2) Bowers changed the Raiders’ outlook on offense
Brock Bowers played the first four games of the season with a painful knee injury and bone bruises and was eventually forced out of the lineup until last week. On Sunday, Bowers showed what a healthy version of last year’s rookie star is capable of: 12 catches (on 13 targets) for 127 yards, three TDs, plus a 6-yard run for good measure. Even with Bowers playing at less than full strength through his first four games, the Raiders offense was much healthier with him in the lineup, averaging 124.1 more yards per game. Geno Smith certainly looked like the better QB on Sunday with Bowers playing. The NFL’s INT leader with 11, Smith had a pick against the Jaguars but also threw for 284 yards and four TDs. He had just seven in the previous seven games. With Jakobi Meyers traded to the Jaguars on Tuesday, the focus on Bowers will be even greater. The Raiders have other interesting weapons in WR Tre Tucker and RB Ashton Jeanty, but Bowers is the clear engine for this offense.
3) Denver’s defense looks different without Surtain
The Broncos boast an impressive defense, with a league-best 40 passing games, allowing just 279.9 yards and 18.4 points per game. They even passed their first test since CB Patrick Surtain II’s injury, beating the Texans, keeping them out of the end zone last Sunday and allowing just 3 of 17 third-down conversions. But it was a different defense for Denver, as the Broncos manned just 27.7% of their shots against Houston, according to Next Gen Stats. With Surtain on the field this season, the Broncos have been manned 44.2% of the time. If we expect Bowers to be the primary target of Denver’s defensive attention, it will be interesting to see how they defend him. According to Next Generation Stats, Bowers ate up zone coverage in Week 9, with eight catches on nine targets for 81 yards. Yet he was even more dangerous on a per-catch basis, with three TD catches on four targets for 46 yards — including 27 yards outside the red zone, where teams tend to play more of a crowd. Denver’s pass rush can also help limit what Bowers can do, but Geno Smith’s career rate has been nearly cut in half over the last five games compared to the first three.