Broncos’ Approach to Raiders Tight End Brock Bowers
Without Pat Surtain II available against the Raiders, the Broncos employed a rotating defensive strategy to cover tight end Brock Bowers. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph intended to share the responsibility of covering Surtain’s role among multiple players.
Last Sunday in Houston, Denver's cornerbacks successfully won their man-to-man matchups even without the reigning defensive player of the year, while safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones neutralized deep threats.
Thursday Night Strategy Against Bowers
Against the Raiders, who rely heavily on Bowers as their key offensive weapon, the Broncos expanded their defensive options. With Surtain sidelined again due to a pectoral strain, cornerback Riley Moss was not the sole defender on Bowers. Instead, Joseph implemented a rotation of players to contain him following Bowers’ impressive 12 catches and three touchdowns performance against the Jaguars the previous Sunday.
"The toughest job with him is getting him tackled," Joseph said. "You can kind of cover him with a safety or a defensive back body, but can you get him on the ground after he catches the ball?"
During the game, Barron covered Bowers on a crucial third down during the Raiders’ opening drive. McMillian also took several turns defending Bowers in the slot early on, and Moss shadowed him on another defensive alignment during the second drive.
Score Update
The game stood tied at 7–7 after both teams punted on their opening drives of the second half on Thursday Night Football.
Summary
The Broncos successfully utilized a rotating defensive scheme to contain Brock Bowers despite missing their star cornerback, relying on multiple players to disrupt one of the Raiders' main offensive threats.
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