Raiders will see something on Sunday they haven't yet this season
I don't think it's a secret that the Las Vegas Raiders will have their hands full on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The Raiders need a miracle to get into the playoffs, and that miracle starts on Sunday with a win over the 49ers. But, that is easier said than done. The 49ers are […]
I don't think it's a secret that the Las Vegas Raiders will have their hands full on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The Raiders need a miracle to get into the playoffs, and that miracle starts on Sunday with a win over the 49ers.
But, that is easier said than done. The 49ers are really good, and they present a ton of problems for their former cross-bay foe. Unfortunately for the Raiders, their offense has been struggling as of late, and it's due to go against an elite defense.
The 49ers are known around the league to have the best defense in it. They can do every great, at every level of the defense, and are very deep at every position.
“I think fundamentals, really," offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi said. "They're fundamentally sound, they play fast, they play hard. Their effort is one of the best in the league and I think it shows up in situational football. They’re top in the league in pretty much almost every category. I mean, the scheme, it is what it is, they play a certain number of things, but they play it well and they make sure they're all connected.
"I think that's the biggest thing, they're all connected in terms of their adjustments, how they align, how they adjust to different formations. Like I said, this is one of the better defenses we played all season and we got to be ready to go because they play physical, they play fast, they can rush the passer, they can stop the run, and they can cover. I mean, their back end is doing a really good job in terms of coverage. They make you earn every yard. The longest run all season is 25 yards versus Kansas City."
The 49ers' defense starts on the edge with defensive end Nick Bosa, who is putting up defensive player of the year numbers. He is the soul of the defense, and then Fred Warner, who is maybe the best coverage linebacker in football, covers everything else.
This 49ers' defense will present some problems they haven't faced before. They haven't faced a defensive front like this one that can stop the run and rush the passer, and then a secondary that can play sticky coverage.
The Raiders' offense will not only need to step up to get this miracle, but they will need to likely play their best game of the season on that side of the ball.
Featured Image Via Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK
