The San Francisco 49ers made it interesting after a wild third-quarter sequence that saw multiple turnovers in 10 minutes, but the offense was too much for the Raiders.
Here are the winners and losers from the Niners’ high-scoring affair.
Winners
Jordan Watkins
Watkins caught a 37-yard post from Brock Purdy for a touchdown. He caught all four of his targets for 86 yards. If Watkins can be reliable like he was in Week 9, it’ll make the loss of Mike Evans more tolerable if he’s out for multiple games. The Niners really don’t
have that big-play threat. On Sunday, it was Watkins.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Watkins took a “huge step forward” on Sunday.
Kaelon Black
Black led the Niners in rushing with 70 yards. He had a couple of double-digit scampers. Black had 52 yards after contact. He was a beast on outside zone, with 40 yards on five carries. Black played fast, looked fast, and allowed the Niners to take some off the plate of Christian McCaffrey.
Shanahan said, “I thought KB ran real hard today, and was real happy with him. He has been improving. Hope he keeps doing that.”
Dre Greenlaw
Greenlaw made a great diving play to recover Fred Warner’s forced fumble. It wasn’t an easy play, and didn’t look like he’d stay in bounds.
Greenlaw led the team with eight tackles — three for loss — and had five impact plays. Greenlaw was excellent at limiting damage in coverage. He was targeted five times, gave up four receptions, but for -5 yards.
Osa Odighizuwa
Osa Odighizuwa had a pair of tackles for loss and quarterback hits. It was arguably his most impactful game of the season. He finished with a 17.6% pressure rate. Sumer Sports had Odighizuwa down for four impact plays, tying for second on the defense.
Brock Purdy scrambling
What a weapon it is when you have a quarterback who can bail you out of any situation, thanks to his legs. That was the case with Purdy on Sunday. Purdy ran for 40 yards on seven attempts. He had a couple of key first-down carries, including one for 18 yards. The 49ers ran for 190 yards, and their quarterback was a big reason why.
Shanahan said, “He was effective with it,” about Purdy’s scrambling. “There were times when he missed a couple, where he probably didn’t wanna scramble. But once he starts that, you’re upset until he moves the chains or scores a touchdown, and then you get over it pretty quick. Brock has been a threat all year with his legs, and continues to do it.”
Shanahan added later that Purdy made up for some of the missed throws earlier in the game with plays later in the game.
Forcing turnovers
Kirk Cousins threw the ball directly to Jaden Dugger for a pick-six. But he didn’t see Renardo Green in the end zone and underthrew another deep pass that fell into Malik Mustapha’s lap.
If he continues this pace, the peanut punch will be named after Fred Warner.
A bit of luck was involved on the fumble right at the goal line. That is the 49ers defense. Bend-but-don’t-break. They keep everything in front of you, prey on mistakes, and that’s what happened against the Raiders.
Losers
Everybody guarding Brock Bowers
The 49ers had zero answers for Bowers, who caught seven of his eight targets for 111 yards, and had a receiving EPA of +0.72 every time the ball was in his hands. It’s one thing to give up a big play to a superstar player, but Bowers had two receptions for 50 yards on crossing routes, caught a 21-yarder on a post route, and a 20-yarder on a dig. It was big play after big play.
If somebody else had beaten the Niners, that would have been respectable. But the other team’s best player got over on the defense, which is concerning.
Penalties
The 49ers were uncharacteristically sloppy, especially early on offense. The offense averages three penalties a game, and topped that by the second quarter. For the game, the 49ers had seven penalties for 59 yards. Vegas only benefited from those with one first down, but if you give a playoff team that many free yards, they’ll take advantage.
Purdy overcame both penalties with his legs on one drive. While he’s playing at a high level, it’s not realistic to expect your quarterback to bail you out of those situations.
IDKs
The pass rush
Kirk Cousins was only pressured 31.3% of the time, which was 24th so far heading into Sunday Night Football in Week 9 among all quarterbacks. It’s also about six percentage points below league average. Let’s add some context.
When Cousins was pressured, it took 2.59 seconds, the 12th-highest mark. Cousins only threw the ball deep twice. Fifty-nine percent of his throws were short, and he averaged -1.75 air yards to the sticks. So, it’s not as if the pass rush had ample time to get after the Raiders quarterback.
You’d still like to see at least one sack or more pressure, given the game script and knowing Cousins was going to drop back as often as he did.
Odighizuwa had three pressures. DeForest Buckner had a couple of pressures. James Thompson and Garcen Halton had one. Nick Bosa had two, while Romello Height and Keion White had one. However, only Odgizhuwa had a double-digit pressure rate.
It was Bosa’s first game back since September 20. Next week’s opponent and their passing attack will be a better gauge of the defensive line and pass rush.
Cousins threw three interceptions, had only 216 passing yards, and posted a QBR of just 60.0. He didn’t play well.
Winners
The offensive line
Trent Williams didn’t get beaten on the sack he allowed. It was a strange play. Williams and Connor Colby allowed a pair of pressures, while Colton McKivitz and Jake Brendel allowed one. The offensive line combined for 17 impact plays.
Purdy was blitzed 43.3% of the time but was sacked only once and pressured 33.3% of the time.
Kaelon Black averaged 1.64 yards before contact on 11 attempts. Christian McCaffrey averaged 1.0 yards before contact on his one carry, and Jordan James averaged 1.67 yards before contact on his one carry. Four carries of 10+ yards, and only three of the 43 carries were stuffed.
The 49ers offensive line continues to excel.
Ji’Ayir Brown
Brown allowed a big play to Bowers, but he had two critical tackles in this game. The one nobody is talking about happened on the 54-yard kickoff return by the Raiders. That saved a touchdown. Las Vegas ended up kicking a 50+ yard field goal after that tackle. On Brown’s other tackle at the goal line, the Raiders didn’t score.
Malik Mustapha
Malik, too, allowed an explosive pass. All three safeties did. Mustapha made up for it with an interception and a pass breakup. He didn’t have to do much in the run game, but Mustapha played well in his deep quarter or third. He’ll be the X-factor on this side of the ball moving forward.
I try to avoid listing the best players weekly. Take Trent Williams, for example. He held Maxx Crosby—arguably the best pass rusher in the game—to a 7.4% pressure rate. We heard from Crosby once all game.
George Kittle should be on the winners list every week. He’s assumed Mike Evans’ role, judging by the workload. Purdy targeted Kittle on 37.5 of the late downs and another 25% in the red zone. Kittle had four receptions for 58 yards and set the tone early with a 37-yarder. He was arguably the 49ers’ most impactful player in Week 9.
The broadcast said Warner had a quiet game, but he had a tackle for loss and a forced fumble when the Raiders were trailing by 11 and a first down away from the red zone. That was the game-changing play the defense needed.
As long as the 49ers stars play like stars, they’ll be tough to beat against anyone in any stadium.
