San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Las Vegas Raiders’ Eric Stokes (5) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Las Vegas Raiders’ Eric Stokes (5) in the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA – Here is how the 49ers (7-1) graded in Sunday’s 38-17 home win over the Las Vegas Raiders (4-5):
PASS OFFENSE: A-
Jordan Watkins’ first career touchdown catch came on a 37-yard contested catch, and he caught all four of his targets for a team-high 86 yards. The 49ers again forged ahead without Mike Evans (Achilles) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring). Brock Purdy engineered touchdown drives on the opening three series, and while he passed for 232 yards (17-of-25), his outing was slightly tainted by early overthrows and an interception amid the third-quarter turnover war. Seven different players had a catch, including three from Demarcus Robinson in his return from a Week 2 ankle injury. The offensive line kept Purdy relatively clean, yielding only one sack (to Maxx Crosby just before halftime.
RUN OFFENSE: A
The 49ers had a 43-carry, 190-yard output, to which George Kittle said: “That’s good Niners football. That’s what we want to do. We want to pound the rock.” Christian McCaffrey’s leg injury from last game did not enter coach Kyle Shanahan’s thinking on Sunday’s game plan and McCaffrey showed no hindrance, producing 68 rushing yards (18 carries), 19 receiving yards (two catches) and his NFL-record 18th career game with both a rushing and receiving touchdown. Kaelon Black complemented McCaffrey by running for 70 yards on 11 carries, a nice rebound after fumbling last game. Purdy’s legs keyed the second scoring drive, with a third-down, 18-yard scramble, then an 11-yard run for another first down, and finally a 1-yard touchdown scamper.
PASS DEFENSE: A
The 49ers’ three interceptions matched their total through the first seven games. Jaden Dugger made their first theft count with a 35-yard pick-six on the first snap after halftime. Renardo Green notched his team-leading fourth interception with an end zone grab, before Malik Mustapha swiped a 40-yard bomb on Kirk Cousins’ 32nd and final pass. The 49ers did not get a sack for the fourth game this year but Nick Bosa was pleased by the front’s big-play ability otherwise. Raiders tight end Brock Bowers accounted for 111 of Cousins’ 216 yards and his lone touchdown. But Fred Warner forced a Bowers fumble that Dre Greenlaw recovered, and fellow tight end Michael Mayer fumbled at the 1 when Upton Stout punched the ball free for Warner to recover in the end zone.
RUN DEFENSE: A
The 49ers had nine tackles for loss and yielded a season-low 24 yards on 15 carries. Greenlaw had three of those TFLs, Osa Odighizuwa had two, and the others came from Bosa, Warner, Keion White and Deommodore Lenoir. Ashtyn Jeanty had 25 yards on six carries, and rookie Mike Washington accounted for minus-3 yards on six carries. Rookie Gracen Halton’s season-ending ankle fracture in the final minutes put a damper on the festivities, and now the 49ers must rely on reserves Sebastian Valdez and James Thompson Jr. behind Odighizuwa and DeForest Buckner, who had one tackle and twice hit Cousins.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C+
Eddy Piñeiro did not miss a kick for the first time in six games, instead converting all five point-after attempts before finishing the 49ers’ highest-scoring game all season with a 35-yard field goal. The 49ers’ kickoff coverage struggled in the first half as the Raiders’ first three returns went beyond the 35-yard line (where they’d otherwise start on a touchback). The 49ers did not punt, and the Raiders’ lone punt sailed out of bounds where Jacob Cowing could not field it.
COACHING: A-
Off to their best start since an 8-0 debut in 2019, Shanahan’s injury-riddled team owns an NFC-best 7-1 record; the Vikings (6-1) host the Bills (6-1) on Monday night. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris pleaded Saturday night for turnovers, and a quintet came after halftime.