Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer have been the centerpieces of a very good Las Vegas Raiders offense this season. While the former functions more as a wide receiver, these two still comprise what is undoubtedly the best tight end duo in the league, thanks in large part to Mayer's emergence.
Opposing teams have had significant issues finding even one player who can slow down one of the Raiders' tight ends, let alone both. Bowers is averaging nearly 100 yards and a touchdown per game without going below 70 yards, and Mayer has already set career highs in receiving across the board.
But when the Seattle Seahawks come to Allegiant Stadium in Week 10, their elite defense may have the closest possible thing to an antidote for these two Las Vegas studs. And their names are Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori.
Why Seahawks are set up to potentially slow down Raiders' TE duo
Not only are Emmanwori and Witherspoon incredibly talented in a vacuum, but they match up well against Bowers and Mayer.
First of all, Witherspoon is one of the elite coverage players in the NFL, and there is a reason that Jon Schneider gave him a four-year, $132 million deal this offseason. He can line up out wide, in the slot or in the box and could effectively follow Bowers around in this game, regardless of his alignment.
Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of just 86.0 when targeting him this season, which is below average. This is even more impressive when one considers that Witherspoon is tasked with covering the opposing team's best receiver, and he has no interceptions to lower this number.
Emmanwori is, to put it succinctly, a freak. At 6-foot-3 and 227, which is already huge for a defensive back, he is also arguably the most athletic player in the league, at least in terms of his combination of size, speed, agility and flexibility. Then, you throw in immense strength and length. He's a problem.
Last week against the Arizona Cardinals, Emmanwori was tasked with covering Trey McBride, the second-best tight end in the league, for portions of the game. And he did not give up a catch while guarding him. Mike Macdonald seemed to love the idea of matching him up against more tight ends.
Because Mayer lines up more like a traditional in-line tight end, it stands to reason that Emmanwori will be the one shadowing him for portions of the game. Between putting a big and physical player who can move on Mayer and one of the best cover guys in the NFL on Bowers, this is a tough draw.
That said, the Raiders aren't just completely lost for answers if Seattle lines up this way.
Las Vegas can still exploit Seattle's DBs by playing through their TEs
Las Vegas has a few things working in their favor this week.
One is that Fernando Mendoza is now the quarterback, and without any real film on him, it will be tougher for Macdonald and Co. to game plan for him. Plus, Klint Kubiak knows Macdonald's system very well, and he could use what he knows to expose the cracks in it and help Mendoza thrive.
Now, to the tight ends.
For as good as Witherspoon is in coverage, and although he plays bigger than his size, he is still just 5-foot-11. Bowers is 6-foot-3 and outweighs him by 60 pounds. The Raiders' superstar tight end should be able to out-physical him, especially at the top of routes, to get open.
Bowers will also be able to high-point passes better and use his big frame to haul in balls that are thrown outside of Witherspoon's radius. And throwing these pinpoint back-shoulder throws is one of Mendoza's greatest strengths.
Mayer is certainly not as athletic as Emmanwori, and that could be a great equalizer, but the former is also an inch taller and 40 pounds heavier than the latter. Simply put, Mendoza should be able to give Mayer and Bowers 50-50 balls to go up and get if they can't separate. The size difference is stark.
Plus, Kubiak, after spending a year going against these two in practice every day, knows what their weaknesses are. He can prey on them in that way. And Kubiak has constantly schemed the two open all year against the best, so Sunday's game really shouldn't be all that different.
Are Witherspoon and Emmanwori a legitimate threat? Yes. They represent the best possible combo to slow down the Raiders' elite tight end duo. But does that mean that Bowers and Mayer are simply down for the count in Week 10 and we should write them off? Of course not.
I'll take our guys.
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