The San Francisco 49ers just shored up their defensive line by adding DeForest Buckner during their bye week, looking to get back on track after their first loss of the season. Now, they’re hosting their old neighbors, the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that just snapped a four-game skid with a win over the Jets. Vegas started hot at 3-0, but tumbled to 3-4 before that Week 8 victory. The 49ers definitely want to send the Raiders right back to their losing ways this Sunday.
The Vegas Defense Is an Absolute Trainwreck
Let’s be real, folks: the Raiders’ defense is just plain bad. They’re the only team in the entire league chilling in the bottom three for both yards allowed AND points allowed. We’re talking 381.9 yards given up per game, third-most in the NFL, with only the Titans and Cowboys somehow worse. And the points? A staggering 28.8 allowed per game, which is second-worst, just barely better than Arizona, with the Colts only slightly ahead. The scariest part for Vegas is it’s only getting worse. These guys have allowed 30 or more points in each of their last five games, a wild contrast to the mere 27 points combined they gave up in their first two outings. They just can’t stop the ball, allowing more than their average of 382 yards in four of those last five games. The offense could only bail them out once, leading to a 1-4 record in that stretch. The New York Jets even dropped 30 points on them, something they hadn’t done since Week 8 of last season. It’s not hard to picture the 49ers’ offense, even without Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, absolutely feasting on this unit.
But This Defense Is a Turnover Machine
Here’s where it gets interesting, and honestly, a little alarming for the 49ers: the Raiders’ defense, for all its struggles, is surprisingly good at taking the ball away. They’ve forced 13 turnovers this season, which is fifth-most in the entire league. While their five interceptions put them squarely in the middle of the pack for picking off passes, they truly shine when the ball is loose, scooping up seven fumble recoveries. And guess what? The 49ers have been playing a dangerous game with the ball lately. San Francisco averages a fumble per game, and a worrying five of their six lost fumbles have come in their last three contests. After only two turnovers in their first four games, the 49ers have coughed it up eight times in their last three, with four of those coming against an Atlanta team that had only six total turnovers heading into Week 7. Yeah, the Raiders’ defense can be beaten, no doubt, but the 49ers HAVE to shake this recent turnover plague to truly exploit them.
The Raiders’ defense is a mess, but their offense is definitely explosive, averaging 265.1 passing yards per game, which is the third-best mark in the league. The 49ers are looking to return the Raiders to their losing ways this Sunday, but they’ll need to protect the ball if they want to get back on track and avoid giving Vegas any easy opportunities.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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