Nov 13, 2026 2:29 AM
San Francisco’s defensive stars forced five takeaways and stifled Las Vegas, fueled by suffocating coverage and a dominant interior pass rush that paralyzed the Raiders' second-half momentum.
The San Francisco 49ers’ defense put on a second-half clinic in their 38-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, forcing five takeaways and completely shutting down any second-half momentum. Pro Football Focus (PFF) has released its defensive grades from the contest, and the numbers highlight an elite outing from San Francisco’s linebacker corps and interior pass rush.
Headlining the entire game was linebacker Dre Greenlaw, whose dominant two-way play in run defense and coverage earned him the highest mark on the field.
Top and Bottom Performers
San Francisco’s second-level defenders and defensive interior commanded the highest grades of the day, led by Greenlaw, All-Pro partner Fred Warner, and backup Jaden Dugger:
| Highest-Graded 49ers (Defense) | Position | PFF Grade | Snaps |
| Dre Greenlaw | LB | 91.5 | 49 |
| Fred Warner | LB | 91.1 | 50 |
| Jaden Dugger | LB | 88.0 | 12 |
| Osa Odighizuwa | DT | 85.1 | 30 |
| Upton Stout | CB | 77.4 | 37 |
On the opposite side of the spectrum, several rotational defenders and depth secondary pieces encountered a tough afternoon in limited or sub-package action:
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| Lowest-Graded 49ers (Defense) | Position | PFF Grade | Snaps |
| Ephesians Prysock | CB | 29.9 | 7 |
| Sebastian Valdez | DT | 30.2 | 10 |
| Romello Height | DE | 39.8 | 22 |
| Marques Sigle | FS | 47.7 | 28 |
| Siran Neal | CB | 49.6 | 7 |
Pass Rush: Odighizuwa Wrecks the Interior
San Francisco generated consistent disruption without needing to blitz heavily, led by defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Odighizuwa paced all players in the game with an 84.4 pass-rush grade and tied Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce for the game high with three total pressures.
In his return in red and gold, newly acquired defensive tackle DeForest Buckner logged a 59.1 pass-rush grade over 34 defensive snaps. Meanwhile, rookie edge rusher Romello Height struggled to generate traction, finishing with a team-low 49.6 pass-rush grade.
Pressures Generated by 49ers Defenders:
- DT Osa Odighizuwa: 3
- DE Nick Bosa: 2
- DT DeForest Buckner: 2
- DE Keion White: 2
- DT Gracen Halton: 1
- DE Romello Height: 1
- DT James Thompson Jr.: 1
Run Defense: Greenlaw Sets the Edge and Cleans Up
The 49ers held the Raiders' ground game in check, led by Dre Greenlaw’s game-high 83.6 run-defense grade. Greenlaw racked up eight tackles, a game-high six defensive stops, and scooped up a loose ball for a crucial fumble recovery.
At the bottom of the run-stopping ledger, Romello Height posted a team-low 45.3 run-defense grade, while Buckner posted a 49.9 mark as he acclimates back into San Francisco's base defensive schemes.
Coverage Grades: Elite Lockdown From the Linebackers
Few linebacker duos in NFL history can erase passing lanes like Warner and Greenlaw, and their coverage numbers against Las Vegas were suffocating:
- Fred Warner (91.1 Coverage Grade): Warner led all defenders on the day. Targeted three times, he allowed just two receptions for zero net yards.
- Dre Greenlaw (90.2 Coverage Grade): Targeted four times, Greenlaw surrendered four completions that actually netted minus-5 yards thanks to rapid trigger and closing speed.
- Jaden Dugger (88.0 Overall Grade): Played just 12 snaps but delivered the play that sparked the blowout (a 35-yard pick-six on Kirk Cousins on the opening drive of the third quarter).
On the perimeter, rookie cornerback Ephesians Prysock struggled in limited duty, receiving a game-low 30.0 coverage grade across his seven coverage snaps.
Tackling Grades: Almost Flawless Fundamentals
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ group exhibited exceptional tackling discipline, registering only two missed tackles over 50 defensive plays:
- Dre Greenlaw led all players with an 81.7 tackle grade.
- Fred Warner trailed just behind with a 79.8 tackle grade.
- Romello Height received a game-low 24.5 tackle grade and was charged with one missed tackle, with free safety Marques Sigle charged with the other.
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