How Broncos plan to slow down Raiders' Brock Bowers in Week 14

Matt Sullivan

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How Broncos plan to slow down Raiders' Brock Bowers in Week 14 image

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos enter a Week 14 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders with a chance to make their bid for the number one overall seed in the AFC.

While the Raiders aren't in the best of shape, they do have arguably the best tight end in the NFL in Brock Bowers. He's typically a matchup nightmare for opposing teams, but the Broncos have a plan.

As Ryan McFadden of ESPN notes, after holding Bowers to just one reception for 31 yards in the last Broncos-Raiders matchup, the Broncos have an advantage over the Raiders and Bowers in this matchup.

How Broncos plan to slow down Brock Bowers

"With CB Patrick Surtain II back in the lineup, it's expected that he will match up against Bowers," McFadden notes, "possibly making it a challenge for the All-Pro TE to get his fair share of targets."

Against Bowers, the Broncos plan to have Patrick Surtain II lined up against the All-Pro tight end. It's not the first time the Broncos have tried this, as last season, Surtain covered Bowers for 15 snaps and held him to just one catch for nine yards.

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Denver had success with Surtain in coverage against Bowers, and this week, the plan should be more of the same. Bowers is the best receiver for the Raiders, and Surtain should be covering Bowers all game long.

Thanks to the Raiders' lack of threatening offensive pieces outside of Bowers, putting Surtain on the second-year tight end is the best way for Denver to slow down Bowers and the Raiders' defense this week.

While it might not be on every play, having Bowers coverage by Surtain more often than not will be in the Broncos' best interest, and according to McFadden, that will be the plan for Surtain and the Broncos defense this week.

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Staff Writer