The Las Vegas Raiders finally returned to the win column last week, defeating the New York Jets 38-33.

They hope to remain there as they travel to Santa Clara to take on the San Francisco 49ers, who are coming off a bye. It'll certainly be a tall task for the Raiders to defeat the 49ers, who also improved by acquiring defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the Indianapolis Colts. Las Vegas is 4-4, and with the trade deadline looming on Nov. 10, this game has high stakes. With that in mind, here's what a win would prove for Las Vegas.

Playoff Contention Is Real

When the Raiders won their first three games of the season, they became legitimate playoff contenders. However, Las Vegas then lost four consecutive games, flipping that narrative on its head. Suddenly, there were completely shifted expectations for Las Vegas.

Las Vegas silenced that noise, for the time being, ending their four-game losing streak last week with a win over the Jets. While the victory was necessary, it can still be viewed as a fluke result, as New York had just lost to the Dolphins the week before.

San Francisco is a completely different animal, especially when head coach Kyle Shanahan has had a full week off to prepare for this matchup. It would be a statement win for the Raiders and likely re-establish them as legitimate playoff contenders.

The Front Office Was Right for Not Selling Pieces

As mentioned, when Las Vegas went through the recent four-game skid, the idea that the Raiders should take calls on multiple players, including Maxx Crosby, and turn the page to 2027 grew a bit louder. However, general manager John Spytek didn't budge and refused to make a knee-jerk reaction move. Now, Las Vegas can still end up being sellers at the deadline, but that probably won't be the case if it defeats the 49ers on Sunday.

In fact, if the Raiders depart on Sunday with a 5-4 record, we could see Spytek strike a deal for a position of need. Wide receiver is the top area on the roster that comes to mind in this discussion. Nevertheless, Las Vegas would make a major statement with a win in Week 9. Although the 49ers have dealt with a slew of injuries, they are 6-1 and atop the NFC West, which was evaluated as a two-horse race between the Seahawks and Rams before the season.