The deal to part ways with Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline seemed like a clear admission of another lost season for the Las Vegas Raiders. Although there was genuine optimism behind the pieces they brought in during the offseason, it has ultimately turned out to be for naught, given a 2-6 start to the year.
However, the trade did bring an interesting opportunity for the team’s best offensive player, sophomore Brock Bowers. After a slow start to his second campaign in the NFL, the superstar tight end had an excellent showing in Week 9. But in the first half against the Denver Broncos, he wasn’t able to provide much for the Raiders.
What Happened to Brock Bowers?
A sensational start to his career saw Bowers tally 1,194 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season, as he was elevated to the third-ranked player on PFSN’s TE Impact. This year, though, his start hasn’t been as productive.
Suiting up in five of the eight games for Las Vegas, he is up to 352 yards and three touchdowns. However, those numbers resulted from two excellent showings last week and in Week 1 of the season.
Those two games account for 230 receiving yards and all three touchdowns for the All-Pro. However, the three games in the middle saw Bowers play through a posterior cruciate ligament injury and a bone bruise in his left knee, which significantly impacted his play.
Returning to the lineup in Week 9, it’s clear that he’s found his groove once again. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to have the same level of impact when going against Denver.
A huge chunk of yards for Brock Bowers on 3rd and 9 😤
LVvsDEN on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/ZI0r1ILRGK— NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2025
Against a ferocious defense that is ranked first on PFSN’s Defense Impact, he had just one catch in the first half, despite being targeted three times, as he accounted for 31 yards of the 111 total yards gained by the Raiders.
Even though it seemed Pete Carroll and his team had control of the game for almost the entire period, they came into the break with the scores tied at seven apiece.
If they want to hunt for their third win of the year and throw a wrench in the Broncos’ six-game win streak, then they’ll need better production from their offense in the second half, and Bowers in particular, with their wide receiver room not boasting any proven weapons.
Additionally, they need to eliminate mistakes, as two penalties resulted in a touchdown and a potential field goal being taken away in the first half.