The 49ers’ defense didn’t just beat the Raiders on Sunday - it smothered them after halftime.
San Francisco rolled to a 38-17 win, and the second-half stretch was all about takeaways, tight coverage and a pass rush that kept Las Vegas from ever finding a rhythm. Pro Football Focus’ defensive grades back up what showed up on the field: this was a big day for the linebackers, with Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner both landing in elite territory.
Greenlaw was the clear headliner. He posted a 91.5 PFF grade over 49 snaps, the top mark on the defense, while Warner was right behind him at 91.1 on 50 snaps. Jaden Dugger also cracked the top tier with an 88.0 grade in only 12 snaps, followed by Osa Odighizuwa at 85.1 and Upton Stout at 77.4.
Greenlaw’s impact showed up everywhere. He led the 49ers with an 83.6 run-defense grade, finished with eight tackles, a game-high six defensive stops and came away with a loose-ball recovery.
In coverage, he was just as disruptive. Targeted four times, Greenlaw allowed four completions that netted minus-5 yards.
Warner was even cleaner in coverage. He was targeted three times, gave up two catches and allowed zero net yards. That kind of control in the middle of the field helped choke off anything Las Vegas tried to build through the air.
The interior pressure also did damage. Odighizuwa paced all players in the game with an 84.4 pass-rush grade and tied Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce for the game high with three total pressures.
DeForest Buckner, back in red and gold, posted a 59.1 pass-rush grade across 34 defensive snaps as he settles back into San Francisco’s system. Rookie edge rusher Romello Height had a tougher afternoon, finishing with a team-low 49.6 pass-rush grade.
On the run-defense side, the 49ers were equally firm. Behind Greenlaw, the group kept the Raiders’ ground game under wraps, and the numbers reflect it. Height finished with a team-low 45.3 run-defense grade, while Buckner checked in at 49.9 as he worked back into the base scheme.
There were also a few rough grades on the back end and among the depth pieces. Ephesians Prysock came in at 29.9, Sebastian Valdez at 30.2, Romello Height at 39.8, Marques Sigle at 47.7 and Siran Neal at 49.6.
Even with the rotation getting mixed results, the overall picture was clear: San Francisco’s defense forced five takeaways, held firm after the break and needed only two missed tackles over 50 defensive plays to keep the Raiders bottled up.
In Other News...
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What makes this one especially interesting in San Francisco is the overlap with Mike Evans, who is still working back from injury. Allen was asked about the history between the two and made it clear the issue is in the rearview mirror, which removes one potential distraction as the 49ers wait for Evans to return and sort out how all the pieces fit together. [Read more 🡒]
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San Francisco also had its eye on Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack, another move that would have addressed a different need with a proven veteran. Los Angeles never made Mack available, leaving the 49ers to keep working through alternatives, including a possible pivot to Keenan Allen once those earlier avenues stalled. It is the kind of deadline posture that says plenty about the teams ambitions, even if the biggest names never got close to changing uniforms. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Receiver Move Reveals A Bigger Wrinkle In Their Injury Plan
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What makes the situation more delicate is the learning curve waiting for Allen once he gets in the building. Lynch and Kyle Shanahan both acknowledged how difficult it can be to absorb the 49ers playbook on the fly, so the team has already added extra meetings to help him get ready for upcoming games. It is the kind of adjustment San Francisco has had to make before, but this one comes with the added pressure of an injury picture that is still shifting around him. [Read more 🡒]