It's only been two games, and Brock Bowers already looks like A Real Dude.
Bowers has come exactly as advertised through the first two games of his professional career, as the rookie tight end is already on a record-settting pace. With 15 receptions through the first two weeks of the 2024 NFL season, Bowers has 15 receptions. It's the most any rookie Raiders tight end has had through two games, and while Bowers probably (right? right?!) won't get to the 128 catches he's on pace for currently, it certainly seems like 100 is well within his grasp.
After the game, he spoke a little about how he was just, "out there doing my job and ended up getting open a few times," which may be the most tight end-ish underselling of a 12-catch, 125 yard performance we've seen all season. He even got to break down the huddle in the locker room! How fun. After the Raiders' upset win over the Ravens, head coach Antonio Pierce opened his press conference by mentioning how much Bowers' performance stood out among the rest.
RELATED: Antonio Pierce calls out everyone who picked the Raiders to lose in Week 2
Antonio Pierce wants everyone to know just how well Brock Bowers is playing for the Raiders
🔴📽️ Live: Antonio Pierce and Gardner Minshew address the media following the Week 2 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. https://t.co/OABV6PilCC
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 15, 2024
"I do say this: we came out in the second half, especially late in that third quarter, and protected the quarterback," he said. "Quarterback did a heck of a job playing pitch and catch with one of the best receivers in the game. And a young rookie who really stood out today? Brock Bowers. I thought was just a good job of our guys being resilient."
When you win the game and your coach doesn't use anyone else's name except for yours when handing out credit, you know you had a big day. It's admittedly kinda hard to call the Raiders' first round pick – and a guy taken 12th overall – as totally 'unsung,' but Bowers hasn't gotten nearly the attention that Minshew or Adams has so far. If he really does end up having a Rookie of the Year caliber season, we'll look back at this Ravens game as the week it really got started.