Rookie Brock Bowers helps Raiders end 10-game skid

LAS VEGAS — Snapping a 10-game losing streak, a team’s longest season streak in a decade, should normally be cause for celebration.

But while Las Vegas Raiders‘ 19-14 defeatof Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at Allegiant Stadium improved their record to 3-12, it also decreased the quarterback-needy team’s draft slot — drastically.

The Raiders entered the day with the No. 2 pick (Shedeur Sanders? Cam Ward?). But after their first win since Sept. 29, Las Vegas fell to no. 6, afterwards New York Giants, New England Patriotsjaguars, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titansaccording to ESPN Research, with two games to play.

A certain segment of embrace-the-tank fans were as happy with the development as the Raiders were with the win.

Polarizing, much?

“Talk to Tom Telesco,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said with a smile to the team’s general manager when asked about his thoughts on fans perhaps focusing too much on getting a high draft pick.

Added quarterback Aidan O’Connell: “I don’t read anything so I don’t really hear it. Ignorance is definitely bliss and that’s how I roll.”

Raiders owner Mark Davis, meanwhile, was anything but pleased with the win. He walked around the dressing room and recognized the players for their efforts. On his way out he spied Brock Bowers by his locker and made a quick U-turn.

The Raiders rookie tight end was still trying to wrap his mind around his latest tour-de-force when an excited Davis interrupted his thoughts.

“Congratulations, man,” Davis said as he extended a hand to Bowers. “Congratulations. Really.”

A stunned Bowers could only muster a quick, “Appreciate it,” and Davis was gone.

But not without knowledge of Bowers’ latest work.

With 11 catches against the Jaguars for 99 yards, Bowers’ 101 receptions on the season are a record for rookie tight ends. And with 1,067 receiving yards, he is 10 yards away from breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s 1961 record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end.

Plus, Bowers’ 101 catches are tied with Anquan Boldin for third-most by any rookie in NFL history, and he’s five away from passing Puka Nacua‘s year-old rookie record.

“It’s crazy,” Bowers told ESPN. “It all just kind of comes together. Just seeing that number is crazy, because I don’t feel like I caught 101 balls. It’s pretty crazy when it all comes together like that.”

Numbers aside, O’Connell said he was most impressed with Bowers’ “accountability” as a teammate.

“We ask a lot of him and he answers the bell almost every time,” said O’Connell, who targeted Bowers 13 times. “Obviously, we’re super lucky to have a guy like that on our team.”

The Raiders were notably linked to several quarterbacks in last year’s draft Jayden Danielsbut were either unwilling or unable to step up to choose one.

Instead, the Raiders were left to applaud, and six QBs were gone before their pick came up at No. 13. Instead of reaching for a quarterback, Telesco drew Bowers’ card.

“I said it from the jump, didn’t I? He’s all balls,” Pierce said. “He’s all in. He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t flinch. He wants to win, and whatever it takes to win — if it’s throwing him the ball or he’s blocking — he’ll do whatever it takes. And again, I’m just proud of his efforts.”

Neither the Raiders nor Bowers have looked back since.

Now they can simply look forward to games on New Orleans Saints and a potential reunion with an old friend Derek Carr and a home final against the team they started the season against in the likely playoffs Los Angeles Chargers.

So why not snap a three-game winning streak and further destroy their draft slot while Bowers obliterates the record books, right?

“I mean, we lost 10 in a row, so when we come in here, the atmosphere is a lot better, let’s put it that way,” Bowers said.

“The mood is just through the roof compared to the last 10 games. I mean, it’s just amazing.”br/)