4 Pivotal Plays That Helped the 49ers Beat the Raiders

Defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 38-17 proved to be a little challenging for the San Francisco 49ers, as it got a tad messy in the third quarter.

That is where four pivotal plays that helped them beat the Raiders took place. Without those plays, it would have been a much closer game. Let's dive into what those four pivotal plays for the 49ers were.

Jaden Dugger receives a gift

JADEN SAID MINE ☝️

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/a5Qu8O0ACx
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 8, 2026

The Raiders opened up the second half with the ball trailing 21-10. They needed to put together a touchdown-scoring drive to get back in the game.

But on the very first play of the third quarter, rookie Jaden Dugger received a gift from Kirk Cousins. I'm not sure if Cousins tried to throw away a pass or was inaccurate, but he threw a layup to Dugger for an interception.

The rookie took it back for a 35-yard touchdown, putting the 49ers up 28-10. Dugger will never receive an easier pick-six than the one Cousins gifted him. The first one of his career.

Upton Stout rejects Michael Mayer

Michael Mayer and Upton Stout — Nov 8, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) fumbles short of the goal line as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Upton Stout (20) and safety Ji'ayir Brown (27) defend during the second half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trailing 28-17 at the 5:30 mark in the third quarter, the Raiders started their drive at the 49ers' 40-yard line after stopping them on fourth down.

Right off the bat, Cousins connects with his receiver Tre Tucker for an 18-yard gain. Two plays later, he hits tight end Michael Mayer for what was close to being a touchdown.

However, Upton Stout did his best Fred Warner impression by punching the ball out from Mayer. Warner would recover the fumble in the endzone, causing a touchback.

The Raiders were poised to score on that play, if not one of the next. Stout made an amazing play to deny the Raiders points, which would've made it a four-point game.

Super hero Fred Warner

Fred Warner STOPS the QB sneak attempt@49ers

📺: FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/OuE87DqSfK
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 8, 2026

After the 49ers extended their lead to 35-17, the Raiders were once again putting together a promising series. They were poised to score six, but at the 12:39 mark of the fourth quarter, they were denied at the one-yard line.

Warner blew up Cousins' sneak, which should've been automatic. He perfectly timed the snap to catapult himself over the offensive line to stop Cousins.

That allowed Dre Greenlaw to push through and tackle Cousins. The play resulted in a loss of two yards, placing the 49ers in a better position to deny a touchdown again.

Renardo Green does it again

Two plays after Warner's super hero act, Renardo Green proved yet again that he's leaps and bounds better than he was last season. On 2nd-and-13, Cousins took a corner end zone shot for Tucker.

He thought Tucker was open, but little did he know Green baited him into the throw. As soon as Cousins began his wind up, Green bailed to the receiver and perfectly high-pointed the ball for the pick.

At that point, the game was over. The Raiders needed a touchdown with only 12 minutes left in the game. Green was playing chess, not checkers on that one.

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