3 Takeaways from Raiders' Week 6 Win vs. Patriots

Don't look now, but the Las Vegas Raiders have won two in a row and have moved to .500 on the season.

Sunday's win over the New England Patriots was far from pretty, and it ended without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the lineup. However, the Raiders got just enough from Josh Jacobs, backup QB Brian Hoyer and their defense to outlast the Patriots in a 21-17 victory.

Las Vegas still trails the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, but the win makes things a lot more interesting for the Raiders.

Here are our biggest takeaways from Las Vegas' Week 6 win over the Patriots.

Raiders Have to Be Better in the Red Zone

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Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels has experienced his fair share of ups and downs since taking over last season. However, he does have the Raiders playing an inspired brand of football and has Las Vegas at 3-3 after six weeks.

With winnable games against the Chicago Bears and New York Giants in the next three weeks, the Raiders could still be in the playoff hunt at midseason.

To get there, though, Las Vegas has to be more effective in the red zone. McDaniels had some questionable play calls on Sunday, and the Raiders had even more questionable execution at times.

The Raiders made six trips to the red zone and came away with one touchdown, four field goals and an interception. It ended up being a close victory for Las Vegas, but it probably shouldn't have been.

If Las Vegas hopes to beat teams like the Bears and Giants—and have a chance against teams like the Detroit Lions and Chiefs—it cannot continue to look lost in scoring range.

Michael Mayer Makes an Appearance

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Raiders TE Michael Mayer

The Raiders continue to ignore wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who has emerged as a prime trade candidate before the October 31 deadline.

"League sources say they are trying to trade receiver Hunter Renfrow, whom they have used minimally this season," The Athletic's Dianna Russini wrote on Saturday.

While Renfrow wasn't involved in Sunday's win, rookie tight end Michael Mayer was. The second-round pick has struggled to work his way into McDaniels' offense but caught a pair of passes in Week 5 and had his best game as a pro against New England.

Mayer finished with five catches for a team-high 75 yards.

The Raiders needed every bit of Mayer's contributions too. The Patriots have traditionally done a good job of taking away an opponent's biggest offensive threat, and they held Davante Adams to just two catches and 29 yards.

Las Vegas hasn't gotten a ton out of its rookie class, so it was great to see Mayer come up big in a victory.

It's Time for a New Plan at Quarterback

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Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Garoppolo was supposed to be Las Vegas' placeholder for at least the 2023 season, if not beyond. He was familiar with Josh McDaniels' offense from their time together in New England, and he had loads of postseason experience.

These traits earned Garoppolo a three-year, $72.8 million contract in the offseason.

After six weeks, however, it's clear that Las Vegas needs a new plan at quarterback, perhaps sooner than later. He hasn't played particularly well (7 TDs, 8 INTs) and his injury woes have followed him to Las Vegas.

According to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, Garoppolo was ruled out in the third quarter with a back injury and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. He also missed the Raiders' Week 4 loss with a concussion.

The Raiders did draft Aidan O'Connell this past April, but since his lackluster Week 4 performance, he's become an afterthought. Hoyer, the journeyman backup, finished Sunday's game, but the 38-year-old is not even a short-term starting solution.

Las Vegas needs to start eyeing its 2024 options in free agency and the draft. If McDaniels doesn't trust O'Connell, the Raiders may have to start considering other options to help finish out 2023.