Reality could set in for the 2022 Raiders against the 49ers
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17, and the reality is, the game could get out of hand early.
It has been a crazy week for the Las Vegas Raiders franchise, as they made the decision to bench nine-year veteran quarterback, Derek Carr. For the Silver and Black, the move away from Carr may signal the end of his career with the franchise, as they now turn to Jarrett Stidham for the final two weeks of the season.
With the playoffs technically still in reach, Las Vegas will play host to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17, one of the best teams in the entire NFL. San Francisco currently sits in first place in the NFC West and has put together a record of 11-4, winning their last eight games, four with a rookie quarterback under center.
That rookie quarterback, Brock Purdy, was Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft, as he was the last player selected, but he has played at a high level since taking over for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco has not missed a beat despite trotting out three different starting quarterbacks in 2022, and hopefully, for the Raiders, the move at the position will serve them well in Week 17.
Raiders could be on the wrong side of a blowout in Week 17
The problem is, that is a long shot to happen, and the reality is that the Silver and Black are likely to get blown out in Week 17. Not only are they making the move to a quarterback who has never started an NFL game before, but is doing so against one of the best defenses in the NFL, and a team that is trying to get the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Las Vegas is also dealing with major injuries on the defensive side of the ball, as they placed both Denzel Perryman and Chandler Jones on the IR this week. They are severely short-handed on both sides of the ball, and this is not the kind of team you want to be playing in those kinds of circumstances.
If the Dolphins beat New England in the early window, the Raiders would be eliminated from playoff contention before this game even kicks off. Even if by some miracle both the Dolphins and New York Jets lose on Sunday, beating the 49ers is going to be next to impossible for a Raiders team dealing with so much change this late in the season.