The Raiders are heading into Week 9 with a road trip that looks about as forgiving as a concrete wall. They’ll be in Santa Clara to face the San Francisco 49ers, a team that has the edge almost everywhere even while dealing with key injuries. On paper, it’s a rough setup for Las Vegas.
But the Raiders have already shown they can hang with some of the NFL’s best this season, and that gives them at least a sliver of hope in a rivalry game that feels lopsided. If they can win a few of the key individual battles, or even keep them close, they can make Sunday a lot more interesting than most people expect.
The biggest chess match starts on the sideline, where Kyle Shanahan gets to work against Rob Leonard. That’s a scary assignment for Las Vegas.
The Raiders’ defense has been leaking in just about every direction, and Sean McVay already had his way with Leonard’s group not long ago. Shanahan is one of the league’s sharpest offensive minds, and with an extra week to prepare, he should have plenty ready.
If the Raiders can somehow keep San Francisco in the high 20s, they’ll give themselves a chance. That may require takeaways, which is one of the few things Leonard’s defense has been able to generate consistently.
The ground game is another major test. Las Vegas looked a little better running the ball last week, but it was hard to know exactly why.
Maybe it was Mike Washington Jr. handling the load. Maybe Trey Zuhn III settling in at right guard helped.
Maybe the Jets simply didn’t have their best run defender available. This week should tell the real story, because San Francisco’s run defense is one of the best in the league.
Fred Warner makes it feel like you’re running into a crowd, and the Raiders will need to get something going there or risk making an already difficult game even worse.
Brock Purdy’s protection is a problem for the Raiders, too. He’s been sacked just seven times this season, and the 49ers’ offensive line doesn’t really hand out easy wins.
The backs and tight ends block well, and Purdy gets the ball out quickly. That makes life hard for a Raiders pass rush that hasn’t been doing much lately.
Purdy has looked like an MVP candidate, and while he’s at least a little more vulnerable when pressured or blitzed, Leonard will need some creative answers to make that matter. Otherwise, Purdy can stay comfortable and carve up the linebackers and secondary.
Then there’s George Kittle, who brings a problem the Raiders have had all year: tight ends. Kittle is one of the league’s elite at the position, and he does everything.
He blocks like an extra lineman in the run game, and he’s a major receiving threat too, leading the 49ers in yards. He’s too big and physical for most defensive backs and too fast for most linebackers.
Neutralizing him will take something special from Leonard.
Up front, Kolton Miller and DJ Glaze have quietly formed one of the better tackle pairings in the league this season, and it’s been a surprise that Miller has been the weaker link at times. Glaze’s bounce-back has been one of the better developments for Las Vegas.
But Sunday brings a far bigger challenge: Nick Bosa. It will be his first game since Week 2, so he should be fresh and ready in front of the home crowd.
He can work from either side of the line, which means Miller and Glaze both have to be ready for him. Bosa can wreck plays against both the run and the pass, and keeping him from taking over will be no small job.
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Raiders Midseason Rankings Show Whats Carrying This 4-4 Team
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The most interesting part of the breakdown is how the Raiders are getting meaningful contributions from places that were supposed to be more of a question mark. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer have given the offense a dependable foundation, while Kirk Cousins has been one of the bigger surprises of the season after a strong opening stretch. The rankings make clear that Las Vegas has some genuine strengths carrying it right now, even if the full picture of where this team stands is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]