The Bay Area was supposed to be a place where the Las Vegas Raiders
could build on their success from the previous week, when they beat the New York Jets. Instead, Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers was just another disappointing day in a difficult season. The Raiders had several costly turnovers, and their running game was nonexistent. These factors led to a 38-17 loss at Levi's Stadium.Head coach Klint Kubiak watched his squad fall behind 14-0 in the opening period, only to show some spark on offense. But with five turnovers during the second half, there was no realistic way to make another comeback. With the defeat, Las Vegas is now 4-5 and has displayed many of the issues that have plagued them all year.
First Down: Kirk Cousins' turnovers prove costly
After a strong performance
against the Jets the week prior, Kirk Cousins failed to protect the football in the Raiders' game against San Francisco. He completed 22 of 32 attempts for 216 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Cousins made many good throws throughout the game; however, his errors came at times when Las Vegas desperately needed to score.
The biggest shift came on the opening possession of the second half. After fumbling the ball at the snap, Cousins attempted a pass to Tre Tucker. Linebacker Jaden Dugger intercepted the pass and took it 35 yards for a score. The error pushed the 49ers' lead to 28-10, immediately making the task uphill for Kubiak's offense.
Cousins followed up his first touchdown pass with a 21-yard TD pass to Brock Bowers, cutting the Panthers' lead to 11 points. However, he couldn't maintain the momentum from his previous scoring drive and threw two more interceptions, including one near the goal line. The veteran quarterback threw his last interception in the fourth quarter, ending another possession for the Las Vegas with no points.
Although Kirk Cousins should be criticized for making bad decisions, the offense lacked balance, which made it hard for him to succeed. Because the running attack was virtually nonexistent, the San Francisco 49ers knew they would pass and could put extra pressure on Cousins.
Second Down: Brock Bowers remains the offense's biggest weapon
While it was a disappointing loss, Brock Bowers proved again that he is among the NFL's top tight ends. Bowers caught seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, averaging 15.9 yards per reception. The All-Pro tight end contributed nearly half of the team's total passing yards, and he kept his team in the game against a very good San Francisco defense.
Bowers' biggest play of the night came in the third quarter. Cousins connected with him on a 21-yard touchdown pass. In addition to that touchdown catch, He had a 33-yard reception later in the game. That catch helped set up the offense for a first-and-goal opportunity at the opponent's 5-yard line. Whether running routes over the middle or down the sidelines to stretch the defense, Bowers remained Cousins' most consistent target throughout the game.
The three-year player's afternoon did not go smoothly, either. Linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball out of his hands, causing him to fumble, and Dre Greenlaw recovered it. This turnover cost the Raiders another good possession when the team needed to take advantage of every scoring opportunity.
Third Down: Run defense continues to be a major concern
The 49ers gained 190 rushing yards (averaging 4.4 per rush) and controlled the line of scrimmage for most of Sunday's game. This continued to show that the Vegas defense was on the field for long drives.
Christian McCaffrey had an impact on San Francisco rushing attack. McCaffrey had 68 rushing yards on 18 carries and scored twice; one touchdown came on a 1-yard run that got the game started. Brock Purdy was another threat to Las Vegas because of his ability to run and turn potential negative plays into first downs; he also scored on a short touchdown run.
The defensive problems were apparent early in the first quarter. The 49ers put up 14 points on their first two possessions, forcing the Raiders to change their offense much sooner than expected. At halftime, the 49ers led 21-10 and controlled the game's tempo.
A glimmer of hope emerged for the defense when rookie safety Treydan Stukes intercepted Purdy in the third quarter, giving the offense another chance to cut the deficit. Unfortunately, the defense has allowed 30 or more points per game in each of the past six weeks. Until the front seven can consistently win at the line of scrimmage, they will be putting a lot of pressure on their offense to score.
Fourth Down: Running game nonexistent
In addition, the biggest letdown was the complete loss of the ground game. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. ran for 83 yards against the New York Jets and seemed to give the Raiders hope they could develop a more well-rounded offense. However, the Raiders' backfield ran for only 24 yards on 15 carries, averaging just 1.6 yards per carry.
The team's leading rusher was Ashton Jeanty, who rushed for 25 yards on six carries. Washington, meanwhile, had negative three yards on six attempts. Neither running back had a chance to get going because the offense fell behind early. Because the offense couldn't establish the run, Kubiak couldn't continue calling run plays for the rest of the game.
The offensive line couldn't move San Francisco's defensive front out of the way. As a result, the running back usually got hit before the line of scrimmage. When an offensive unit is as predictable as it is today, a football team cannot realistically expect to win games consistently. Coach Kubiak has been vocal about the need for balance; however, this will require the offensive line to perform at a higher level and a commitment to running the ball whenever possible.
Extra Point: Missed opportunities tell the story
The final score suggests San Francisco dominated the game. However, Las Vegas had many chances to get back into the game. Unfortunately, Las Vegas repeatedly failed to finish their potential scoring drives, with fumbles by both Bowers and Michael Mayer. Mayer’s turnover is particularly detrimental because it occurred at a critical time – as Las Vegas was attempting to score inside the San Francisco 5-yard line.
The yards gained by Las Vegas (240) vs. San Francisco (414) were revealing. Also, the time Las Vegas held the ball (21:42) vs. San Francisco, who had the ball for 38:18. Additionally, Las Vegas' five turnovers were even more harmful. They cost them several scoring chances and allowed San Francisco to keep control of the game.
As of now, the Kubiak-led squad is 4-5 and entering a crucial part of the year. The team has enough talent to compete in each game; however, inconsistency remains a problem. Heading into the next game against the Seattle Seahawks, the team must address turnovers, develop a strong running attack, and improve defensively as quickly as possible.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: 4 Downs: What Went Wrong in the Raiders' 38-17 Loss to the 49ers
