Trey Lance appears to be Kyle Shanahan’s choice to take charge of the Niners’ offense. Even though he was the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, there are still concerns about whether or not he is ready to contribute to a team that can contend for the postseason. Apart from all-world tackle Trent Williams, the offensive line appears weak. But they were successful in keeping Deebo Samuel, and his presence will improve an offense that was seventh best in yards last season. Will they get even better after switching to Lance, or will things go backward?

The Bengals, who ended up winning the AFC title, were nearly stunned by the Raiders in the playoffs last year. Davante Adams has been added to that potent unit, and he’ll be playing quarterback alongside Derek Carr. They’ll be hoping for another postseason berth despite the difficulty of competing in a division with four strong teams. While Carr and Adams should help boost the offense from last year’s 11th-ranked unit, they’ll have their work cut out for them against the Niners’ third-ranked defense.

Whatever happens this week in the 49ers vs Raiders matchup, the winner will be sitting atop the head-to-head series. The records here are currently tied at 7 each, so which one will break this tie? If you bet on NFL games, look for the Niners to scrape a close game and walk out of Vegas with a hard-earned W.

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