The 49ers have the best start to the season since 2019. Coming off the bye, the offense looked crisp and efficient in the first half, scoring three touchdowns. The defense was significantly better as Nick Bosa, Marcus Sigle and Upton Stout were back on the field.
Many wondered how the 49ers would do without Mike Evans and Deebo Samuels this week. They were just fine. Jordan Watkins led the receiver group with four catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. In fact, Purdy connected with seven eligible receivers, five of which were wide receivers.
Rookie Kaelon Black led the team in rushing with eleven carries for 70 yards. Coach Shanahan hoped to rush the ball at least 40 times. Collectively, five players rushed the ball 190 yards on 43 carries. Brock Purdy scrambled for 40 yards and a touchdown on seven carries while Christian McCaffrey led the team in carries with 18.
The game became very interesting in the third quarter. At half, the 49ers led 21 to 10. On the first play of the third quarter, rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger snagged an interception and ran it in for a touchdown. The game was seemingly tilted in the 49ers favor. Then the defense allowed the Raiders to score a touchdown on a series of explosive plays.
On the next 49ers drive, the Raiders decided to shift from man coverage to zone. Las Vegas disguised their coverage’s well and Treydan Stukes picked Purdy off three plays into the Niners next drive. Two plays later, Fred Warner punched the ball out of Brock Bowers arms and Dre Greenlaw recovered. Four plays later, the Raiders managed to stone Purdy on a fourth and one. Three plays after that, Upton Stout punched the ball out of Micheal Mayers hands at the goal-line and Fred Warner recovered for a touch-back. The Niners forced three turnovers in the third quarter.
The Raiders started with the ball in the fourth quarter. They moved the ball well and took advantage of a big interference call against the Niners on third and sixteen. Then, on a 2nd and Goal from the thirteen yard-line, Renardo Green dropped from his flat coverage assignment and drifted under the intended receiver in the end-zone and snagged his fourth interception of the season. The Niners then executed a five-minute scoring drive to put the final nail in the coffin for the Raiders.
Offensively the Niners were able to run the ball reasonably well. The passing attack featured Purdy under center most of the game. Most of the passes were play action and at least eight of his passes came off a boot action. The Niners also excel at putting either the fullback or a tight end in motion for the motion player to be in the best position to lead block on a run play. The Niner’s running attack is becoming multiple and that is a problem for most of the defensive fronts they will face.
Brock Bowers frustrated the defense. He collected seven receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. He excels at finding the soft empty zones in the middle of the field. Still, the 49ers relied on their defensive front to harass Kirk Cousins. They were successful. He hurried throws and ended up throwing three interceptions.
Unfortunately, the Niners appear to have lost budding star, Gracen Halton to injury. He was carted off late in the fourth quarter with a lower leg injury. Halton has been an integral part of the Niners defensive front these first eight games of the season, securing fifteen tackles and multiple sacks. Today, he almost collected an interception early in the third quarter. The 49ers hope his injury is not as serious as it looked. Thankfully the Niners brass saw fit to reunite with DeForest Buckner.
Today’s game featured several key firsts. Jaden Dugger secured a pick six. Jordan Watkins scored his first career touchdown and Kaelon Black rushed for the most yards in a game in his young career. The young players are stepping up. That bodes well for the future of the 49ers.
On to Dallas.
