The San Francisco 49ers are sitting pretty at a league-best 7-1, rolling into Week 9 after their bye, but man, don’t let that record fool you: they are absolutely banged up, especially at receiver, as they face the Las Vegas Raiders. Brock Purdy and that Niners offense might be dynamic, but they’re missing some serious firepower today, and it’s wild to see.
Injuries Hit the 7-1 Niners Hard, Even With Bosa Back
Look, the big news for the 49ers is a double-edged sword. On one hand, superstar defensive end Nick Bosa is *officially active* for Week 9, back on the field after missing a full five games with a calf strain he picked up in practice. That’s a massive boost for their defense, no doubt. But here’s the kicker, and it’s a brutal one: they’re without wide receivers Mike Evans (Achilles) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) for this game. Both are OUT. And if that wasn’t enough, they just placed Christian Kirk on injured reserve this week with a knee injury, after he barely even got started, making his debut just before the bye in Week 6. You just can’t catch a break! It feels like this squad, despite their incredible record, is constantly battling the injury bug. The list of inactives tells the story: Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel Sr., offensive tackle Enrique Cruz, linebacker Tatum Bethune, defensive end Khalid Kareem, and even emergency QB Kurtis Rourke are all sidelined. Add in some off-field drama around Brandon Aiyuk’s return and Jauan Jennings’ denied trade, and this team is a walking soap opera heading into a game they absolutely should win.
Raiders Hope For a Kickstart, But What’s Up With Kirk Cousins?
Over on the Raiders side, they’re sitting at 4-4 and actually coming in with “a bit of momentum” after snagging a win against the New York Jets. They need a real kickstart to stay in the playoff hunt, and facing a hobbled 49ers team might just be their chance to play spoiler. Their inactives list isn’t quite as devastating as San Fran’s: defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV, wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr., emergency QB Aidan O’Connell, wide receiver Malik Benson, safety Dalton Johnson, and offensive guard Bryce Cabeldue are out.
But the real head-scratcher with the Raiders is quarterback Kirk Cousins. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Las Vegas hasn’t received a single trade call for the veteran passer. I mean, seriously? Cousins has been putting up numbers this season: 2,124 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions. That’s productive, man! You’ve got 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza waiting in the wings, who saw a little action in a blowout loss to the Patriots in Week 5, going 6-of-8 for 48 yards. But still, a guy with Cousins’ stats and experience getting zero calls, especially when there are “plenty of teams” needing quarterback help (including the Vikings, where he spent six seasons and suffered that Achilles tear from 2018-2023)? That’s just wild.
This afternoon’s matchup on Fox is going to be a fascinating watch. Can the Raiders really play spoiler against a 7-1 49ers team dealing with major receiver issues, even with Bosa back? Or will San Francisco prove they’re still too dynamic, injuries and all? This one’s looking like San Francisco’s game to lose, but with all that’s going on, you just never know.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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