The Las Vegas Raiders have managed to start the season 2-0 despite star tight end Brock Bowers missing both games due to injury. The team had him undergo a meniscus trim just prior to Week 1.
Bowers returned to practice prior to Week 2 and was really close to playing against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to head coach Klint Kubiak. The team decided to play it safe and not make Bowers active.
That was a good call, as the Raiders were able to easily handle the Chargers. The New Orleans Saints are on the docket in Week 3, and that should be a tougher matchup. They’ve looked like a solid team through two weeks.
Getting Bowers back would certainly help the Raiders’ chances of starting the season 3-0. Luckily, it’s looking like his return is getting close. Kubiak said Bowers is going to practice ahead of Week 3, and according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it looks like the tight end is on track to play against the Saints.
“I would be surprised if Brock Bowers wasn’t back on the field this week for the Las Vegas Raiders. … Kirk Cousins is playing well, and they’re winning games,” Schefter said on “Pat McAfee Show.“
What A Bowers Return Means for Raiders
Not having Bowers the first two weeks didn’t stop the Raiders from winning, so they’ve proven they can function without him. Multiple players have stepped up. Cody White had two touchdown catches against the Chargers, and Tre Tucker had 119 receiving yards.
However, the run game really struggled to get going in Week 2. Having Bowers will help open up the field and give the Raiders some lighter boxes. There’s also the fact that he might be the best receiving tight end in the NFL.
He’s going to make big plays. The Raiders don’t have to play him a ton of snaps against the Saints, but it looks like he’s in line to make his season debut.
Cousins Proving He Can Hold Onto Starting Job
The Raiders won in Week 1, but Kirk Cousins‘ performance was cause for concern. He completed one pass of over 10 yards and threw two interceptions. He was a much different player against the Chargers.
He was throwing the ball over the field and had three touchdown passes, finishing with a 113.1 passing rating. Kubiak had praise for the quarterback after the game.
“He’s a competitor, he wants to win. That’s why he’s here,” Kubiak said of Cousins on Monday. “And that throw that he made in two-minute to Tre, that was a big time throw. He’s made a lot of those throughout his career and that really sparked us.”
If Cousins plays like he did against the Chargers the rest of the season, Fernando Mendoza is going to have to wait a while to play. The rookie No. 1 pick is an exciting player, but it’s clear Cousins still has a bit of juice. The Raiders have to be feeling really good about their quarterback room currently, but Cousins has to keep showing that he can move the ball deep.
Adam Schefter Drops Major Update on Raiders TE Brock Bowers