Raiders look to Favre for info on QB Mullens, who could start for 49ers
Jon Gruden will consult Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre for a scouting report on the 49ers’ potential starting quarterback, thirdstringer Nick Mullens, tonight. Favre, a University of Southern Mississippi product, and Mullens, the same, worked closely together when Mullens was in school from 2013-16.
Jalen Richard, the Raiders’ backup running back and Mullens’ teammate at USM for three of those years, observed their partnership from up close.
“Brett would know (about Mullens) because he and Nick were very tight,” Richard said Wednesday. “I know that for a fact.
“Brett’s a different cat. He’s cool, though. He and Nick, he was always helping Nick out with stuff. I think he throws with him. They work out.”
Mullens has yet to play a regular-season NFL snap since signing with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent last year. He began this season on the practice squad, but Jimmy Garoppolo’s season-ending ACL tear in Week 3 spurred Mullins’ promotion to the active roster. Now with C.J. Beathard
nursing a sore wrist and officially carrying a “questionable” designation ahead of tonight’s game at Levi’s Stadium, Mullens might see his first meaningful action in prime-time against the Raiders.
Mullens completed 31 of 43 passes in the preseason for 396 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also ran five times for 20 yards and two scores.
“I’ll get a hold of Brett Favre and learn a little bit more. Jalen Richard has helped us a little bit,” Gruden said of preparing for Mullens if he indeed starts. “He was a good player in the preseason, athletic guy. You never underestimate anybody in this league. He did some really good things as a quarterback in the preseason. We have a lot of respect for whoever is under center.”
Gruden and Favre go back almost two decades, when Gruden was an offensive assistant with the Packers during Favre’s sophomore season in 1992. Gruden then coached Packers wide receivers the following two years, so it’s not like Favre is helping a stranger game plan for a young quarterback he’s friendly with, too.
If Mullens beats the Raiders, that would stoop Oakland’s season to an unimaginable new low. Gruden and Co. hope the sage advice from one of the all-time greats, along with a defensive showing resembling that of a competitive NFL team, help prevent a bad season from getting even worse.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who is playing quarterback,” Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. “We’ve got to play better. What we showed on Sunday was unacceptable. I told you a few weeks back, I’m not used to giving up 42 points. This is new to me.
“To me, who we’re playing against is the least of
my concern.”
CAN THE RAIDERS’ PASS RUSH GET ANY WORSE? >> We knew the Raiders’ defensive front would struggle getting to the quarterback without Khalil Mack.
What we didn’t know was Bruce Irvin would be a shadow of his former self, and safety Erik Harris would generate the only quarterback hit in a game against the Colts.
The Raiders rank dead last in the NFL with seven sacks through eight weeks — the next-lowest team is the Giants with 10 — and according to Pro Football Focus’ Austin Gayle, the Raiders have mustered a league-low 56 quarterback pressures this season. The next-worst team? The Lions, with 100 pressures.
San Francisco quarterbacks have been sacked 31 times this season, tied for second in the NFL. The chances will be there for the Raiders defensive line, but there’s no guaranteeing sacks will come as a result.
“It’s not like Bruce Smith and Reggie White are going to walk off the bus and dress up as Raiders,” Guenther said. You just keep working with them. The guys we have, I said nobody is showing up here and the trade deadline is gone so you don’t have to worry about that. We’ve got what we got on this team right now. We have to improve and improve quickly.” HOW WILL RAIDERS’ RUN DEFENSE RESPOND FROM DISASTROUS OUTING? >> Like most aspects of the Raiders’ defense, the run-stoppers haven’t fared well, either.
In fact, the Raiders allow the most yards on the ground per game (144.7) of any team in the league. The Colts pounded the ball down the Raiders’ throats, running 40 times for 222 yards, good for 5.6 yards per carry. Marlon Mack did as much damage at the Coliseum as another Mack would’ve done, rushing 25 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
The 49ers rank sixth in the NFL with 133.6 rushing yards per game and sit
tied for fifth with 4.8 yards per carry. Starting running back Matt Breida is questionable for San Francisco, and he ranks 10th in the league with 487 rushing yards.
The Raiders hoped to get defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes back for his season debut today, but Gruden said that will be a “long shot.” Fellow run-stopper Justin Ellis hasn’t resumed practicing and remains on injured reserve, as well. What remains is the group of Mo Hurst, P.J. Hall, Clinton McDonald and Johnathan Hankins at defensive tackle.
“Quite honestly, we didn’t do a good enough job of stopping the run,” Guenther said of Sunday’s performance. “That kind of affects the down and distance of things where you can make calls where the guys tee off. We have to do a better job of stopping the run, getting them to third-andlonger situations where we can rush the passer.”
If the Raiders want any chance at grabbing a muchneeded second win, stopping a banged-up Breida, if he plays, will be key.
WILL GEORGE KITTLE GO OFF? >> Kittle, the 49ers’ underrated tight end, ranks third in the NFL with 584 receiving yards this season. He’s only caught two touchdowns, but he’s also third in the league with 30 first downs.
After what Indianapolis’ three tight ends did in Oakland on Sunday — each caught a touchdown while combining for 10 catches and 133 yards — you can bet the Raiders will have a close eye on Kittle.
“Very good player, good receiver. He can run. He can block,” Guenther said. “... He’s a good player. They move him around to several spots on the field: tight end, out wide, in the backfield. They create challenges that way with matchups.”
According to Gayle, Raiders linebackers have allowed 11.4 yards per target and a 154 passer rating when targeted, both highest in the league. Kittle ought to have licked his chops watching tape this week.