Raiders vs. 49ers: 5 storylines for Week 9 on Thursday Night Football
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Taking Advantage of that Raiders Pass Defense
Whoever starts at quarterback for the 49ers Thursday, C.J. Beathard or Nick Mullens, at least the starting signal-caller will be happy knowing just how bad the Raiders’ pass defense has been all year.
How bad? Well, Oakland’s average of 8.3 yards per play allowed through the air this season ranks dead last in the league. And that’s nearly half a yard more than the second worst teams on that list, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins.
A lot of the Raiders’ woes here have to do with moving Khalil Mack, yes. But the numerous efforts over the years to find suitable defensive backs haven’t exactly panned out either.
Oakland does have four interceptions — two more than San Francisco. Yet if you thought the 49ers pass rush is bad, the Raiders’ is even worse. Their defense has generated just seven sacks on the season, which is less than half the number the Niners have.
The Raiders have played one fewer game, but still. That’s a big difference.
A secondary is only going to be as good as its pass rush allows it. We’ve seen that problem for San Francisco most of the season. And one could argue it’s even a bigger issue for Oakland.
Look for the 49ers to take as full advantage of that as possible.