What is the story about?
The
San Francisco 49ers weren't perfect against the Las Vegas Raiders, but their highs were so high they still walked away with a 38-17 victory.
San Francisco got out to a hot start, but their offense stalled out thanks to a handful of mistakes. However, while their offense struggled their defense went to work creating turnovers, which they did five times in the second half en route to their 21-point win.
Here are our observations from each quarter of San Francisco's seventh win of the year:
First quarter
- Lot of Christian McCaffrey early which is interesting with the RB coming off a hamstring injury. One target and two runs on four plays to open the game.
- Yikes, man. Two throws for Purdy have badly missed his targets. First he missed high to McCaffrey. Later on a third down he airmailed George Kittle who was wide open.
- Purdy has settled in. He hit Kittle on an out route on fourth-and-2, then hit Brandin Cooks on a comeback route to the sideline later in the drive.
- Kyle Juszczyk's first carry of the year!
- This Raiders defense is as advertised. Which is to say it's not very good. Save for the pair of misses from Purdy there wasn't a ton of resistance on the 49ers' 12-play, 69-yard scoring drive to open the game. It's 7-0, 49ers.
- Upton Stout is a difference maker. He had tight coverage on Raiders tight end Brock Bowers on a third-and-2 throw that QB Kirk Cousins sailed high.
- Raiders can't cover Kittle. He's been wide open all game and opened the 49ers' second drive with a 37-yard catch and run.
- The 49ers tried to run the fake screen to the right, fake to the left and then throw back to the middle where Kittle was running wide open. For some reason Purdy threw it to left guard Connor Colby. That is not allowed. Strange play.
- Another offensive penalty for the 49ers. This time its Jordan Watkins with a false start. That's one way to keep a bad defense in a game.
- Purdy nearly hit Jacob Cowing for a touchdown. There was a pass interference in the end zone, but the pass is probably complete if Purdy leads the receiver. He threw it behind him which helped create the contact with the defender.
- Purdy's ability to create with his legs is such a game changer. It feels like we write this once per week. It's 14-0 after he ran four times for 32 yards and a touchdown on the 49ers' 13-play, 89-yard scoring drive.
- It's so cool seeing DeForest Buckner back in a 49ers uniform. His facemask is good.
- Why didn't the 49ers challenge whether Brock Bowers was down on a completion over the middle? He was clearly down, but he got up and ran another 10 or so yards.
- End of first quarter: 49ers 14, Raiders 0
Second quarter
- Renardo Green is getting cooked. He got beat by Bowers at the end of the first quarter. Then Tre Tucker got him on the second play of the second quarter.
- Kirk Cousins scored on a sneak where the 49ers had 12 guys on the field. Not great! That score didn't count because the play was blown dead. He scored one play later. San Francisco's defense was not good on that eight-play, 62-yard drive by the Raiders. It's 14-7, 49ers.
- The 49ers special teams are a disaster. Jordan James muffed a kickoff and failed to reach the 20 on a kick return. That's just not something that can happen.
- Purdy blind throw to Jordan Watkins in the middle of the field. Watkins was wide open, but Purdy trusted him enough to cut it loose under heavy pressure. That's a good sign for the 49ers passing game. Purdy hit KhaDarel Hodge one play later for 17 yards. The 49ers have to make it work with a variety of WRs, and Purdy is having success so far after struggling to do so in Weeks 6 and 7.
- Raiders forgot to cover McCaffrey out of the backfield. 12 plays, 84 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers. They have three touchdowns on three possessions with three long drives.
- What a mess the 49ers special teams is. Raiders kick returner Dylan Laube returned a kick 54 yards to the 49ers' 42 to start their second drive. San Francisco should be on the hunt for a new special teams coordinator this offseason.
- Nice play by Nick Bosa to recognize a tight end screen and drop Michael Mayer for a loss of four.
- Osa Odighizuwa has two TFLs after blowing up a handoff on a second-and-14. He nearly beat the ball to the running back.
- A 50-yard field goal for the Raiders makes it 21-10. Nice job by the 49ers defense to hold up after the long kick return.
- ANOTHER penalty on offense for the 49ers. It's a false start on McCaffrey. San Francisco failed to score before the half, and with the Raiders getting the ball to open the second half this is very much a ball game after 30 minutes.
- Halftime score: 49ers 21, Raiders 10
Third quarter
- Wow! A pick-six for Jaden Dugger on the first play of the second half. He did a nice job in coverage after Cousins fumbled and picked it back up. He took away one throwing lane and then closed on his own responsibility to be in position for the interception. It was his first INT and TD as a pro and the 49ers are up 28-10 early in the third quarter.
- There's something off with this 49ers defense. Six plays, 69 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders on a series where San Francisco could've really shut the faucet off and put a stranglehold on the game. Instead their pass rush was nonexistent as Cousins cruised down the field for an easy score. Where are Nick Bosa and DeForest Buckner?
- Calamity. Purdy tossed an interception on a throw intended for Kittle. The 49ers needed to be perfect with the way their defense is playing and giveaways like that are how a team like the Raiders upsets the 49ers. Between the penalties, poor defense and turnovers it's hard to believe the 49ers are coming off a week off.
- Fred Warner is ridiculous. Forced fumble to get the ball back for San Francisco. His ability to generate fumbles is getting comedic.
- The Raiders are just jumping the 49ers outside tosses super hard. They've bottled up two McCaffrey runs by way over committing. Let's see if Kyle Shanahan takes advantage of that.
- Failed fourth-and-1. The 49ers have picked up 15 yards with one interception and failed fourth-and-1 on their last eight offensive plays. Woof.
- The 49ers safeties are not good.
- Wow. The Raiders were going in to score and Upton Stout punched the ball out from TE Michael Mayer just shy of the goal line. Warner recovered in the end zone, but a ridiculous play for the 49ers' nickel cornerback who is such a difference maker in their secondary.
- Jordan Watkins! He made a sweet contested grab for a touchdown to put the 49ers ahead 35-17. Purdy clearly is gaining confidence in Watkins. He's made a couple of tough throws into the young WR and Watkins has responded. He's at 80 yards on three catches. The 37-yard TD was the first score of the second-year WR's career.
- End of third quarter score: 49ers 35, Raiders 17
Fourth quarter
- San Francisco has no answers for Brock Bowers.
- Renardo Green grabbed his fourth interception in the end zone to keep the Raiders from getting back into the game. They stymied the Raiders who had a first-and-goal at the 1. Credit to Ji'Ayir Brown for hustling to knock out Bowers at the one on his long catch-and-run. From there the Raiders went backward and Cousins wound up tossing up an interception to Green. Four takeaways in 18:05 of game time for the 49ers.
- ANOTHER offensive penalty. It's pass interference on Watkins. That negates a 20-yard catch-and-run for Kittle. Just way too many mistakes for San Francisco. It's a testament to how good they are that they've been able to overcome the miscues and dominate in this way.
- Eddy Pineiro hasn't missed with five extra points and a 35-yard field goal that made it 38-17 with just over five minutes left. San Francisco being perfect in the red zone would've been fun. Alas, they stalled out this time. Kaelon Black had a handful of nice runs on that field goal drive.
- Atlanta killed the 49ers with short throws. They've adjusted against the Raiders. RB Ashton Jeanty has four catches for negative four yards.
- Uh oh. Gracen Halton is down late in the fourth quarter. It looks like trainers are working on his lower leg. He was carted off with an air cast on his left leg. Brutal for the standout rookie.
- Malik Mustapha interception is the exclamation point. What a second half for the 49ers defense to create five turnovers on six Raiders second half possessions.
- Jordan James got some late-game burn. He always looks good when he gets some touches.
- Final score: 49ers 38, Raiders 17
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers score: Observations, notes and analysis from each quarter
