3 takeaways from Raiders’ win over Jaguars: Dropping in draft order

1. Good day for team, bad for organization

There is no doubt the players and coaches needed the win to soothe some of the wounds that had built during a 10-game losing streak.

But it might be a day the organization looks back on with regret come April.

The victory most likely will drop the Raiders (3-12) from one of the top two picks in the NFL draft as the current order stands to No. 6 after Week 16.

It wasn’t all bad news on that front, however. The Panthers’ upset of the Arizona Cardinals gave Carolina four wins and kept the Raiders from falling to seventh.

The New York Giants (2-13) take over sole possession of last place in the league and currently would pick first. Just like the Raiders, the Giants desperately need a quarterback.

New York now has the league’s longest losing streak at 10 games.

Four other teams — the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Jaguars — also have 3-12 records.

2. Steadying the offense

Aidan O’Connell didn’t post eye-popping numbers in his return to the lineup, but he settled the offense down and moved the chains enough for the Raiders to end their losing streak.

He finished 24 of 38 for 257 yards and no interceptions.

After the Jaguars scored on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Mac Jones to Brian Thomas Jr. late in the third quarter to give them a 14-13 lead, O’Connell answered right back by taking the Raiders 70 yards in 10 plays to regain the lead.

Perhaps as impressive, on the Raiders’ next possession O’Connell methodically took them on a drive that took 6:36 off the clock with the 19-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

O’Connell’s steady approach was particularly effective in the first half. He enabled the Raiders to hold a 16:40 to 13:20 edge in time of possession despite the Jaguars having the advantage of having received the opening kickoff.

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers was a major beneficiary of O’Connell’s return, hauling in 11 passes for 99 yards.

Andre James was back at center after being replaced by rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson, as guard Jordan Meredith missed the game with an ankle injury and Powers-Johnson moved back to guard. The offensive line didn’t miss a beat.

3. Pola-Mao the playmaker

The Raiders have needed someone on defense to make plays, especially in the absence of some of the unit’s biggest stars.

Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao was up to the task.

The third-year pro out of USC, who had never forced a fumble in his career, forced two against the Jaguars.

Fellow safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Thomas Harper each recovered one for the Raiders.

Pola-Mao, who recorded a team-high nine tackles, also stepped into another role, taking over as the personal protector for AJ Cole on the punt team.

Pola-Mao helped clean up the operation after a disastrous performance Monday when the Raiders had one punt blocked and another deflected in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson recorded a sack for the Raiders in a game that he said was personal to him. The Jaguars selected Chaisson in the first round of the 2020 draft but didn’t pick up his fifth-year option, allowing him to become a free agent before this season.

He almost had an interception in the first quarter. The Raiders unsuccessfully challenged the ruling on the field of an incomplete pass after Chaisson lobbied that he had controlled the ball long enough.

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