‘Totally unacceptable’: Raiders’ dynamic duo each commits costly turnover in loss

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Another productive day for the Las Vegas Raiders’ dynamic tight end duo was overshadowed by a pair of uncharacteristic mistakes.

Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer both fumbled in key moments of the Raiders’ ugly 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.

“I can’t put the ball on the ground,” Bowers said. “I blame myself for that.”

It’s not a mistake Bowers or Mayer, the most productive tight end tandem in the league, usually make.

Each had fumbled just once in their career before they did so 3:22 apart in the third quarter Sunday.

Bowers’ miscue came first when he was stripped in traffic on the left sideline at the San Francisco 31-yard line.

It came just two plays after Treydan Stukes had intercepted Brock Purdy and given the Raiders life in a game they trailed 28-17 midway through the third quarter.

“Just went through some traffic,” said Bowers, who caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. “(You’re trying) to get as many yards as you can. Got to hold on to the ball.”

The Raiders actually got the ball right back by holding on fourth down and Cousins hit Mayer three plays later on a 24-yard pass down the seam only to see him take a hit just short of the goal line that forced the ball loose.

“I honestly don’t know what happened,” he said after catching three passes for 37 yards. “I think I was on top of someone else, but I don’t remember reaching the ball to try to get to the end zone. I’m going to have to watch the play.

“I’m not entirely sure. I just know I can’t lose a ball like that at the 1. It’s unacceptable at the end of the day.”

It wasn’t the end of the Raiders’ issues at the goal line. Bowers was marked out of bounds just inside the 1-yard line on a 33-yard catch-and-run early in the fourth quarter, though it appeared he had reached the ball over the goal line.

Coach Klint Kubiak elected not to challenge the call and Kirk Cousins was stuffed on a quarterback sneak on the next play, losing 2 yards.

Mayer scored on the next play, but was flagged for a questionable offensive pass interference.

“I did not get any clarity,” he said of the call. “I was asking people on the sideline. I don’t have any comment.”

Cousins was then intercepted in the end zone on the next play.

Bowers lamented his own inability to find the goal line at the beginning of the sequence.

“Definitely got to find a way to get in the end zone there so we can limit the margin for error there,” he said. “Got to find a way to get in.”

There was plenty of blame to go around after the Raiders failed to score on two different occasions after taking the ball inside the 1-yard line.

“It felt like there were plays out there to be made and our defense did a nice job in the second half getting us the ball back by creating turnovers and a turnover on downs and special teams gave us short fields,” Cousins said. “It’s disappointing not to capitalize on those opportunities and cut the lead they had.

“Have to be better moving forward.”

It wasn’t just around the goal line where the Raiders struggled. Cousins threw three interceptions in addition to each tight end fumbling.

“When you turn it over five times, you’re not going to win,” Kubiak said. “Ever.”

Especially when it happens twice so close to paydirt.

“We have to score,” Mayer said. “That’s our livelihood right there. We have to get in the dang end zone. And I have to protect the football like that football is my entire life. For me to fumble like that and that close to the end zone is totally unacceptable. We have to get back to work and work on it.”

Contact Adam Hill at [email protected]. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.