Even with Pro Bowl wideouts Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow on the roster, the Las Vegas Raiders still made it a point to bring in Jakobi Meyers this offseason. With a three-year, $33 million contract, Meyers was set to join the Silver and Black and reunite with the tandem of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler.
McDaniels knew his offense had gained a reliable weapon, but no one could’ve imagined exactly how reliable Meyers would become. In fact, when defenses are playing tight coverage, no receiver in the National Football League is more reliable than the former Patriot.
Of the 26 players league-wide with at least 10 contested targets, none have a higher catch percentage than Meyers when covered tightly (70%). Beyond that, only five players have more contested catches than the 26-year-old (7).
These numbers are especially impressive when considering three different quarterbacks have thrown to Meyers, each quarterbacking for more than four quarters of football. It doesn’t matter who’s throwing the ball – Jakobi Meyers is going to catch it when blanketed.
The Raiders will need this reliability to continue against the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football.
Jakobi Meyers looking to stay consistent vs Lions in Week 8
Davante Adams is the main attraction in the Raiders’ receiving corps, but on the stat sheet, Meyers is the king of consistency in 2023.
Only once has Meyers had less than 50 receiving yards in a week this season. Likewise, only one week has gone by where the North Carolina State alum has logged less than 5 catches. In four of his six games played, Meyers has found the end zone at least once.
Luckily for Meyers and the Raiders, Detroit’s passing defense isn’t doing too hot.
Through seven weeks, the Lions have surrendered the seventh-most passing yards to opposing offenses (1,684). With 11 passing touchdowns allowed, only five teams league-wide have given up more scores through the air. Only five teams league-wide allow more first-downs through the air as well.
If the Raiders want to walk away with a win against Detroit, they have to take advantage of a unit that struggles against the air attack. Jakobi Meyers will be crucial in doing so.
*Top Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
By Tony Brucks
Yeppers we have a great core of receivers plus a RB that can run or catch a pass and a very solid TE that could be very clutch for us.
NOW if we just had a QB that could get the ball to them. *sigh*
(by GTHANG)
Pass protection has been surprisingly good, we have excellent weapons, but we still can’t get chunk plays.
Defenses have no concerns about the deep ball so they crowd the line of scrimmage and stifle the run game. We are left with short passes in traffic that put our receivers in harm’s way.
Our coach wanted QBs he can control like drones, so this is what we got: an overpaid, injury-prone starter with happy feet and a weak arm, a 38-year old backup and an unheralded rookie.
The ceiling on a QB room like ours is mediocrity at best.