The Las Vegas Raiders traveled to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to renew the Battle of the Bay rivalry with the San Francisco 49ers. A rivalry that has meant so much to the two fan bases. Turnovers were the story of this contest. When the clock read zero, the Raiders had committed five turnovers and allowed 30+ points on defense for the sixth straight week.
Kirk Cousins had his worst game as the signal caller for the Raiders. In the first half, he only threw the ball eight times. By the end,
Cousins threw three interceptions, with one pick-six after recovering his own fumble. Things simply did not go his way today.
Ashton Jeanty regained his starting position and managed 25 yards on six carries. In the passing game where he has made his largest impact, he caught five passes for -5.0 yards. Mike Washington Jr. was subjected to simply awful run blocking, finishing the game with -3.0 yards on six carries with a long of four yards.
Bowers played his first game near his hometown of Napa, California, with reportedly around 50 friends and family in attendance. He would punish the 49ers, finishing with 111 yards on seven catches, including a 21-yard score. A questionable spot robbed him of a second touchdown.
First half
Early on, Raiders defensive playcaller Rob Leonard continued getting his lunch money stolen by an opposing offensive play caller. The 49ers drove down the field on the opening possession in 12 plays, five passes, seven runs and scored. On the second possession, the 49ers ran the ball down the Raiders’ throats. Brock Purdy, the 49ers quarterback, would finish the game with 40 yards rushing on seven carries. Including a rushing touchdown which put the 49ers up 14-0.
By the end of the 49ers third drive the Raiders defense surrendered 94 yards rushing, while being on the field for every play except three with 1:52 seconds to play in the first quarter. What we heard from the television broadcasters was that it was 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s goal to run the ball 40 times against the Raiders’ putrid run defense.
After going three-and-out on their first drive, Kirk Cousins gets settled in and hits passes to Jack Bech, Brock Bowers, and Jalen Nailor. Driving the Raiders downfield when the end of the quarter makes them switch sides. Cousins finishes the drive off with his team leading with the second rushing touchdown of the year. Drawing the Raiders to within a score.
Raiders’ defense continued to allow nearly six yards per carry to the 49ers offense. On 4th and 1, the run blocking of the 49ers knocked the Raiders’ defenders three yards off the line of scrimmage. Raiders followed it up by running some type of zone blitz where both defensive tackles dropped into zone coverage and surrendered a passing touchdown to McCaffrey.
After a Raiders offensive possession netting a field goal, the Raiders were down 21-10 and needed a defensive stop to close out the half. Maxx Crosby would get his fourth sack of the season and a false start penalty would end the half. At the end of the half, the 49ers had ran the ball 25 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Craziest third quarter in remembrance
First play of the second half, Cousins fumbled the football, picked it up and threw a pick-6, 17 seconds into the second half. Exactly what the Raiders could not afford to have happen. To be fair, everything is resting on his shoulders and in order for the Raiders to have any chance of winning any game, he can’t afford to make a mistake.
In the retribution drive after the turnover, Cousins came right back, completing seven of seven throws. finishing with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Bowers to level the score at 28-17. Mistakes happen, but atoning for them is critical. With just under 10 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter, the 49ers offense would take the field for the first time in the second half.
Treydan Stukes, the Raiders’ second-round pick, fooled Purdy, intercepted the pass, tried to fall numerous times with no one around to tackle him and stumbled back to the 30-yard line of the 49ers. Momentum shifts are a huge thing, giving the Raiders an opportunity to get it back to a one-score game. However, in the most self-sabotaging way ever, Cousins nearly threw an interception to a defensive lineman; the very next play, Fred Warner peanut-punches the ball out of Bowers hands and the 49ers recover the ball.
Four plays later, the Raiders get a 4th-and-short stop and a turnover on downs for the first time in a long time. Five turnovers were committed by both teams in the third quarter alone.
4th quarter….
On the next drive, Cousins hits Michael Mayer for a nice gain and as he fought to reach the goal line, disaster struck. Mayer was tackled and fell on top of a defender, while another 49ers defender punched the ball out of his hands just before he crossed the goal line. Negating a potential score, turning the ball over yet again, giving the 49ers a touchback.
From there, the 49ers would drive past midfield with a few runs. But the lack of a Raiders pass rush gave Purdy enough time to find Jordan Watkins open for a 37-yard touchdown catch.
On the ensuing possession, the Raiders drove to the goal line again, behind a 33-yard catch-and-run from Bowers that appeared to stretch the ball over the pylon but was ruled out of bounds. Cousins’ quarterback sneak was stuffed when Warner leaped over the pile after the snap. On the next play, Mayer was called for offensive pass interference, negating his own touchdown catch. Followed up with Cousins’ second interception of the game, the second turnover inside the red zone, turnover number four and the third straight turnover.
But the hits just kept on coming; in junk time, Cousins would throw his third interception of the day, fourth straight turnover and fifth total. Cousins had Tre Tucker open deep, loaded up, putting his full body into the throw, only for it to fall short and into the waiting arms of a 49ers defender, mercifully allowing this game to come to an end.
