NEW ORLEANS – It didn’t take long for Brock Bowers to remind the Raiders what they were missing in their 35-27 win over the Saints to improve to 3-0.
Making his season debut Sunday against the Saints, the star tight end caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, with several highlight-worthy receptions.
The Raiders had managed to win their first two games without Bowers. That spoke to foundation coach Klint Kubiak, establishing quarterback Kirk Cousins’ ability to make it work without his most accomplished pass catcher.
But there’s a difference between making up for someone’s absence and taking advantage of everything they offer.
Bowers wasted no time illustrating this.
His seven catches for 87 yards in the first half helped fuel four scoring drives, giving Cousins a reliable connection and the Saints another problem to solve. And he continued to add to that production, showing how valuable his presence can be to an offense still discovering its potential.
His impact extends beyond the passes thrown to him.
Bowers’ ability to threaten the middle of the field forces defenses to devote attention that otherwise could be used to help against Tre Tucker and the Raiders’ other receivers. Additional resources devoted to Bowers may create opportunities elsewhere.
For Kubiak, this expands the possibilities. For Cousins, this provides another answer.
This becomes especially valuable when the ground game is struggling, as it was again on Sunday. The Raiders still need to establish more consistency on the field, but Bowers gives them a difference maker that can help overcome those deficiencies.
What’s encouraging is that he returned to an offense that had already found contribution from other pass catchers and helped secure back-to-back wins.
The Raiders can now build on that foundation with their best offensive weapon in the lineup.
Sunday offered a compelling look at how that can make them even more dangerous.
Raiders Pass Rush appears when needed
For most of Sunday’s game, the Raiders struggled to make Tyler Shough uncomfortable. And the takeaway was nowhere to be found
Then, on four straight possessions in the fourth quarter, their pass rush helped turn the game around, as did their ability to take the ball away from opponents.
A forced fumble recovery by Maxx Crosby and an interception by Zeke Masses — his third in two games — gave the Raiders offense two opportunities to change the direction of the afternoon.
The offense took both, converting takeaways into touchdowns and turning a five-point deficit into a 35-27 lead.
A 13-point swing. And another example of complementary football becoming an encouraging part of the Raiders’ identity.
Then, with the Saints looking to potentially tie the game late in the quarter, Jeremy Chinn forced another fumble with a sack, then stripped the ball from Shough on a fourth-and-1 from the Raiders’ 20. Cornerback Taron Johnson fell on it for the takeaway.
The timing could hardly have been better.
The Saints had spent much of the game limiting the Raiders’ pass rush by quickly taking the ball out of Shough’s hands. A towering defensive front failed to assert itself consistently, leaving the secondary with little help against New Orleans’ passing game.
But the Raiders kept coming. And when they finally created the disruption, they made it count.
Crosby’s recovery gave the offense a chance to capitalize. Masses’ interception provided another, continuing a productive streak for a defender developing a knack for finding the ball.
What happened next was just as important.
Takeaway creates opportunity. Turning them into touchdowns is a game changer.
The Raiders had spent the first half settling for field goals on three of their four red zone possessions, leaving themselves with a smaller cushion than their opportunities suggested they could have built.
This time they are finished.
The defense provided the openings and the offense provided the points. Neither unit was efficient enough throughout the afternoon, but during that critical stretch in the fourth quarter, they gave themselves exactly what they needed.
This is how a team can overcome inconsistent performance.
And that’s how the Raiders put themselves in position to win another game.
RUN THE GAME STRUGGLES AGAIN
Mike Washington’s 36-yard touchdown run showed what the Raiders’ ground game can add to their offense.
The rest of Sunday’s performance showed how far they still have to go.
Aside from Washington’s scoring burst, the Raiders struggled to generate a consistent rushing attack against the Saints, finishing with 113 yards on 27 carries. That included just 56 yards to Ashton Jeanty on 19 carries.
This was particularly disappointing against a New Orleans defense that entered the game ranked 26th in the NFL against the run. A second straight week of questions about a central part of coach Klint Kubiak’s offense presented an opportunity to establish some traction.
The Raiders overcame those struggles against the Chargers. They did it again against the Saints.
But overcoming a problem doesn’t make it go away.
And asking quarterback Kirk Cousins, the passing game and the defense to continue to make up for an inconsistent rushing attack is not a sustainable formula.
Washington’s touchdown is a reminder of the rewards when the Raiders succeed. They also need more run-of-the-mill gains — runs that create manageable second downs, make third downs less demanding, and keep the offense from needing another tough completion.
These are the building blocks of the balance Kubiak desires.
Too often in the last two games, they have failed.
The return of Brock Bowers gives Cousins another answer in the passing game, and the Raiders have shown they can produce points without constantly moving the ball on the ground.
But this should be a useful ability and not a weekly requirement.
The offensive line needs to create more reliable running space, and the Raiders need to find a way to turn their commitment to the run into repeatable production.
An explosive touchdown can change a game.
A reliable rushing attack can change what an offense is capable of handling over the course of a season.
Gn sports
