What We Saw Roundup – Week 9

We watched every NFL Week 9 game so you don't have to — Here's What We Saw!

Brett Ford
What We Saw 30 Minutes Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Jaguars @ Ravens
Bengals @ Falcons
Cowboys @ Colts
Jets @ Chiefs
Lions @ Dolphins
Browns @ Saints
Giants @ Eagles
Rams @ Commanders
Broncos @ Panthers
Texans @ Chargers
Raiders @ 49ers
Packers @ Patriots
Cardinals @ Seahawks
Buccaneers @ Bears

Las Vegas Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers

Final Score: 49ers 38, Raiders 17

Writer: Kevan Downs [kdsportsnet on Instagram]

 

Two Up

  • Brock Bowers – After just a 2 reception, 22 yard first half, Bowers exploded in the second half with his other 5 receptions, 89 yards, and a touchdown. The offense moves best when it’s moving through its best playmaker and that guy is Bowers.
  • Jordan Watkins – For the second straight week, Watkins has led the receiver group in snaps played and routes run. In the short term, while Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans continue to be on the shelf, Watkins has some upside in this Brock Purdy passing attack.

One Down

  • Ashton Jeanty – I guess you could say he’s up from his last game in which he only carried the ball twice, but overall, this was still not a game Jeanty owners would like to see. He looked good running the ball in this one and still got his usual passing game targets, although not the results you’d like to see off those targets, ending his day with -5 yards.

 

Las Vegas Raiders

 

Quarterback

 

Kirk Cousins: 22/32, 216 Yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs | 2 Carries, 0 Yards, 1 TD

Notes

  • Cousins stayed clean all day. He ended the game with zero sacks. He was pretty good at getting the ball out quick and avoiding pressure when it got to him
  • However sometimes, Kirk getting the ball out before the pressure didn’t always work in his favor. He threw a bad interception after bobbling the snap instead of trying to throw it away.
  • Kirk got the offense moving when Bowers got moving. The duo connected a lot more in the second half.
  • More potential opportunities were lost by the many turnovers the offense had in this game.

Missed Opportunities

  • Cousins wanted to keep it himself and punch in the touchdown from the 1, but the play was ultimately blown dead after the 49ers defense had 12 men on the field. Cousins opted to keep it himself again on the next play and scored (Jeanty in backfield on the first play, Washington on the second).
  • Cousins had a bobbled snap, in an attempt to do something with it before the pressure got to him, he forced up a pass instead of throwing it away and it was intercepted.
  • Mayer caught the pass up the seam and when fighting his way to the goal line and reaching out, the ball was punched out and the 49ers recovered.
  • Mayer caught a touchdown pass off a double move that was called back due to a push off that was called OPI. Cousins then targeted Tre Tucker in the end zone and was intercepted.

 

 

Running Back

 

Ashton Jeanty: 6 Carries, 25 Yards | 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, -5 Yards

Mike Washington Jr.: 6 Carries, -3 Yards, 

Notes

  • After a weird week last week that left Jeanty owners wondering if he had lost his job, usage shares normalized this week with Jeanty playing nearly double the snaps Washington did while also running 24 routes to Washington’s 5. Jeanty looked better running the ball this week although it still only amounted to just over 4 yards per carry. Normally getting 5 receptions would result in a positive day for him, but continually getting tackled behind the line of scrimmage left Jeanty with -5 yards on those 5 receptions.
  • Washington was on the field for more red zone/goal line situations than Jeanty

Missed Opportunities

  • On both attempts on the goal line, one stopped due to a 49ers penalty and the play after, Cousins called his own number and punched in the touchdown himself instead of handing the ball off to either of the backs (one of each back was on the field for both of those attempts).

 

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Brock Bowers: 8 Targets, 7 Receptions, 111 Yards, 1 TD, 1 Fumble | 1 Carry, 2 Yards

Notes

  • Bowers had a very slow start to the game recording only 22 of his yards in the first half. In the second however, the offense seemed to be moving much better after targeting Bowers more, although the box score showing only 7 points scored in the second half vs 10 in the first wouldn’t indicate that. Although a handful of scoring opportunities the offense had were lost to turnovers. The offense needs to run through Bowers and will continue to do so.

Missed Opportunities

  • Bowers had an early drop on 3rd and 3 on a quick out route. The Raiders would then punt it away.
  • Bowers had a reception punched out by Dre Greenlaw that was recovered by the 49ers.

 

Tre Tucker: 8 Targets, 4 Receptions, 55 Yards

Jalen Nailor: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards

Notes

  • Tucker actually ran one fewer route than fellow receiver Jalen Nailor, although Nailor only saw 3 targets. This has been the trend with these two receivers over the past few weeks, both playing similar snaps, similar routes run, and varying results when it comes to targets. With how much usage Bowers and Mayer see, this inconsistency should be consistent for Tucker and Nailor

 

Michael Mayer: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 37 Yards, 1 Fumble

Notes

  • A really forgettable game for Mayer. Multiple mistakes of his cost the team touchdowns (fumbling on the goal line and an offensive pass interference).
  • Mayer played more snaps than any of the WR group and only Bowers played more than him. He also ran the second most targets on the team behind Bowers, so opportunity will continue to be there for him.

Missed Opportunities

  • Mayer was pushing his way towards the goal line for the touchdown then had the ball punched out. The 49ers would recover that fumble.

  • Mayer was called for OPI on another end zone catch.

 

 

San Francisco 49ers

 

Quarterback

 

Brock Purdy: 17/25, 232 Yards, 2 TD, 1 INT | 7 Carries, 40 Yards, 1 TD

Notes

  • Brock Purdy might just run the nicest looking play-action pass game in the league. The amount of times they ran PA with Purdy rolling out after the run fake and finding his guy down the field, scrambling and directing traffic into finding his guy, or just keeping it himself for a few yards or a first down was incredible in this game.
  • The blocking and his escapability kept him clean in this game as he was only sacked 1 time
  • Purdy finds his receivers on every level, his game high being a pair of 37 yard completions to George Kittle and Jordan Watkins.

Missed Opportunities

  • Purdy missed one touchdown pass to Kittle early in the game. Kittle was covered well on the attempt though.
  • Purdy targeted Jacob Cowing early in the game in the end zone. They were unable to connect due to a DPI. Two plays later, however, Purdy kept it and ran it in for himself.
  • Purdy and Kittle had a big completion called back midway through the 4th quarter

 

 

Running Back

 

Christian McCaffrey: 18 Carries, 68 Yards, 1 TD | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards, 1 TD

Notes

  • All this man does is churn out positive plays. 4 yard run, 4 yard run, 12 yard run, 9 yard run, 7 yard run, etc all through my game notes. He saw fewer touches in the passing game this week, but still ran 24 routes, in line with his usual passing game work, and put in a walk-in touchdown when the defense lost track of him of all people.

Missed Opportunities

  • On a first and goal opportunity from the 1, McCaffrey was surprising stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Purdy would go on to put in the rushing touchdown.

 

Kaelon Black: 11 Carries, 70 Yards

Notes

  • Black did his usual rotating in with McCaffrey to give him some breaks. He ran the ball efficiently, but saw very little opportunities in the passing game. It was said that Shanahan wanted to run the ball 40+ times this week, and got to 37 as a team (18 for CMC, 11 Black, 7 Purdy, 1 Juszczyk, before 3 for Jordan James and 3 kneels for Mac Jones on the final drive). Given this, Black remains a touchdown-dependent start, but should still get plenty of time working into the rotation.

 

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Jordan Watkins: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 86 Yards, 1 TD

Notes

  • Watkins once again led the receiver group in snaps played and led them in routes run this week. He was second last week to Brandin Cooks who was third in the WR hierarchy in routes run this week.
  • Watkins was able to haul in a contested catch deep down the field in the end zone for his touchdown completion. His high average depth of target (ADOT) and low targets per route run leaves him in boom/bust territory while Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans remain sidelined.

 

George Kittle: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 58 Yards

Notes

  • Kittle once again led the team in snaps played, and was second in routes run this week behind Watkins. Kittle will always be seeing the field a ton with his run blocking, and the success of the run game helps set up his passing opportunities as he’s always involved in both.

Missed Opportunities

  • Kittle had a 20 yard catch called back due to OPI on Jordan Watkins.
  • Kittle had an end zone target go incomplete after Purdy overthrew it. He was pretty well covered regardless.

 

Demarcus Robinson: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 22 Yards

Brandin Cooks: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 25 Yards

Notes

  • We saw Brandin Cooks on the first drive, then not again until the 3rd quarter. He went from second of the receivers in snaps and first in routes run in the last game, third in snaps and fourth in routes run this week.
  • Cooks and Robinson rotated in and out of playing the X receiver and were never actually on the field at the same time.

 

 

Series Navigation
Introduction
Jaguars @ Ravens
Bengals @ Falcons
Cowboys @ Colts
Jets @ Chiefs
Lions @ Dolphins
Browns @ Saints
Giants @ Eagles
Rams @ Commanders
Broncos @ Panthers
Texans @ Chargers
Raiders @ 49ers
Packers @ Patriots
Cardinals @ Seahawks
Buccaneers @ Bears

Brett Ford

Writer, Editor and Podcast host for QBList.com, Ravens fan, Cool Dad