Losing streak ends, but at what cost?
It’s not often that you see the Las Vegas Raiders win a game, ending a 10-game losing streak in the process, and the majority of the fanbase seems pissed off. However, the Raiders’ Week 16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars provided that scenario as Las Vegas won the contest but lost the Tank Bowl.
So, that leads to some interesting winners and losers for this week’s column.
WINNER: Brock Bowers
The silver lining to the Raiders striking out on drafting a quarterback last April is that Bowers fell into their laps, and he hasn’t disappointed. The rookie tight end is on the verge of breaking several records, already owning the most receptions for a first-year player at his position, and his 11-catch performance on Sunday makes a couple of milestones attainable.
With 101 catches, Bowers needs just five more grabs to break Puka Nacua’s rookie record regardless of position and 16 to surpass Zach Ertz for the most receptions by a tight end in the season regardless of experience. Also, the No. 13 overall pick became the third rookie tight end in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards and is just 10 yards shy of breaking Mike Ditka’s all-time mark of 1,076 yards, a record that has stood for over 60 years.
LOSER: No. 1 Pick
As referenced above, the Raiders were in a battle for the draft’s first overall pick to help the team get a new quarterback. However, Sunday’s win over the now 3-12 Jags pushes the 3-12 Raiders down to the sixth spot, muddying the path toward finding a new signal caller.
While Jacksonville can do Las Vegas a favor by beating Tennessee next week, the Raiders will face another backup quarterback in New Orleans and could see a Chargers team that has nothing to play for in Week 18, thus giving a hobbled Justin Herbert some rest. If you’re rooting for the tank, the Raiders win on Sunday felt more like a loss.
WINNER: Ameer Abdullah
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
As a 32-year-old free agent this offseason, it’s hard to imagine Abdullah will be back with the rebuilding Raiders next season. However, he might have earned one more NFL contract with his performances over the last two weeks, logging 22 touches for 151 yards (6.9 ypa) and two touchdowns.
The 10-year veteran continues to prove he can be a valuable third-down back and it wouldn’t be surprising to see another club bring him in for an 11th season in 2025.
LOSER: Dylan Parham
To be fair, Parham did earn a good grade from Pro Football Focus at 71.2. However, he lands on the losers list as the site also credited him with two sacks allowed and for struggling against rookie Maason Smith.
The second-round pick had pretty much been a non-factor throughout the year but managed to have a good showing as a pass-rusher in Las Vegas, posting a career/season-high five pressures and logging his second sack of the campaign.
This was a one-on-one matchup that Parham should have dominated but ended up falling short in.
WINNER: Isaiah Pola-Mao
Pola-Mao hit a rough patch recently but bounced back in Week 16 by leading the team in total tackles with 11. He also forced fumbles on back-to-back possessions, both of which led to turnovers for the Silver and Black. While the safety did allow all four targets to go for completions, he only surrendered 26 yards to earn a 72.9 PFF grade, his highest since his first career start in Week 4.
LOSER: Jack Jones
The Raiders defense gave up 247 receiving yards against the Jaguars and Jones accounted for 108, per PFF. Also, that figure could have been much more as Brian Thomas Jr. beat the cornerback on a double move—a consistent issue for him—but Mac Jones sailed the throw over Thomas’ head.
Jones also had a coverage break that led to a long touchdown for Jacksonville and almost cost Las Vegas the game, making it five weeks in a row and six over the last seven that he’s been beaten for a score. In what was supposed to be a season where the third-year pro proves he’s the team’s No. 1 corner, he’s given up the second-most touchdowns (nine) at his position and continues to make the same mistakes.