Former UCLA football head coach Chip Kelly seemingly fixed the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense over their off week. After being shut out by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders scored 29 points in their overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Perhaps Kelly just needed a healthy Brock Bowers, which he certainly got on Sunday. Bowers caught 12 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns, with Bowers adding one carry for six yards. Bowers injured his knee in Week 1 and played through the injury for three games before being shut down for a month to fully recover.
The difference was stark for the Raiders offense. Quarterback Geno Smith still was far from perfect but he had a reliable target to throw to throughout the game. It was a season-high in targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns for Bowers, which unsurprisingly resulted in a season-high in points for the Raiders.
Bowers’ performance nearly got the Raiders a win, with Las Vegas going for two at the end of overtime following Bowers’ third touchdown of the game. The game-winning pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage, pushing the Raiders’ record to 2-6.
Raiders Wire writer Levi Damien explained the difference in the Raiders offense with a healthy Bowers, compared to what Kelly was working with while Bowers recovered from the knee injury.
“Think about this, Brock Bowers was healthy coming into the season and opened with a 103-yard game while Geno Smith throws for 362 yards, completing 75% of their passes, and they come out with the win in New England.
Bowers also got injured in that game. And with him not at full strength, the Raiders then lost four straight, including two games when they didn’t hit double digits scoring. And two weeks ago in Kansas City, with Bowers sidelined, they were shut out.
Then they come into this game with Bowers taking the field at full strength again for the first time in two months and score a season-high 29 points. Bowers catches 12 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns, Geno Smith throws four touchdowns and they come within a batted ball at the line of securing the win in overtime.” Damien said.
It’s likely too late for the Raiders to make a playoff run but Kelly should be able to get better results out of the Raiders’ offense with his All Pro tight end on the field.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Tight end Brock Bowers returned for Chip Kelly — so did the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
