The Las Vegas Raiders started the season strong with a 20-13 victory over the New England Patriots. Despite leaving the game with an injury in the third quarter, Brock Bowers played a major role in the win, as he finished with 103 receiving yards on five receptions.
While the injury did not force him to miss any games, the 2024 first-team All-Pro tight end has been a shell of himself over the past three weeks. Bowers has yet to score a touchdown this season, while he has recorded 38, 38 and 46 receiving yards over the past three weeks.
Las Vegas' offense, which was expected to be a major strength in 2025, ranks just 24th in points scored and 18th in total yards. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly must get the second-year superstar going in order for the offense to truly take the next step.
Raiders need to find a way to get Brock Bowers more involved
Bowers has continued to deal with the knee injury that he suffered in Week 1, playing with a brace on his knee in each of the past three games. He has not looked like himself, however, and the Raiders have failed to win a single game over that span.
Without Bowers being at his best, the offense cannot thrive as a whole. Not only is he one of the biggest producers, but his gravity on the field helps other players get open and allows other aspects of the game to thrive.
In the last three weeks, he has recorded just 122 receiving yards. During his stellar rookie campaign, he did not have a single three-game stretch in which he produced this low an output for the Raiders' offense.
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Bowers, of course, finished his rookie season with 1,194 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 112 receptions, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, despite having a combination of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder under center.
He set the NFL single-season record for receptions by a rookie and receiving yards by a rookie tight end, while also setting the franchise single-season record for receptions. It is incredibly hard to replicate this production, but fans thought it was possible with Geno Smith under center and a better set of weapons around him.
If the Raiders are going to turn their season around after a 1-3 start, they simply need to find a way to get Bowers more involved in the passing game. While he has been playing banged up, his 225 receiving yards are tied for third in the league among tight ends.
Las Vegas has to get Bowers more involved if it wants a fighting chance in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. If they can't get him going, it could be a long season for the Raiders and yet another underwhelming showing for their offense.