RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Jack Bech gave the Las Vegas Raiders a lot to like in their preseason opener, and his head coach certainly noticed.
Bech finished the game with three catches for 25 yards and a touchdown, but his impact went beyond what popped up on the scoreboard. That's something Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak clearly appreciated, especially when it came to the receiver's work away from the football.
"He's a guy that has been highlighted before in our team meetings as a guy that plays really well without the football, and just so happens that when the ball finds him, he goes and makes plays," he said, according to the team's official website . "I don't think that's an accident. I think that's the kind of guy that he is, the kind of teammate that he is. Was really proud of the contested plays and critical situation plays that he made last night."
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Those are really strong words for a young receiver trying to establish himself.
Bech's three catches weren't a massive statistical performance, but the touchdown and the contested plays gave the Raiders something to point to. There's value in having a receiver who can contribute even when he's not the player getting the ball. That's apparently been one of the things Bech has consistently shown.
The fact that he's already been highlighted in team meetings for his work without the football says plenty about how the Raiders view him. Now, he's starting to pair that work with production when opportunities come his way.
The preseason is an important chance for players to build trust with their coaches, and Bech appears to have taken advantage of his shot. His performance wasn't about piling up huge numbers. It was about making the plays that were available to him and showing the kind of effort the Raiders want from him.
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That's also why the coach's comments are so encouraging. Bech has shown he can make things happen when the ball comes his way, but his willingness to do the less noticeable work could be just as important.
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