The preseason finale between the San Francisco 49ers and the Las Vegas Raiders ended dramatically with a chaotic final play that featured a tipped Hail Mary and several laterals, resulting in a 24-24 tie.
In Las Vegas, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy completed 9 of 12 passes for 96 yards but also threw an interception while in the red zone. He created a moment of concern for his head coach, Kyle Shanahan, by making a saving tackle to prevent a touchdown. “When it happened, I was hoping he wouldn’t tackle him…But the fact he tackled him and didn’t get hurt, I’m glad he didn’t,” Shanahan recounted.
The Raiders, struggling with a 0-2-1 record, tied the game with a 43-yard field goal from Daniel Carlson with just 16 seconds remaining. Earlier, the 49ers had taken the lead 24-21 thanks to Joshua Dobbs’ 10-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Cowing in the third quarter.
Both teams took different approaches ahead of the regular season. The 49ers fielded many of their starters in the first quarter, while the Raiders evaluated backups looking for places on the roster. With just days left until the roster cutdown to 53 players, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce indicated he would be discussing final decisions with general manager Tom Telesco. “It’s not easy cutting 37 men and telling them they got to find somewhere else to play,” Pierce stated.
Nathan Peterman surprised many by starting for the Raiders, completing 12 of 19 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. His backup, Carter Bradley, who led the drive for the tying field goal, finished 9 of 21 for 169 yards with one touchdown and an interception in the end zone. Raiders player Tyreik McAllister also stood out, returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown and catching a 35-yard touchdown pass.
The 49ers aimed to assess their starters, featuring the preseason debuts of receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle, who had a notable 19-yard reception and ended with three catches for 34 yards. However, not all starters were present as All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey sat out due to a calf injury, and both left tackle Trent Williams and receiver Brandon Aiyuk were involved in ongoing contract disputes. Aiyuk was spotted at Allegiant Stadium talking with Pierce prior to the game.
Purdy performed effectively against the Raiders’ second-string defense, leading a 12-play, 85-yard touchdown drive after a field goal on the first possession. However, a pass intended for Samuel was intercepted near the Raiders’ end zone, prompting Purdy to make a tackle to prevent a touchdown. “I’m trying to get him out of bounds,” he explained about the play. “I felt like I had leverage to get him out of bounds and that’s what I tried to do.”
Injury updates revealed that 49ers defensive ends Yetur Gross-Matos and Leonard Floyd left the game with sprained knees, undergoing MRIs the following day.
Looking ahead, the 49ers will host the New York Jets on September 9 to kick off their season, while the Raiders are set to visit the Los Angeles Chargers on September 8.