The Las Vegas Raiders are desperate to get back into the win column amid a three-game losing streak. Unfortunately, things don’t get any easier as they travel to Indianapolis in Week 5 to face a 3-1 Colts team.
To make matters worse, two of the team’s best players are injured. Tight end Brock Bowers hurt his knee in Week 1 and hasn’t looked like the same player since. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, but it appears he may have aggravated something.
According to the Raiders’ injury report, Bowers did not practice on Thursday, which is not a good sign for his status in Week 5. He hasn’t had a big game since Week 1, so it’s possible that Las Vegas has decided to give him some time off to let the knee heal properly. The offense just isn’t the same without him being 100%.
That’s not the only concerning injury update. The Raiders also revealed that star defensive end Maxx Crosby was limited due to a knee injury. Now, Crosby would likely rather have the doctors cut his leg off than for him to miss a game this early in the season, but if he can’t play, that will be a major cause for concern. He was limited, so he wasn’t out completely, but he will be a player to watch.
Pete Carroll Talks Bowers
Bowers is coming off a record-breaking rookie season, and he didn’t miss a single game. It was a much more productive year for him.
While he was excellent in Week 1, Bowers has just looked like an average tight end the last three games instead of the All-Pro he proved to be last season. Head coach Pete Carroll recently admitted that the team is still trying to figure out the best way to utilize him right now.
“We’re still trying to go to him,” Carroll told reporters Wednesday. “We’re still trying to get the ball to him and use him for all of the great skills that he has. So, nothing’s changed in that regard. I think we’re going to see him better as he gets rid of that brace that he’s wearing in a couple weeks, whenever that happens.
“It’s worked out well to have him playing—he’s been out there and able to practice and prepare, and he’s an incredible asset to our team. But we would love for him to get the ball more.”
Should Raiders Give Bowers Time to Recover?
Bowers is a tough player, so he doesn’t want to miss time. That said, he’s clearly not recovering quickly enough. At this point, the Raiders might be better off giving him a week or two off to get closer to 100%.
