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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterDec 23, 2024, 06:00 AM ET
- Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role – writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA’s Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis’ Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
LAS VEGAS — Snapping a 10-game losing streak, a team’s longest in-season streak in a decade, should normally be cause for celebration.
But while the Las Vegas Raiders‘ 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium improved their record to 3-12, it also dropped the quarterback-needy team’s draft slot — drastically.
The Raiders entered the day with the No. 2 pick (Shedeur Sanders? Cam Ward?). But after their first win since Sept. 29, Las Vegas fell to No. 6, behind the New York Giants, New England Patriots, Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans, according to ESPN Research, with two games to play.
A certain segment of embrace-the-tank fans were as livid with the development as the Raiders were thrilled with the win.
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“Talk to Tom Telesco,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said with a smile of the team’s general manager when asked about his thoughts of fans focusing perhaps too much on getting a high draft pick.
Added quarterback Aidan O’Connell: “I don’t read anything, so I don’t really hear it. Ignorance is definitely bliss and that’s how I’m rolling.”
Raiders owner Mark Davis, meanwhile, was anything but displeased with the win. He made the rounds in the locker room, recognizing players for their efforts. On his way out, he spied Brock Bowers at his locker and made a quick U-turn.
The Raiders rookie tight end was still trying to wrap his mind around his latest tour de force when an excitable Davis cut his thoughts short.
“Congrats, man,” Davis said as he extended a hand toward Bowers. “Congrats. Really.”
A stunned Bowers could muster only a quick, “Appreciate it,” and Davis was off.
But not without the knowledge of Bowers’ most recent body of work.
Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers made 11 catches for 99 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
With 11 catches against the Jaguars for 99 yards, Bowers’ 101 receptions on the season are a record for rookie tight ends. And with 1,067 receiving yards, he is 10 yards away from breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s 1961 record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end.
Plus, Bowers’ 101 catches are tied with Anquan Boldin for the third most by a rookie in NFL history, and he is five away from passing Puka Nacua‘s year-old rookie record.
“It’s crazy,” Bowers told ESPN. “It just kind of all runs together. Just seeing that number is crazy because I don’t feel like I’ve caught 101 balls. It’s pretty crazy when it all adds up like that.”
Numbers aside, O’Connell said he was most impressed with Bowers’ “accountability” as a teammate.
“We ask a lot of him, and he answers the bell almost every time,” said O’Connell, who targeted Bowers 13 times. “We’re obviously super lucky to have a guy like that on our team.”
The Raiders were linked to several quarterbacks in last year’s draft, particularly Jayden Daniels, but were either unwilling or unable to move up to select one.
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Instead, the Raiders stood pat and six QBs were gone before their selection came up at No. 13. Rather than reach for a quarterback, Telesco pulled Bowers’ card.
“I said it from the jump, right? He’s all ball,” Pierce said. “He’s all business. He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t flinch. He wants to win and whatever it takes to win — if it’s throwing him the ball or him blocking — he’ll do whatever it takes. And again, I’m just proud of his effort.”
Neither the Raiders nor Bowers have looked back since.
Now they can simply look forward to games at the New Orleans Saints (and a potential reunion with old friend Derek Carr) and a home finale against the team they kicked off the season against in the likely playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers.
So why not finish on a three-game winning streak and further wreck their draft slot while Bowers obliterates the record book, right?
“I mean, we lost 10 in a row so coming in here, the vibe’s way better, let’s put it that way,” Bowers said.
“The vibe’s just through the roof compared to the last 10 games. I mean, that’s just awesome.”
