The San Francisco 49ers beat the Las Vegas Raiders 38-17 on Sunday at Levi's Stadium. Las Vegas turned the ball over 5 times to San Francisco's 1, and that decided the game.

The Raiders threw 3 interceptions and lost 2 fumbles. One of those picks went the other way for a touchdown. A team that gives the ball away that often against a 7-1 opponent rarely gets close enough to matter late.

The ground game made sure the turnovers stuck. San Francisco ran for 190 yards while Las Vegas managed just 24. The 49ers held the ball for more than 38 minutes, which left the Raiders with little time to recover.

How It Happened

San Francisco scored twice in the first quarter. Christian McCaffrey ran in from 1 yard at 9:32, and Brock Purdy added a 1-yard touchdown run late in the quarter.

Las Vegas answered early in the second when Kirk Cousins scored on a 2-yard run. Purdy restored the two-score cushion with a 12-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey at 5:15. Matt Gay hit a 50-yard field goal with 1:12 left before the half to keep the Raiders within reach.

That hope lasted seconds into the third quarter. Jaden Dugger returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown at 14:43, the kind of swing that turns a game into a chase.

Cousins found Brock Bowers for a 21-yard touchdown at 9:29 of the third. San Francisco answered late in the quarter when Purdy hit Jordan Watkins for a 37-yard score with 36 seconds left. Eddy Pineiro's 35-yard field goal at 5:21 of the fourth closed the scoring.

Key Performers

Christian McCaffrey (SF): 1 YD rushing TD, 12 YD TD reception

Brock Purdy (SF): 1 YD rushing TD, TD passes of 12 YDS and 37 YDS

Jaden Dugger (SF): 35 YD interception return TD

Kirk Cousins (LV): 2 YD rushing TD, 21 YD TD pass to Brock Bowers

SF rushing: 43 ATT, 190 YDS, 4.4 per carry, 12 rushing first downs

LV rushing: 15 ATT, 24 YDS, 1.6 per carry, 2 rushing first downs

Turnovers: LV 5 (3 INT, 2 fumbles lost) – SF 1

The Raiders' offense was not hopeless when it held the ball. Las Vegas converted 6 of 9 third downs and did not allow a sack. The problem was what happened to the ball, not how often drives stalled.

San Francisco's offense was the steadier unit. The 49ers averaged 6.0 yards a play to the Raiders' 5.1 and finished 3-4 in the red zone. Seven penalties for 59 yards did not slow them down.

What It Means

San Francisco moves to 7-1 and stays perfect at home at 5-0. Levi's Stadium has been a hard place to visit all season, and this was another comfortable afternoon there.

Las Vegas falls to 4-5. The Raiders are 3-2 on the road and 1-3 at home, so travel is not what is holding them back. Their road record is the better half of their season, which makes a result like this one more about ball security than the setting.

The fix is plain. A team that does not get sacked and moves the chains on third down can compete, but not while handing the ball over 5 times. Until the giveaways stop, the Raiders will have a hard time climbing above .500.