Expect to see a heavy 12-man attack for Las Vegas, with Bowers and Michael Mayer on board
HENDERSON — Antonio Pierce saw enough matchups and formations as a linebacker NFL from 2001 to 2009. But, few lineups left the now head coach of Las Vegas Raiderslike looking across the line of scrimmage and seeing two tight ends on the field at the same time.
Piercewho spent the first four seasons of his career with Washington before winning a Super Bowl and be appointed to a Pro Bowl with the New York GiantsI already had to deal with names like Jeremy Shockey, Jason Witten y Chris Cooley within its own division.
Brock Bowers should add a new dimension to the Raiders’ offensive attack. ESPN
So, when opposing teams lined up in a personnel 12 — one running back, two tight ends — alarms sounded inside the helmet. Piercefiguratively.
“I mean, if you’re thinking about personnel 12 in the 2000s, it was a genuine ‘AND,’ like that extra offensive lineman with that really skilled player, right?” he described. Pierce. “That player [extra] It was like, man, he’s 6-foot-6, 270 pounds. “Just an extra offensive lineman.”
The evolution of the tight end position since his playing days Pierce has made the package much more dangerous and difficult to counter in today’s game.
“This is different,” he said. Pierce. “You’re talking about two skill position players who can catch the ball, who can come out of the backfield, who can do a lot of different things for you, and you see it. Kansas City “He does it a lot with his tight ends.”
Having invested their first-round pick, the No. 13 overall pick, on tight end Georgia, Brock Bowersa year after rising in the order of selections to take Michael Mayer coming from Our Ladylos Raiders They intend to join the defending champions of the Super Bowl, Chiefslining up in multiple double tight end formations.
As long as, of course, the new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy Find a way to use them.
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Getsyoffensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears In the last couple of seasons, he has already shown tapes of the tight end of the Bears, Cole Kmetworking within your system to Bowerswho was awarded the Mackey Award in the last couple of years as the best tight end in the college game.
“We’ve definitely been seeing a little bit of that and just watching what they did well and trying to translate that into our game,” he noted. Bowers during the rookie minicamp Raiders.
“If you have two great tight ends, I think it’s really difficult to match that, personnel-wise, to be able to defend against the pass and the run. So, I mean, I think it makes it difficult for the defensive personnel.”
Change is on the horizon, apparently.
Let us consider that, according to data from ESPN Stats & Informationlos Raiders They were ranked No. 31 in the NFL in the employment of 12 staff under the then head coach Josh McDaniels in 2022, thus playing in just 5.0 percent of his plays. They were the No. 24 team (14.2 percent) under McDaniels and interim offensive coordinator Above Hardegree Last season.
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Los Bearscon Getsywere No. 21 (17.0 percent) in plays run from the 12th in 2022, but jumped to eighth last season, using it on 23.2 percent of their plays.
Combining the last two campaigns, the Bears had the twelfth highest percentage (20.3) of plays executed from the 12 personnel, while the Raiders They were No. 29 (9.5 percent).
Predominantly using a 12 staffing scheme would provide Raiders in more physical attack, directed towards the ground attack, After all, Getsy He was the architect of the No. 1 and No. 2 ground offensives of the NFL in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
That would make the runner smile Zamir Whitebut it could make the three-time first-team wide receiver doubt All-Pro, Davante Adams. With everything and that, Adamswho worked with Getsy when they were with Green Bay Packersgave its approval to the hiring, prior to the Super Bowl.
Combining Bowers y Mayer seems to be the response of the present generation of those in Black and Silver to what Ken Stabler had at his disposal in a 1979 campaign less oriented towards the aerial game. So much Dave Casper as Raymond Chester were elected to Pro Bowl as tight ends, after combining for 115 catches for 1,483 yards and 11 touchdowns.
A more common example would be what happened Tom Brady in the tight end position with the New England Patriots between 2010 and 2012 in Rob Gronkowski y Aaron Hernandez.
Where is Brock Bowers?
A look at all the positions Bowers played during his three seasons at the University of Georgia.
PositionGamesRoutes
runsLeft Slot40225Right Slot40219Right Tight End40213Left Tight End40180Left Spread3347Right Spread2819Running Back2122Quarterback10
The duo caught a total of 169 passes on 237 targets for 2,237 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2011…although Brady didn’t have a wide receiver of the caliber of Adams in his squad at that time.
And the Raiders they don’t have to Brady. Because, unless Brady surprise everyone and come out of retirement, it will be Aidan O’Connell o Gardner Minshew throwing balls Mayer y Bowersthe latter apparently the most versatile tight end in the country.
Although Bowers6-foot-4, was a three-time tight end All-Americanran more routes from the slot (444) in his collegiate career than from the traditional tight end position (393), according to data from ESPN Stats & Information. He had 85 passes for 1,461 yards and 17 touchdowns as a tight end, compared to 64 receptions for 863 yards and four touchdowns from the slot.
He also ran 66 routes wide open (22 receptions for 191 yards and five touchdowns) and 22 routes as a running back (four catches for 23 yards).
The also draft rookie of the Raiders, Decamerion Richardsonfaced Bowers once at the collegiate level, with his team Mississippi State succumbing to Georgia 45-19 on November 12, 2022. Bowers had five receptions for 41 yards and a 2-yard touchdown catch that day.
What impressed you the most? Richardson of Bowers?
“His catch radius,” the fourth-round pick said. “With him being so big and moving like that, it’s a good dynamic for him.”
It’s more, Bowers He even appeared very briefly as a quarterback for Georgia in one game, and had 19 carries for 193 yards and five rushing touchdowns to go along with his 26 receiving touchdowns during his three-year career.
MayerThe 6-foot-4, 265-pounder, meanwhile, missed the final three games of his rookie season with a toe injury, and had 27 catches on 40 passes for 304 yards with a pair of touchdowns. .
“When you look at our guys, they can both do a lot of things for you,” he agreed. Pierce. “You can line them up … in the slot, at the No. 1 wide receiver position, you can put them on the line, you can put them in pairs. But, above all, who is going to line up on the other side in front of them? Is it a linebacker? Is he a safety? Is he a nickelback?
“We’re fortunate to have two tight ends on our roster who, in the last four years of college football, were basically the two best, and … I hope that creates problems. It’s going to create problems for us in practice. ” “In our division, we have some really good tight ends, so it will be good reps for us, too.”
2024-05-17 12:43:27
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