The San Francisco 49ers came out of their bye week strong, running the ball 43 times en route to a 38-17 win over the Raiders. For what was a drama-filled week off, the red and gold looked focused and physical in a game that once again proved why they are regarded as a Super Bowl favorite.
From wide receiver Jordan Watkins' first career touchdown to a season-threatening injury for rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton, storylines flew out of Levi's stadium, and so did many thoughts about the rest of the campaign.
1. The 49ers are still desperate for a receiver
The Niners offense looked its best in weeks on Sunday. That said, buying into results against a Las Vegas defense that has surrendered 30 or more points in six straight weeks would be far from a great idea.
Despite great performances from both George Kittle and Jordan Watkins, the 49ers' passing game still felt like it was missing an element that Mike Evans usually brings, something that a trade could provide as Evans continues to miss time.
With less than 48 hours until the deadline, the clock is ticking for John Lynch to pick up the phone and grab another pass-catcher that his squad needs in a big way.
2. Eddy Piñeiro watched his film
Heading into the bye week, kicker Eddy Piñero said he needed to "watch the film" after missing an extra point that could have been crucial if Kittle hadn't fumbled on the Niners' final possession of their Week 7 loss in Atlanta.
Entering Sunday, Piñero had already missed four extra points this year, an eye-catching statistic for someone who was so automatic for San Francisco last season.
After taking two weeks to reset, Pińeiro was a perfect six-for-six on kick attempts in the win, connecting on all five extra points and lone field goal attempt.
While only one week, the kicker looks to have regained some confidence, a major development for someone who looked like he may be on the hot seat.
3. Halton injury makes 49ers trade for DeForest Bucker even more important
In the game's final minutes, Halton was rolled up on before being carted off the field with his left ankle in an air cast. A dejecting injury for a rookie who had already made a mark both on the field and in the locker room.
As Halton was driven off, one 49er who looked especially upset was none other than Buckner himself, who spoke highly of Halton over the last week and planned to take the rookie under his wing.
The acquisition of Buckner suddenly looks much more important, as the Niners' defensive line has already missed a league-leading 43 games.
For a unit lacking depth as it is, the Buckner addition looms large, and one has to wonder whether Lynch will consider another move for the line in response to the loss of Halton.
4. When the 49ers run, they win
The 49ers carried the ball 43 times on Sunday, improving to 8-0 in the Kyle Shanahan era when they run the ball 40 or more times in a game.
For a coach who has been scrutinized and potentially lost multiple Super Bowls because he simply refuses to run the ball late in games, Shanahan looked like a changed man in the win.
That's not to say he didn't let Brock Purdy take a couple shots, but the ball stayed on the ground when it mattered as SF drained the 4th quarter-clock.
By riding the hot hands of McCaffrey and Black, who ran for almost five yards per carry, Shanahan conquered some demons and hopefully, for Niners fans, learned a valuable lesson.
5. Soft zone coverage needs to be a thing of the past
San Francisco spent yet another week building a big lead with strong defense before switching to soft zone coverage and allowing opponents back into the game. The switch in scheme almost lost the 49ers their Week 6 win against Washington and was undoubtedly one reason the Falcons' offense had success through the air.
While the defense stepped up on Sunday, forcing five turnovers, including three interceptions of Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins, the game could have been much closer if bad decisions and ball security not plagued Las Vegas in the second half.
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers built on his strong season, grabbing seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, almost all coming after the Niners defense let up some of their intensity.
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has blown the doors off expectations for most, but the scheme change when the offense gets out to big leads will take years off 49ers' fans' lives if it continues.
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