Tyreik McAllister made an impressive play as he stretched out to catch a pass from Carter Bradley and dashed into the end zone, scoring a touchdown for the Raiders.
In Las Vegas, Brock Purdy showcased efficiency by completing 9 out of 12 passes for 96 yards but encountered a setback with a red-zone interception. He drew concern from his coach when he executed a touchdown-saving tackle on the ensuing play.
“When it happened, I was hoping he wouldn’t tackle him,” said San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan following a 24-24 preseason tie with the Raiders. “Because it’s preseason, let him score. But the fact he tackled him and got him down and didn’t get hurt, I’m glad he didn’t.”
Daniel Carlson’s 43-yard field goal with just 16 seconds remaining leveled the score for the Raiders (0-2-1), after Joshua Dobbs tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Cowing, putting the 49ers (1-1-1) ahead 24-21 late in the third quarter.
The game saw both teams taking different strategies as the regular season approaches in two weeks. The 49ers fielded most of their starters in the first quarter, while the Raiders opted to test their backups who are vying for positions on the roster.
As teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by Tuesday, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce expressed the difficulty of letting go of so many players.
“It’s not easy cutting 37 men and telling them they got to find somewhere else to play,” Pierce commented.
One player fighting for a spot was quarterback Nathan Peterman, who unexpectedly started the game despite earlier announcements that Carter Bradley would take the lead. Peterman played the first half, completing 12 of 19 passes for 108 yards and one touchdown, while Bradley led the game-tying drive and finished with a stat line of 9 of 21 for 169 yards with one touchdown and an interception.
Tyreik McAllister continued to demonstrate his abilities by returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown and also catching a 35-yard touchdown pass.
Meanwhile, the 49ers utilized the game to assess their starters, including the preseason debuts of wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle. Kittle made a notable 19-yard catch between defenders, ending the game with three catches for 34 yards, a significant improvement from his previous preseason totals of four catches for 47 yards.
Not all of the 49ers starters participated; they returned to Allegiant Stadium for the first time since their Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs six months ago. Shanahan shared his thoughts on the venue, stating, “I actually really like the stadium. It’s one of the newer stadiums that feels truly like a football stadium when you’re inside there.”
Among the absent players for the 49ers was All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, sidelined due to a calf injury. All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and second-team All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk are still involved in unresolved contract disputes, even with just two weeks left until the season starts. Nonetheless, Aiyuk attended the game and was seen conversing with Pierce.
Purdy’s performance extended into the second quarter against the Raiders’ reserves as he quickly led the team to a 10-0 lead and almost increased that margin further.
“It felt good to get out there with the guys and move the ball,” Purdy remarked. “We were all in rhythm.”
His first possession produced a 49-yard field goal by Jake Moody, followed by a 12-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. However, Purdy’s interception occurred at the Raiders’ 16-yard line early in the second period, when a pass intended for Samuel was intercepted by safety Chris Smith II.
Purdy then made his third career tackle as he intervened during the return. “I’m trying to get him out of bounds and have our defense get good field position,” Purdy explained. “Obviously, I don’t want to be tackling in preseason, but it happened so quick.”
The remainder of the game saw both teams rely on their reserves.
Injury Report:
For the 49ers, defensive ends Yetur Gross-Matos and Leonard Floyd both suffered sprained knees late in the first quarter and were taken for evaluations. Shanahan reported they would undergo MRIs the following day.
Looking ahead, the 49ers will host the New York Jets on September 9 to kick off the season, while the Raiders will face off against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 8 in their opener.