The Las Vegas Raiders narrowly lost their preseason game to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, but there were positives to take away, mainly regarding the starters.
After the defense shut down Minnesota in the red zone on the Vikings’ first possession of the game, the Raiders’ offense capitalized as quarterback Aidan O’Connell led an 83-yard drive that would result in a field goal.
O’Connell’s primary targets were veteran wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and rookie tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders’ second-year quarterback found Meyers three times, resulting in a total of 45 receiving yards for the second-year Raiders wideout. O’Connell connected with Bowers, the Raiders’ 13th overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft, twice for a total of 25 yards.
“I thought it was really good to see Jakobi,” said Raiders coach Antonio Pierce after his team’s 24-23 loss on Saturday. “Wanted to get him going early. Really wanted to get the ball out to Brock. And I think everything we’ve been waiting to see, we saw. The run-after-catch with both of those gentlemen, it’s all going to be about YAC. They’re going to be better as they go on. But really good film just to watch — in the run game as well and our play action stuff, so they showed up tonight.”
Bowers was one of the most highly-anticipated prospects in this year’s draft. It was only right that Las Vegas incorporated him in the offense as much as possible in his first taste of NFL competition.
“Just a dynamic player that’s doing a good job just from a mental standpoint,” Pierce said of Bowers. “Everything that we’re asking him to do, he’s doing, and he’s not blinking. Not a lot of mental errors, not a repeat offender. Going to get better each and every week.”
O’Connell only saw the field for that one drive, but nonetheless, he made a statement with his seven completions on nine passing attempts (76 yards).
“Good reps for Aidan — backed up, drove all the way down the length of the field,” Pierce said. “We were thinking about going for the fourth down, negative play, we kicked the field goal.”
Gardner Minshew II came in to finish the rest of the first half, throwing for 117 yards and a touchdown.
