The Las Vegas Raiders are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in their final preseason matchup. This is a great situation for this franchise, as Jon Gruden and the coaching staff will have one more chance to evaluate the roster. The 49ers are a great challenge for this Raiders team, as Las Vegas hopes to make a playoff push this season.

The defense is where the Raiders struggled last year. Opposing teams scored at will against Las Vegas which led to more losses than the franchise would have liked. Even so, the front office brought in some new faces and the defense could be much improved. Look for them to possibly make some noise on Sunday.

Even though the front office made a plethora of moves, the Raiders' offensive line should still be decent. Going up against a strong 49ers front seven is a great challenge and could build some confidence for Las Vegas before the regular season. Additionally, this is a great opportunity for a backup quarterback to show off his skill set, while a wide receiver looks to earn a major role in the offense. With that said, here are four bold predictions for the Raiders' preseason matchup against the 49ers.

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4. Raiders defense surprises

If the defense can step up their game this year, then the Las Vegas Raiders will be much better than anticipated. Many have nearly written this defensive unit off, but they have plenty of talented players on the roster who could elevate the defensive play. If that's the case, Las Vegas will be a dangerous team in 2021. The 49ers have a stellar offense, so this is a great challenge for the Raiders just before kick-off.

3. The offensive line proves themselves

Although the front office made some questionable decisions throughout the offseason, the Raiders still managed to improve their offensive line. This is an underrated group in the NFL right now and could take the league by surprise. The 49ers' defense is no joke, especially within the front seven. Look for the offensive line to put up a solid fight throughout this game.

2. Marcus Mariota shines

The starting quarterback role belongs to Derek Carr, but Marcus Mariota will have a chance to prove himself once again. After a rocky start to his career with the Tennessee Titans, serving as a backup could put Mariota back on track. He balled out in his only start last year and could gain more attention from other NFL franchises with a strong performance on Sunday. After seeing Jameis Winston win the starting job for the New Orleans Saints, anything is possible for Marcus Mariota at this point.

1. Zay Jones impresses again

There have been some standouts in the Las Vegas Raiders training camp and preseason games, but Zay Jones has been the most consistent. Even. though he's been underwhelming throughout his career so far, Zay Jones could serve as the third option receiver in the Raiders passing game. He's in direct competition with veteran receiver John Brown. Even so, Jones has been impressive and he deserves a role on this offense. Look for him to make a big play or two in the Raiders' final preseason game.