The San Francisco 49ers cruised to a 34-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders behind a great performance from quarterback Nick Mullens.
In what was one of the most impressive quarterback debuts in recent memory, Mullens had a fantastic game and absolutely carved up the Raiders secondary. This matchup looked like it might determine who the worst team in the league is, and the Raiders certainly looked the part. It was an odd performance from the Raiders perspective, as there were a lot of instances where it looked like they had simply lost focus.
Reflections on San Francisco 49ers Week Nine Win Over Oakland Raiders
Mullens Plays Phenomenally in Debut
Mullens looked remarkably comfortable and poised for a guy who had never played an NFL down and had gone undrafted out of Southern Miss. He finished 16/22 for 262 yards, 11.9 yards per attempt, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 151.9 passer rating.
That passer rating would have been even higher if Richie James hadn’t dropped what would have been another sure touchdown late in the first half. James had a big catch earlier on that drive, though. Mullens hit him on a crossing route on third down to not only keep the drive alive but set up a field goal before the half expired. James accelerated after making the catch and turned the pass into a 53-yard gain that would ultimately result in a 39-yard field goal by Robbie Gould.
The only mistake Mullens really made throughout that entire game was when he nearly threw an interception in the end zone in the first quarter. Mullens could have easily been rattled by that gaffe, but on the very next play, he hit Kendrick Bourne for a four-yard touchdown.
Mullens looked like he had a fantastic command of the offense from the outset, as he completed all three passes on the opening drive that was capped off with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon. Not only was it the first touchdown pass of Mullens’ career, but it was also Garcon’s first touchdown catch as a member of the 49ers.
It wasn’t the only long reception of the game thrown by Mullens. Early in the third quarter, George Kittle made a fantastic one-handed catch on a throw into tight coverage. After he made a great play to just secure the pass, he turned the corner and sprinted downfield for a 72-yard gain. The drive was eventually capped off with a five-yard touchdown pass to Kittle, who is quickly becoming one of the best tight ends in the league. Kittle led the team with four catches and 108 yards this game.
Mullens played well enough to definitely earn the opportunity to start next week against the New York Giants. With him under center, the 49ers really kept the chains moving, converting 5-12 third downs and averaging 7.5 yards per play. The Raiders defense isn’t very good, but they’re still an NFL defense. What Mullens did in his very first game, which also happened to be nationally televised, should not be discounted just because of the opponent. Mullens didn’t even know he was starting until just before the game, and yet he put together one of the most impressive debuts in league history.
A nice run game also assisted Mullens, as the 49ers rushed for 143 yards behind a great performance from Raheem Mostert. In the third quarter, Mostert took a toss in the backfield to the right and ran for a 52-yard touchdown. Mostert had seven carries and led the game with 86 rushing yards. On the next offensive drive for the 49ers after that long touchdown run, though, Mostert hurt his elbow in what looked like a gruesome injury. Players were visibly shaken, and Mostert was immediately taken out of the game and put in a cast on the sidelines. It’s unclear what the prognosis is for the injury, but just judging from how horrifically it snapped he’s likely out for the season.
49ers Defense Pressures Derek Carr
This was a complete performance for the 49ers as a team, even beyond what Mullens was able to do with the passing game. The 49ers defense made Derek Carr feel uncomfortable the whole game, and the Raiders offense was never able to find a rhythm. The Raiders kicked a 37-yard field goal on their opening possession of the game, but those were the only points they managed to score.
Carr didn’t have a terrible game, but he also wasn’t able to consistently move the chains to prolong drives and ultimately put points on the board. The Raiders went just 3-12 on third down conversions, and they weren’t able to even get back to the red zone after their opening drive. The closest they came to scoring after that opening field goal was when Daniel Carlson missed a 45-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
A huge reason the Raiders weren’t able to generate anything meaningful on offense was that Carr was getting utterly destroyed by the 49ers pass rush. The 49ers sacked Carr seven times that game. Cassius Marsh had 2.5 of those sacks, Dekoda Watson had 1.5, and Solomon Thomas, DeForest Buckner, and Ronald Blair each had one.
Carr was completing a high percentage of his passes, but his offensive line wasn’t giving him enough time to really dissect the defense. Carr finished 16/21 for 171 yards, 8.1 yards per attempt, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 99.5 passer rating.
A.J. McCarron was inserted into the game once the score was out of reach in the fourth quarter, but he only managed to complete 1/3 passes and failed to pick up a fourth and inches on a quarterback sneak. Jalen Richard led the Raiders with four catches and 45 yards, while Doug Martin led them with 11 rushing attempts for 49 yards.
