The Seattle Seahawks may have gained an advantage when Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury for the second time. Bowers first hurt his ankle in the opening quarter, briefly returned to the field, then went to the locker room.
Bowers was listed as questionable to return. His exit raised concerns for the Raiders, particularly rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was making his first NFL start against Seattle’s defense.
Bowers injured his ankle during a first-quarter run when his leg was rolled up. Trainers attended to him before he returned to the game, but he later left again.
Mendoza already faced a difficult matchup against Mike Macdonald’s defense. If Bowers was unable to return, backup tight ends Michael Mayer and Ian Thomas could take on larger roles. Replacing Bowers, one of the Raiders’ most dangerous receiving targets, would be a significant challenge.
