The Jacksonville Jaguars lost two consecutive games before the BYE but have a favorable slate in the second half of the season. Next on their schedule are the Las Vegas Raiders.
Heading into the game, the Raiders rank 31st in points scored and 30th in total yards, so this will be a great opportunity for a Jacksonville defense to rebound after a pair of underwhelming performances against the Seattle Seahawks and the Las Vegas Raiders. That said, it won't be a walk in the park, especially when you take into account that they'll be tasked with containing tight end Brock Bowers.
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll says Bowers will suit up for the Week 9 matchup after missing three games this season with a knee injury. In his latest exchange with the local media, head coach Liam Coen talked about just how much of a headache the sophomore tight end could be for the Jags.
The Raiders face a tough challenge in Brock Bowers
Liam Coen heaped praise on Brock Bowers, noting that the second-year tight end has elite football traits.
"I had a lot of experience with him in the SEC at Kentucky, played against him multiple times. Thought he was extremely advanced at that time. And then, yeah, for a second-year player to have, he gets in and out of breaks so well, he's, I know he was like, 40-something inch vertical coming out of high school. He's a very good athlete. He's like what you define as a football player. I mean, he just has a knack for getting open."
Coen continued, He's harder to tackle than maybe just looking at the table, he'll break tackles, drag people down. He knows how to wiggle and separate, and also the contested catch ability. So very good player. Have a lot of respect for him."
The 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Bowers became a playmaker for the Raiders right off the bat, hauling in 113 receptions for 1,1994 yards with five touchdowns. The former Georgia Bulldog has logged 19 catches for 225 yards in four games, and the expectation is that his return to the lineup will give the Las Vegas passing game a boost.
Below's Liam Coen's full exchange with the press corps. His remarks about Bowers start at the 2:21 mark.
The Jaguars need to be prepared to neutralize Brock Bowers
The Rams were without Pro Bowl receiver Puka Nacua in Week 7. On paper, they were at a disadvantage, but they threw a curveball at the Jaguars when they deployed three tight-end sets.
Jacksonville had no answer for the Los Angeles' strategy and ended up giving up a season-worst 35 points. Following the game, Liam Coen acknowledged that the Jags weren't prepared for that personnel grouping. Next, they'll face one of the best tight ends in the league. The good news is that they now know what to expect.
Also in his media availability session, Coen said he's aware of just how versatile Bowers is, noting that he can line up in the slot and out wide.
"When he's healthy and available, he's somebody that they definitely want to get the ball in his hands. And so as you go throughout the work week and you see, all right, where's 89 like we've got to make sure we understand where he is, because he's in the hip at tight end, he's in an in-line stance, he's in the slot, he's out at one. They definitely want to move him around as the weapon that he is. So I think we, I don't want to say overprepare, but definitely more on the side of they're going to want to get them," Coen said.
It's fair to say that containing him will be a huge part of the Jaguars' game plan. And that's the thing: if they manage to contain Brock Bowers, their odds of coming out with a W will increase considerably.