The Las Vegas Raiders didn't look like a team that is destined for a deep postseason run in their debut under Pete Carroll. But they were able to wring out a hard-fought 20-13 victory on the road against a New England Patriots team that came into that game with a fair degree of hype.
Part of the reason the Raiders are expected to be a bit better as the Carroll era kicks off is the marriage between offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and new quarterback Geno Smith. With Smith leading the NFL in passing yards after his 362-yard showing in Week 1, all signs point to him having a better year than he did in his final campaign with the Seattle Seahawks.
The biggest reason why? The massive upgrades at the tight end position, which have always been a favorite target of Smith's throughout his career. Brock Bowers is as good as it gets at the position, and as long as Kelly keeps scheming up ways for him to get open, Smith can be counted on to distribute the ball effectively.
Geno Smith could thrive with Raiders due to strong TE play
Bowers, who operated as a bit of a hybrid between a traditional tight end and gigantic slot wide receiver in Kelly's offense, caught five passes for 103 yards against New England. This was despite his sitting out the fourth quarter due to an injury.
The Raiders' investment in the tight end spot, however, helped keep Smith and the offense rolling. Backup tight end Michael Mayer, who was considered a possible trade candidate after Bowers' emergence, caught four passes for 38 yards on Sunday.
All of these catches came in the immediate aftermath of the Raiders losing their All-Pro pass catcher. Kelly's tenure in Philadelphia as a head coach was not ideal, but he did unlock Zach Ertz as a receiving threat, showing that his scheme can get the most out of quality tight ends.
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Smith remains the ultimate test of true quarterback ball-knowledge, as his deep accuracy and penchant for tight-window throws were not maximized by an offensive coordinator in Ryan Grubb that was in over his skis, a bad offensive line, and minimal tight end help.
The Raiders appear to have improved upon Seattle in all of those areas. Even in an AFC West division that is looking more like the strongest division in the league with each passing week, the Smith-to-Bowers connection will be effective.
Perhaps enough so to keep this offense humming against even the mightiest of secondaries. If only Seattle were that proactive about addressing the tight end position.