After ending a four-game losing streak with an impressive second half comeback win last week, the Las Vegas Raiders faced another quality opponent in Week 9 and, well, the results were familiar.
The Raiders were blown out in their first game in Bay Area since 2019 as the San Francisco 49ers clubbed the 38-17 on Sunday.
The Raiders are now 4-5 and fell to under .500 for the second time this season after starting 3-0. There has been a clear theme under first-year head coach Klint Kubiak so far this season.
They beat bad teams and lose to good teams.
The four teams the Raiders had a collective 5-24 record going into this week’s slate. The Raiders are 0-5 against teams with a .500 record or better. Games against the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos loom in the next two weeks. They both have winning records. However, The Seahawks may be down to third-string quarterback Jalen Milroe next with both Sam Darnold and Drew Lock dealing with injuries.
This was their third blowout loss. With the trade deadline looming Tuesday, the Raiders have a chance to become sellers if they wish.
The Raiders’ problems Sunday were easy to spot. They were sloppy on offense and leaky as usual on defense. The Raiders committed turnovers on five of their six possessions in the second half with two turnovers in the end end and a Pick Six. Kirk Cousins had his worst game as a Raider with three interceptions.
The Raiders allowed 30 points on defense for the sixth straight game. It tied an NFL record.
Here is a look at the key aspects of this game:
Rob Leonard needs to figure it out:
The Raiders’ defense is getting gutted every week and first-year defensive coordinator Rob Leonard has to be feeling the pressure. He is likely not in jeopardy of losing his job. But he has to find a way to get improved results. The same thing is happening every week.
Cousins struggles:
Cousins made some awful decision Sunday. The Pick Six was a disaster than he should have thrown away and his interception in the end zone was rough as well. The team will probably stick with Cousins until they re out of the playoff race. but games like this will not quiet the Fernando Mendoza chatter.
Run game isn’t there again:
The Raiders fell behind early, so that hurt the run attack. But when the did run the ball, like as usual, the Raiders didn’t get much going. The Raiders had just 24 yards rushing. Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington each ran the ball six times. Jeanty had 25 yards and Washington had minus-3. Last week, Washington ran the ball 25 times and Jeanty ran it twice.
49ers ran all over the Raiders:
The Raiders’ trouble stopping the run continued as the 49ers had 190 yards on the ground. Quarterback Brock Purdy had 32 yards rushing on one drive.
Trade candidates:
Kubiak didn’t say the Raiders won’t trade any payaers by Tuesday’s deadline, at 1 p.m. PT. It would be a shock if the Raiders made a big trade such as dealing Maxx Crosby (who said again after the game he wants to stay in Las Vegas) or Cousins. But a smaller deal could happen. Maybe they can get something for wide receiver Tre Tucker or safety Jeremy Chinn, who are a free agents after the season or the benched Jackson Powers-Johnson. Las Vegas general manager John Spytek has some decisions to make.
Third quarter insanity:
Wild, just wild. The quarter started with Kirk Cousins throwing a pick six to give the 49ers a three-possession lead. Then, the Raiders answered with a touchdown. Then, Treydan Stukes picked off Brock Purdy and returned it deep into 49ers’ territory with the Raiders down 11. Then, Brock Bowers fumbled it brought back to the 49ers. Then, they were stopped on their own 40 on fourth and inches. Then, Michael Mayer fumbled into the end while trying to score and make it a one-score game. Wow, just wow.
Bowers’ big plays:
Bowers had three receptions of 20 plus yards Sunday and e leads all NFL tight ends with 11. Remember, he missed two games this season. Bowers had seven catches for 111 yards and a score. Yes, he’s a monster playmaker.
Crosby gets home:
Crosby sacked Purdy in the second quarter. It was the second straight game Crosby had a sack and he has four on the season.
Tackle machine:
Raiders’ free-agent pickup, linebacker Nakobe Dean had his fifth straight game with, at least, 12 tackles. He joins Denzel Perryman (2021) as a Raider to do that since 1994.
Laube strikes again:
Dylan Laube is a weapon. The kick returner had a 54-yard return to 49ers’ territory in the second quarter. This came a week after he had a 95-yard kick return for a score in a five-point Raiders’ win. It was the first kick return for a touchdown in the NFL this season and the Raiders’ first in 15 years. Laube enter Week 4, leading the NFL with a 34.1 kick return average, nearly three yards more than any other returner. He’s fun.
Zuhn starts again, then hurt:
Rookie, third-round pick, Trey Zuhn, started at right guard for the seconds tight week. He is the Raiders’ third starter at the position this season as fellow recent high-draft picks, Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers, have both been benched. But Zuhn left the game in the third quarter with a concussion and was replaced by Rogers.
CB rotation continues:
Darien Porter was back in the starting lineup, but rookie Jermod McCoy did play some in the second quarter. Rookie Zeke Masses played in the third quarter. This will likely continue.
Keenan starts:
Rookie defensive tackle Tim Keenan started as the Raiders began the game with three defensive tackles, Keeenan, Adam Butler and Foley Fatukasi. Keenan has been elevated from the practice squad the past three games. Thus, the next time he plays this season. He must be on the 53-man roster. So, he could be promoted soon.
Wide receivers sit again:
Las Vegas wide receivers Dont’e Thornton and Malik Benson are both healthy scratches for the second straight week. They both may need an injury to occur to see the field in the foreseeable future. The fact they cut Cody White last week before bringing him back the next day, shows they feel like Thornton and Benson could get claimed on waivers if they cut them, so their roster spots may be relatively safe even though they’re not playing.
Deferred again:
The Raiders won the coin toss and deferred to get the ball in the second half. That is their normal practice when they win the coin toss. But two weeks ago. they won and they took the ball first.
Good crowd:
Many Raiders’ fans were in the stands at Santa Clara on Sunday. This was the Raiders’ first game in the Bay Area since their last game in Oakland in 2019. Bay Area fans missed the Silver and Black.
