Bowman makes an impact
Linebacker NaVorro Bowman wasn’t just ready to play after three days working with the Raiders’ defense. He was ready to start.
The Raiders were without inside linebackers Marquel Lee (ankle) and Cory James (foot) Thursday night against the Chiefs, which cleared the way for Bowman, the ex-49er whom Oakland signed Monday, to start at middle linebacker.
Bowman stepped into the Raiders’ base defense and played most of their first series. He appeared to be the one relaying calls from Oakland’s sideline to the rest of the defense and finished with a game-high 11 tackles, six of them solo.
He was also in coverage on Alex Smith’s 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce that capped the Chiefs’ second drive. And Bowman was upended by a Chiefs running back while blitzing on Smith’s 64-yard touchdown to Tyreek Hill later in the half.
Bowman, a four-time first-team All Pro, was said to have struggled in pass coverage this season with San Francisco, a potential effect of past knee and Achilles injuries. Oakland signed Bowman, 29, to a oneyear, $3 million deal three days after the 49ers released him last Friday.
The Coliseum crowd greeted Bowman with a loud ovation when he was introduced before the game. Anthem stance: Marshawn Lynch was the lone Raiders player sitting down during the national anthem. Earlier this week, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league will not require players to stand for the anthem.
Lynch, who sat surrounded by water coolers and a half-dozen Raiders staffers, has the support of teammate Lee Smith. The Raiders’ tight end and player representative said that he intends to stand for the anthem but recognizes Lynch and other players might prefer to make a statement by sitting or kneeling.
“Marshawn is going to sit his butt on that cooler (during the anthem) all year,” Smith said. “He just is. That’s Marshawn and that’s what he wants to do. I respect that. He’s my brother and he’s my teammate.
“I’m going to stand. As long as I’m an NFL player, when that song starts playing and I start saying my prayer and I start thinking about my family and how I grew up in this country, my butt is going to be standing.
“But I’m fully prepared to go to war with Marshawn Lynch and anyone else on this team who feels they need to sit at any point. We’re all in this thing together. We’re all brothers.” Inactive report: Also inactive for the Raiders were offensive linemen Marshall Newhouse and Jylan Ware, cornerback Gareon Conley, quarterback Connor Cook and defensive end Jihad Ward. Vadal Alexander started in lieu of Newhouse at right tackle. Fullback Jamize Olawale was active after missing last Sunday’s game with a concussion. Different look: The Raiders wore their “Color Rush” uniforms featuring white jerseys and white pants. The jerseys included patches commemorating the 1967 AFL championship team, which lost to the Packers in Super Bowl II. The Raiders also held a pregame ceremony for that team that included Hall of Famers Jim Otto and Willie Brown.