The Las Vegas Raiders are 1-4, and nothing is going right for coach Pete Carroll. After a 40-6 defeat in Indianapolis, issues abound for Las Vegas. Pick your poison: quarterback Geno Smith’s interceptions, poor special teams play, a lack of touchdowns, or an underperforming pass rush.
And that’s just the start. The Raiders’ offense hasn’t capitalized on the arrival of running back Ashton Jeanty. The rookie averaged 4.8 yards on 14 carries Sunday, but offensive coordinator Chip Kelly couldn’t turn a productive ground game into touchdowns.
Wasn’t that the plan this season? Feed Jeanty, keep defenses honest, and open things up for Geno Smith to connect with playmakers like tight end Brock Bowers?
Ah yes—Bowers didn’t play Sunday.
Brock Bowers’ injury looms large over the Raiders…
Among all the Raiders’ issues, this one stands out. Bowers hasn’t been himself since injuring his knee in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. After topping 100 receiving yards in New England, he hasn’t surpassed 50 yards in a game since. It’s been no secret—Bowers has been playing hurt.
The idea, presumably, was that the injury would heal as Bowers showed toughness and played through it. The plan certainly wasn’t for him to miss time. But before the Raiders declared him inactive, ESPN reported Bowers had been dealing with a PCL injury and a bone bruise in his left knee. According to that report, rest is the only real path to recovery.
Given that information, letting Bowers play through the injury now looks like a mistake.
Bowers is a major part of the offense. You could argue the Raiders have no chance without him. But injuries are injuries—especially when they involve one of the franchise’s foundational players.
A costly lesson for John Spytek and Co.
Beyond Bowers’ long-term health, how much did it really help Chip Kelly to have a diminished version of him on the field? Not much. In three Raiders losses, Bowers looked nothing like himself.
And playing him through injury sends a message to the locker room: we can’t win without this guy. Internally, that’s a problem. The team should embody a “next man up” mentality. Sometimes, players simply can’t go—at least not without risking a setback.
To be clear, the Raiders weren’t entirely reckless in letting Bowers play. However, the results are evident. They didn’t win with him hurt, and they didn’t win when he sat out. So what’s the difference?
Get the young man healthy. Address the other significant issues affecting the team. By allowing Bowers to play through his injury, the Raiders have managed to exacerbate an already difficult situation—a remarkable feat in Las Vegas and an early misstep for this new regime.
Related: Should Geno Smith Call It Quits Already?
*Top Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie/Imagn Images