Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 17 vs 49ers

Plenty of Ballers in this game, but more Busters led to another late collapse.

Busters

LT Kolton Miller

Twice in this game Miller got destroyed in the block. And both times were catastrophic for the Raiders.

The first time the Raiders were going for it on 4th and one at the two-yard-line. Miller tried to block Arik Armstead who tossed him to the side on onto his face and made the stuff on Josh Jacobs for no gain. No TD, no points, and 49ers ball.

The big one was the final play of the game for the Raiders. Stidham dropped back and set up to launch the ball downfield for Davante Adams, but Miller was knocked off balance and driven back into Stidham’s lap, hitting him as threw and causing the pass to flutter. It was picked off and returned to make for an easy game-winning field goal.

LB Luke Masterson

The 49ers first scoring drive started with Masterson out of position on an 11-yard run. A few plays later he gave up a seven-yard catch. The next play Christian McCaffrey broke off a 36-yard run and they went on to score the touchdown to tie it at 7-7.

They made it two touchdown drives to open the game. The second TD drive Masterson gave up a nine-yard catch and the touchdown catch.

The third 49ers TD drive came in the third quarter. From the Vegas 30-yard-line, Masterson bit on the play action on a reverse that went for 16 yards. They scored on the next play.

Early in the fourth quarter, with the score tied up at 24-24, Materson was late getting over to give up a 42-yard catch and run to the 23-yard-line, setting up a field goal and a 27-24 49ers lead.

The next drive was capped by a 14-yard run on which Masterson was dragged the final five yards to the end zone to give the 49ers a 34-27 lead.

CB Nate Hobbs, S Trevon Moehrig, S Duron Harmon

Hobbs gave up the first touchdown of the game on a two-yard catch. He and Moehrig were then called for pass interference on consecutive plays on the next drive that ended in a touchdown.

The third TD drive, Hobbs gave up a 19-yard catch and the drive ended with Duron Harmon among those blocked on a 14-yard touchdown run.

The next two scoring drive began with Moehrig missing the tackle on a nine-yard run and getting blocked on a 42-yard catch and run. Both ended with field goals to give the 49ers their first lead of the game.

The final touchdown for the 49ers saw Harmon blocked along the way from 14 yards out.

The Raiders got a temporary reprieve despite the 49ers driving into scoring position in the final seconds. That drive Harmon gave up an 11-yard catch and Hobbs gave up three catches for 42 yards. The game went to OT due to Robbie Gould missing a 41-yard field goal.

DT Bilal Nichols, DT Jerry Tillery

You wouldn’t have hardly even knew these guys were in the game if you weren’t watching closely. With just one solo tackle between them and no pressure on Brock Purdy, the 49ers offense had their way with the Raiders defensive line.

Tillery gave up a 36-yard run on the first touchdown drive that was stopped at the one. And Nichols was handled on the block on their final touchdown run from 14 yards out.

DC Patrick Graham

When every level of the defense fails, the man in charge of them does too. Even with the Raiders offense matching their most points scored in regulation this season, they still couldn’t keep it.