LAS VEGAS – A team’s 10-game losing streak, the longest such streak in a decade, should normally be cause for celebration.

But while the Las Vegas Raiders’ 19-14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium improved their record to 3-12, it also reduced the quarterback-needy team’s draft slot – drastically.

The Raiders started the day with the No. 2 seed (Shedeur Sanders? Cam Ward?). But after their first win since Sept. 29, Las Vegas fell to No. 6, behind the New York Giants, New England Patriots, Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans, with two games left to play, according to ESPN Research.

A certain portion of the Hug the Tank fans were as upset by the development as the Raiders were by the win.

Polarizing, very?

“Talk to Tom Telesco,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said with a smile from the team’s general manager when asked what he thinks of fans who may be too focused on a high draft pick.

Quarterback Aidan O’Connell added: “I don’t read anything, so I don’t really hear it. Ignorance is definitely bliss and that’s how I live.”

Meanwhile, Raiders owner Mark Davis was anything but dissatisfied with the win. He made his rounds in the locker room, acknowledging the players for their efforts. On his way out, he spotted Brock Bowers at his locker and made a quick U-turn.

The Raiders’ rookie tight end was still trying to focus on his latest feat when an excited Davis interrupted his thoughts.

“Congratulations, man,” Davis said, extending a hand to Bowers. “Congratulations. Really.”

The stunned Bowers could only muster a curt “Guess it,” and Davis was gone.

But not without knowledge of Bowers’ recent work.

With 11 catches against the Jaguars for 99 yards, Bowers’ 101 catches this season are a record for rookie tight ends. And with 1,067 receiving yards, he is just 10 yards away from breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s 1961 record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end.

Additionally, Bowers’ 101 catches are tied with Anquan Boldin for the third-most of any rookie in NFL history, and he is just five away from surpassing Puka Nacua’s single-season rookie record.

“It’s crazy,” Bowers told ESPN. “Everything just comes together. Just seeing that number is crazy because I don’t feel like I caught 101 balls. It’s pretty crazy when it all adds up like that.”

Aside from the numbers, O’Connell said he was most impressed by Bowers’ “responsibility” as a teammate.

“We ask a lot of him and he answers the bell almost every time,” said O’Connell, who targeted Bowers 13 times. “We are of course very lucky to have such a man on our team.”

The Raiders were linked to several quarterbacks in last year’s draft, most notably Jayden Daniels, but were either unwilling or unable to move up to select one.

Instead, the Raiders stalled and had six QBs gone before their pick landed at No. 13. Instead of reaching for a quarterback, Telesco pulled the card from Bowers.

“I said it from the jump, right? He’s fully engaged,” Pierce said. “It’s all business for him. He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t flinch. He wants to win and whatever it takes to win – be it throwing him the ball or blocking it – he will do whatever it takes. And again.”, I’m just proud of his performance.”

Neither the Raiders nor Bowers have looked back since.

Now they can just look forward to games with the New Orleans Saints and a possible reunion with their old friend Derek Carr, as well as a home finale against the team they started the season against, the expected playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers.

So why not end a three-game winning streak and further ruin her draft slot while Bowers obliterates the record book, right?

“I mean, we’ve lost 10 in a row, so the mood here is a lot better, let’s put it that way,” Bowers said.

“The atmosphere has simply gone through the roof compared to the last 10 games. I mean, that’s just great.”br/)