The Las Vegas Raiders got a big win, but they lost Jack Bech due to a tough injury in New Orleans.
The Las Vegas Raiders posted an impressive road win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, but they also took a significant hit on the injury front as receiver Jack Bech reportedly broke his forearm in the victory, per a writeup by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
The injury occurred late in the second quarter, with the Raiders driving for what would proved to be a field goal. Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw an incomplete pass to Bech in the end zone, and the receiver took a shot from Saints safety Justin Reid, who was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
It was a tough injury for Bech, who’s a Louisiana native, and he was hoping to celebrate his return to the Superdome with a successful day, as he once played in a state title game there in high school. There was no followup on how long Bech will be out, and that probably won’t happen fully until Wednesday’s media availability window.
His injury also scrambles the Raiders’ wide receiver situation, which was already at least somewhat up in the air. Bech was a second-round draft choice last year, and new coach Klint Kubiak has already complained about the group underperforming coming into the season. Bech didn’t have a catch yesterday before he went out, and he's had five catches for 48 yards in two games.
The Raiders have gotten improvement from receiver Tre Tucker, who made some downfield plays in the Raiders’ Week 2 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Cody White has also stepped up lately, with three touchdowns in the last two games, including a big one in the win over the Saints.
Las Vegas featured tight end Brock Bowers in the win, though, in a game that turned out to be all about the tight ends. But there’s still a big hole waiting to be filled given that the Raiders still need a good possession receiver to complement Bowers.
The big question going forward is whether the team’s surprising success will get the Raiders to consider trading for a top wideout. This kind of question was unthinkable a few weeks ago, but the Raiders are now 3-0, and their ability to sneak into the playoffs down the line might depend on making a move in November to shore up this position group.
We’ll learn more when the Raiders host the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday, as another competitive effort could change the team’s dynamic as the young season continues to unfold.
