Las Vegas Raiders vs 49ers 2022 Week 17: Bold predictions
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17, and here are some bold predictions for the matchup at home.
Week 17 brings a matchup of former Bay Area rivals, as the Las Vegas Raiders will play host to the San Francisco 49ers inside Allegiant Stadium. With the Raiders turning to Jarrett Stidham over Derek Carr at quarterback, there may be some major bumps in the road for Las Vegas in this one, especially against one of the best teams in the NFL.
Here, we look at some bold predictions for the Silver and Black in this Week 17 battle against the 49ers.
Raiders vs 49ers 2022 Week 17: Bold predictions
No. 1: Jarrett Stidham throws two touchdown passes
Jarrett Stidham will be making his first NFL start on Sunday and will be doing so against one of the better defenses in football. San Francisco has a Defensive Player of the Year hopeful in Nick Bosa, and you can be sure he will do everything he can to get to Stidham and force the young signal-caller into some mistakes.
However, Stidham is used to McDaniels’s offense, and I believe he will have some success throwing the football on Sunday. If he can connect with the wide assortment of weapons, including Darren Waller, Davante Adams, and Hunter Renfrow, he could be in for a two-touchdown performance.
No. 2: Davante Adams has a season-high reception total
The biggest move the Raiders made this offseason was the trade for Davante Adams, the best friend of Derek Carr and one of the best wideouts in the NFL. He has had a great first season in the Silver and Black, starting with a ten-reception game in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In 2022, those ten receptions were the most he has had in a game, a feat he accomplished twice. On Sunday, you can expect Stidham to target him nearly 20 times, and he could be in for his best game as a Raider.
No. 3: Maxx Crosby registers three sacks
The matchup with the 49ers features two of the best edge rushers in the game, as the Raiders counter Bosa with Maxx Crosby. Since coming into the league back in 2019, Crosby has become a legitimate star for the Raiders, and I expect him to have a big game in this one.
San Francisco has had some issues along the offensive line, and Crosby has proven to be nearly impossible to stop this season. He has registered two sacks in a game multiple times this season, and on Sunday, his first three-sack game could be on deck.