The debut start for rookie Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza was tough enough, having to face an elite Seattle Seahawks defense, but things only got made more difficult early on. Star tight end Brock Bowers hurt his ankle in the first quarter.
He had to leave the field, but came back on briefly. Eventually, he had to go to the locker room and then came back to the field. Unfortunately, he didn’t return to the sideline after halftime.
The Raiders then announced that Bowers has been ruled out for the game.
Bowers is starting to get quite an injury history. He missed several games last year with a knee injury and had to sit out the first two games of this season with another knee injury.
He has been elite when he’s on the field, but this ankle injury is going to be a real concern. Bowers only had two catches for 18 yards before getting ruled out. The fact that he was able to get back on the field could be a good sign that it’s not going to be a long-term injury. At the same time, this will be something to monitor. Bowers is the only receiver on the offense who can consistently get open.
Raiders Can’t Afford to Lose Bowers for Long
The timing couldn’t be worse for a Bowers injury. The Raiders just pivoted to Mendoza, and he needs the star tight end. They might have the weakest wide receiver in the NFL, but Bowers is effectively the No. 1 wide receiver.
Losing him for any period of time would be a big problem. Michael Mayer has been solid, but he’s not nearly as big of a threat in the passing game. Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech just haven’t been consistently making plays.
Considering the fact that the Raiders also can’t run the ball, not having Bowers could be a huge blow to the offense.
Raiders Changing the Culture
The pivot to Mendoza was a big deal for the Raiders. Kirk Cousins was playing well, and the team isn’t out of the playoff mix.
For another team, trading the veteran starting quarterback halfway through the season could lead to problems, but punter AJ Cole thinks the Raiders have established a strong culture.
“I really do believe that we’re changing the culture here,” Cole said. “I think when this thing gets to where it’s headed and when we become the team that we’re going to become, I think Kirk deserves a lot of credit for helping change that by showing some of the young guys around here how he works and how to be a professional, but also how to have fun within that.”
Mendoza is a young player, but he was the No. 1 pick for a reason. There’s a lot of excitement about what he can do. The Raiders are building something, but it’s not going to lead to anything if Mendoza doesn’t play well. They are finally going to get a chance to evaluate him.
Raiders Announce Bad Brock Bowers News