The Las Vegas Raiders go into 49ers Vs Raiders with a familiar concern: their defense has no obvious answer for George Kittle, and that could leave San Francisco free to put up a big number on Sunday.
That is the view of Matt Holder, who believes the matchup is tilted heavily in favor of the San Francisco 49ers. His argument is simple enough. The Raiders have not kept an opponent under 30 points since September, and that kind of trend tends to matter even more when a well-drilled offense has a clear game plan.
Holder also pointed to the way Kyle Shanahan can attack this defense with different personnel looks, saying the 49ers can keep things straightforward by lining up in 12 or 13 personnel, or technically 21 and 22 personnel with Kyle Juszczyk, and then pound the rock. In his view, that kind of structure leaves the Raiders chasing matchups they cannot really win.
Why George Kittle is such a problem
The key issue for Las Vegas is not just the tight end position in isolation. It is the combination of size, tempo and flexibility that San Francisco can bring to the table. Holder was blunt on that point, saying the Raiders’ defense “doesn’t have a legitimate answer for George Kittle.”
That matters because Kittle is exactly the sort of player who can stretch a defense without needing a high-volume passing script. If the Raiders struggle to match him physically, then the 49ers can control the game through the run and still create space elsewhere.
Holder’s conclusion was equally direct. He expects San Francisco to score at least 30 points on Sunday, which would continue a worrying pattern for a Raiders defense that has already shown it can be broken down over four quarters, or even sooner.
Raiders offense still looks one-dimensional
There is also pressure on the other side of the ball. Holder described the Raiders’ offense as one-dimensional because of the lack of a running game, and that creates a difficult problem for a team trying to protect a 38-year-old starter.
He said the absence of balance could lead to that 38-year-old starting to show his age down the stretch. That is a harsh reality for a team that needs more than short bursts of rhythm if it wants to stay competitive against a cleaner, more complete opponent.
Holder had already questioned the situation before the season, saying he thought Cousins would be nothing more than a placeholder for Fernando Mendoza. Last week, Cousins played his best game of the year against the Jets, but the larger concern remains whether he can carry the load if the ground game does not help him.
What happens if the run game disappears again?
The Raiders’ backfield has already become part of the wider debate. Jeanty’s workload was reduced in New York after Dan Graziano reported the move was meant as a wake-up call, and Holder described that as a “soft benching.”
He also said Jeanty made a bulletin-board-material comment about the Jets’ defense, saying they do not like to tackle. Whether that was a message to the room or simply a bad moment, it added another layer to a week in which the Raiders are trying to regain control of their own identity.
That is why Sunday feels so important. If Las Vegas cannot slow Kittle, cannot find a running game, and cannot keep the 49ers from moving the ball with ease, then the scoreboard could quickly get away from them. Holder’s read is that San Francisco should have no problem reaching at least 30 points, and that would leave the Raiders with more questions than answers once again.
