Brock Bowers breaks rookie record with Raiders’ new offense

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — In other words immortal words According to Herm Edwards, the main purpose of playing the game is, of course, to win.

But you couldn’t blame Brock Bowers for the sly smile that spread across his face after the incident.Las Vegas Raiders‘We lost 34-19 Miami Dolphins Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

After all, Bowers had broken the NFL record for most receptions in a game by a rookie. His 13 catches on 16 targets for a career-best 126 yards and a 23-yard catch-and-run touchdown underscored the faux new-look offense under interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner, whose father, longtime NFL quarterback Norv, is also sitting on the bench. He was with him in the press box for the match.

“There were definitely a few games (playbook) Definitely for me,” Bowers said.

“My job (like that) just to catch the ball and get yards. I mean, that’s the point.”

Television broadcast caught elder Turner congratulating son his The work after the call had Bowers intercepting a pass in the right circle and then accelerating toward the end zone late in the third quarter.

Thus, Bowers became the undisputed focal point of Turner’s offense that day — despite the tight end’s return michael mayerPlaying for the first time since Week 3 due to personal issues, the Raiders’ offense at least looked better in Turner’s first game as Las Vegas’ quarterback, right?

Under former offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who left the team two weeks ago along with offensive line coach James Cregg and QB coach Rich Scangarello, the Raiders had the worst running attack in the NFL, averaging 76.9 yards per game.

The Raiders managed just 60 yards on the ground against the Dolphins.

The Raiders also entered the game averaging 18.7 points per game; They scored 19 points against Miami.

And the quarterback Gardner MinshewThe player, who completed 30 of 43 passes for 282 yards, made his 13th turnover and ninth interception this season.

“I thought the communication was clean,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “Obviously we had turnovers late, but I thought Gardner was effective. We still need to get the running game going.”

Related: running back Alexander Mattisonwho had 19 rushing yards on five carries, left the game late with an ankle injury and later developed a walking boot on his right foot.

“But I thought there weren’t many accidents up front,” Pierce added. “We need to keep working and push a little harder. We had opportunities.

“It’s not good enough when you don’t score enough points to win.”

The Raiders, who fell to 2-8, continue their first six-game losing streak of the season and their first six-game losing streak of the season since closing the 2017 season with four straight losses and opening the 2018 season with three straight losses. They are 0-10 since the 2014 season opener.

Trying to jump-start the offense with Turner’s vision was a way to hit the reset button on the bye.

But going just 1 of 3 in the red zone while losing the 33:12-26:48 possession battle felt uncomfortably familiar.

Bowers, meanwhile, continues to get more comfortable as the season progresses.

“It feels like everything is slowing down every game,” Bowers said. “So it’s increasing (Slow). “I’m continuing to get used to the tempo of the game.”

Bowers now leads all NFL tight ends in catches (70) and receiving yards (706) and joins Pierce’s former team. New York Giants teammate Jeremy Shockey as the only rookie in NFL history to start multiple games with at least 10 catches, which Shockey did in 2002.

Bowers also had a supporter on the other side.

“Bowers is legit,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “We knew he would come out of the draft. We had a lot of confidence in him and he did not disappoint. In my opinion, he will be a player that everyone knows in the coming years.”

The type of player the offense can build around.

“We try to do everything we can to highlight our best player, and that’s how he plays,” Pierce said. “He’s strong, he’s physical, he doesn’t want to leave the game. He stays in the running game. So he’s doing everything that’s asked of him as a rookie, and we need more guys to keep making more plays. Him.”br/)