 12 yards at halftime, and his second didn't come until the two-minute mark of the third quarter. Overall, he ended the game with four catches for 45 yards while Meyers led the way with seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Adams, a six-time Pro Bowler, will take the win though.
Maxx Crosby dominates under the lights
Love did not have a memorable game under the lights for the second week running, but Raiders star defensive end Crosby was at the heart of it.
The 26-year-old Eastern Michigan product prowled the field and never let up, registering five total tackles, four of which went for a loss, one sack and one QB hit. He got whatever he wanted and the Packers offensive line just had no answer.
Packers receiving room remains a problem
Not getting Aaron Rodgers more quality weapons was one of the reasons he left. Love doesn't have it much better. Other than promising sophomore Watson, who caught three passes for 91 yards (including the 77-yarder), there's no trusted option for Love to find.
Rookie second-round tight end Luke Musgrave added six catches for 34 yards as the team's next best receiver on the night, and the running game has been spotty thus far this season. Getting Aaron Jones back will help, but Love, who completed 16 of 30 passes for 182 yards and three picks, won't take significant strides without better weapons at his disposal.
Josh Jacobs still having rough start to 2023
After rushing for a career-high 1,653 yards in 2022 and tying a career-high 12 rushing touchdowns, Jacobs has not been anywhere near those levels through five weeks. Here's how he's fared each game:
- Week 1: 19 carries, 48 yards (2.5 average)
- Week 2: nine carries, minus-two yards (-0.2 average)
- Week 3: 17 carries, 62 yards (3.6 average)
- Week 4: 17 carries, 58 yards (3.4 average)
- Week 5: 20 carries, 69 yards (3.5 average)
The 25-year-old is on a one-year franchise tag after not being able to ink a long-term extension with the Raiders, but something has to change quick.
