As we always do, we reached out to the lead writer covering the Raiders next opponent. This week it's Kyle Madsen from USA Today's Niners Wire site who gives us all the details on the 49ers team the Raiders are set to face on Sunday in San Francisco.
1. Christian McCaffrey is a go, but Mike Evans is not. Who would have been the bigger loss for the 49ers?
Evans is probably the bigger loss for the 49ers at this point because of their overall lack of depth at receiver. They can manufacture run game without McCaffrey. They can’t do the same to their passing attack without Evans.
2. There's something to be said for finding ways to win, but the 49ers defense seems to be a bit Jeckyl & Hyde this season. Is there a common thread to why they're so up and down?
Injuries have definitely played a role. They’ve been without defensive end Nick Bosa since Week 3, and then nickel cornerback Upton Stout has been in and out of the lineup with a shoulder issue. When Stout hasn’t played it puts a significant hole in the 49ers’ secondary. There’s
also the matter of the 49ers’ offense. When they’re firing on all cylinders it forces teams to become more one-dimensional offensively and makes life easier on a sometimes flimsy San Francisco defensive line. I think on the whole they’re a pretty middle-of-the-road defense with enough star power to be great for stretches when they’re healthy.
3. What is the 49ers biggest weakness on each side of the ball the Raiders could exploit?
Las Vegas’s offense should lean a lot on Ashton Jeanty. I know Mike Washington Jr. out-snapped him last week, but Jeanty’s versatility is something San Francisco could have a hard time dealing with as they also wrangle with Brock Bowers. Against Atlanta in Week 7 we saw the 49ers concede a ton of easy, short throws. I’d expect the Raiders to try and do something similar with some success. Defensively for the Raiders they shouldn’t do too much trying to slow down the 49ers receiving corps. Selling out to ensure McCaffrey or tight end George Kittle don’t have a huge game makes a ton of sense against a banged up 49ers receiving corps. If Jordan Watkins and Co. beat Las Vegas, they can tip their cap.
4. Give me an under-the-radar player on each side of the ball for the 49ers.
An under-the-radar player on offense for the 49ers is rookie running back Kaelon Black. He saw extended action in Weeks 1 and 7 when McCaffrey was dealing with cramping and other ailments. With McCaffrey just returning from a hamstring injury, the explosive Black has proven to be a very capable backup who had a breakout game before the 49ers got to the Bye.
5. Who wins? Why? Score prediction.
Whatever the over/under is for this game — hammer the over. My prediction is points. The 49ers aren’t going to be able to stop the Raiders, but the Raiders won’t be able to stop even this patchwork version of San Francisco’s offense. The bad news for Las Vegas in a game like that is the advantage is going to lean toward the more experienced team and coaching staff, and toward the team with more talent. This isn’t liable to be a blowout, but San Francisco should win.
49ers 34, Raiders 30
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Raiders Week 9 matchup with Niners Wire
