Week 9 - Following their first loss of the season in Week 7, the (6-1) San Francisco 49ers returned home to Levi's Stadium where they would renew rivalries with the (4-4) Las Vegas Raiders for the first meeting between the two franchises in the Bay Area since the Raiders ditched Oakland for Las Vegas in 2020. But no matter how much time passes between each meeting or where the two teams call home, this game will always be circled on the calendar between both squads and their respective fan bases who can both agree that this one means a tad bit more. And after a red-hot 3-0 start for the Raiders this season that has since fizzled out with losses in four of their last five games, it seemed to be the perfect time to add the latest chapter to what has become known as the Battle of the Bay between the Niners and Raiders.
If there was one thing for certain for the 49ers entering Sunday's game, it was that coach Kyle Shanahan's team would be ready coming off the Bye week as they had dominated their way to a 4-0 record and a +53 point differential over the previous four seasons following the Bye. Continuing that pattern, Brock Purdy and company returned to the field on offense without skipping a beat. With the most points scored this season on the first two drives of the game entering Sunday (58pts), San Francisco continued that streak by scoring touchdowns on each of their first three possessions. Taking the Raiders defense for a ride, San Francisco embarked on a 15-play drive that tallied 64 yards and chewed up over five minutes before ending in a touchdown from Niners running back Christian McCaffrey to give the home team the early lead on their first possession. Starting off equally as hot on defense, San Francisco held the Raiders to a three and out punt on their initial possession. As if San Francisco's first possession wasn't long enough, they followed things up with a 17-play drive that spanned over 100 yards and took another 6:29 off the game clock before Purdy did things himself with a 1-yard touchdown scramble.
Despite jumping out to an early 14-0 lead, any hopes of the 49ers running away with the ball game in the first half would end as Kirk Cousins and the Raiders answered with a touchdown of their own on their second possession as the Las Vegas QB carried the ball into the end zone himself for the score. With the Raiders looking to make a game out of it, Purdy and McCaffrey would team up to record a bit of 49ers history on their ensuing possession as the duo capped off a 14-play drive with a 12-yard touchdown. For Purdy, the former 7th round pick would log his 100th career passing touchdown, becoming the youngest 49er in franchise history to reach the century mark, meanwhile Christian McCaffrey would set a record for the most receiving touchdowns by a running back in the Super Bowl era with his 37th career TD reception. With the Raiders adding a field goal just before the half, the two teams went into the locker room with San Francisco hanging onto a 21-10 halftime lead. Although the first half would showcase plenty of highlights, nothing would quite prepare us for the dizzying second half that would feature a combined six turnovers between the two teams.
On the first play from scrimmage to start the second half, Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins would fumble the ball after a collision with his running back before regaining possession and throwing a lollipop pass intended for receiver Tre Tucker that was intercepted by 49ers rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger who returned the pick-six 35-yards for the touchdown. Refusing to go quietly, Cousins and the Raiders would bounce back one possession later with a touchdown scoring-drive led by Pro Bowl tight-end Brock Bowers who hauled in a 21-yard grab to make it a 28-17 ballgame. Las Vegas would appear to be in business just a few plays later after following up the touchdown with an interception of Brock Purdy on a deep ball intended for George Kittle. Two plays later, however, the 49ers would regain possession after forcing a fumble as 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball free from the hands of Bowers which resulted in a scrum near the sidelines that was recovered by fellow linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Failing to do much on the ensuing possession, the 49ers were stopped on a 4th and 1 attempt on their own side of the field that once again gave the Raiders new life.
Instead, they would be snakebitten once again by a tight-end fumble as Michael Mayer hauled in a 24-yard pass that he attempted to extend over the goal-line for a touchdown before being denied and having the ball punched loose by San Francisco's Upton Stout and recovered in the end zone by Fred Warner. This time the 49er offense would be sure to capitalize on the turnover as Brock Purdy highlighted the drive by launching a 37-yard pass into the end zone for receiver Jordan Watkins who hauled in his first career touchdown just two weeks after having a touchdown reversed in Atlanta. Cousins and the Raiders would be intercepted on each of their next two possessions, giving the San Francisco defense 5 takeaways in the second half and marking the first time since Week 5 of the 2006 season (also against the Raiders) that the 49er defense forced four consecutive turnovers. It would also be the second game this season of 4+ takeaways for the San Francisco defense after 0 such games a season ago. Coach Shanahan would not have to call on his punter all afternoon as the 49ers recorded no punts for the entire game. In fact, the Raiders' three and out punt on their first possession of the game would stand as the only punt for either team in the contest.
Claiming the 38-17 victory, San Francisco improved to 7-1 on the season, their best 8-game start since 2019. Meanwhile, the Raiders fell to 4-5 in what would be the last start of Kirk Cousins' tenure with the Raiders as he was traded from the team just before the NFL's Tuesday trade deadline at 1pm. After throwing for 216 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions and adding a rushing touchdown, the Raiders sent Cousins back to the Minnesota Vikings where he spent six seasons and was named to 3 Pro Bowls, in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick. Brock Purdy threw for 232 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 1 interception and also rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown. As a whole, the 49ers rushed for 190 total yards led by the duo of Kaelon Black and Christian McCaffrey who combined to rush for 138 of those yards. Jordan Watkins would lead the 49ers in receiving with 86 yards and a touchdown, but it was the Raiders' Brock Bowers who finished with a game-high 111 yards receiving and a touchdown. It wasn't all good news, however, as the 49ers did suffer another unfortunate injury on the defense late in the fourth quarter when rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton went down with a broken ankle after a chop block by a Raiders player on teammate Keion White caused the collision. Halton would need to be carted off and was seen visibly upset as he was overcome by tears and confirmed out for the season following the game.
Week 10 Preview: Heading back onto the road, the (7-1) 49ers will visit the Lone star state of Texas where they will take on the (4-5) Dallas Cowboys. Still seeking their first streak of two or more wins this season, the Cowboys have had a disappointing start to their season as their defense been historically bad up to this point having allowed 372.7 yards per game, ranking 30th overall and having given up 20 or more points in all nine of their games this year. Not a great combination considering San Francisco enters the matchup with the third highest-scoring offense at 29 points per game and the league's best red zone offense. The 49ers are also expecting to have Deebo Samuel back on Sunday and will welcome their newest acquisition Keenan Allen after acquiring the 13-year veteran and 6-time Pro Bowler from the Indianapolis Colts just before Tuesday's trade deadline, sending a 2027 sixth-round pick in return. Despite the mismatch on paper, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers will still have to come out hungry in order to fend off the upset and will need to keep close tabs on Pro Bowl receiver CeeDee Lamb who is coming off a monstrous game in which he caught 10 passes from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for 195 yards and a touchdown.
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