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          Raiders rookie Michael Mayer elevates for TD grab

          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterNov 13, 2023, 04:01 AM
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          LAS VEGAS -- The first touchdown of a field-goal fest game between the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets on Sunday night was also the first touchdown of Raiders rookie tight end Michael Mayer's career.

          The 6-foot-4 Mayer "mossed" Jets 5-foot-10 safety Jordan Whitehead for the score to give the Raiders a 16-9 lead early in the fourth quarter.

          It was third-and-4 from the Jets' 7-yard line when Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell faked an inside handoff to Josh Jacobs before looking left. He rolled to his right, spied Mayer and threw the jump ball.

          Per NextGen Stats, O'Connell had 4.54 seconds to throw, and Mayer had a target separation of 0.9 yards. The completion probability was just 27.4%.