The 49ers face planted to open their 2023 preseason with a 34-7 loss to the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Virtually all of San Francisco’s starters sat out the contest while the coaching staff evaluated some of the players vying for roster spots, starting jobs, or other roles.
Not a lot of things went right for the 49ers in the defeat, but at this point of the year that might be better for them. There’ll be plenty to clean up with less than a month to the regular season opener.
Here are some notes from each quarter of Sunday’s showdown at Allegiant Stadium:
First quarter
– Rookie WR Ronnie Bell is the 49ers kick returner to start.
– Good checkdown throw by Trey Lance to Ross Dwelley on second down after a sack. Instead of letting it rip deep on a play action he threw to Dwelley in the flat to set up a third-and-manageable.
– Lance took a bad sack on third down. He had a receiver open and. just didn’t throw the football. That’s not good from the third-year QB. He has to let it rip.
– The 49ers backup defensive line is getting dominated in the trenches early. Javon Kinlaw did get nice push on a run play, but couldn’t disengage the block to make a tackle.
– Oof. Linebacker Demetrius Flanngian-Fowles got whooped in coverage for an easy completion.
– T.Y. McGill blasted through on a handoff, but went after the QB and took him down after he’d handed the ball to the RB.
– Really good tackle by free safety Ji’Ayir Brown to stop Raiders RB Zamir White short of the goal line. That’s the kind of play the 49ers are hoping to see from their rookie. He flew downhill to quickly close a sizable hole.
– Ty Davis-Price got the first carry of the game for San Francisco. It went for three yards off the left side. He looked explosive, there just wasn’t much room to run.
– Yikes. Not a good second series for the 49ers offense. Lance had another chance on third-and-5 to convert, but his throw sailed wide of TE Charlie Woerner.
– Whew! Nice form tackle in the open field by LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball. He followed that up with another run stop on second down.
– There’s a sack for new 49ers DE Clelin Ferrell against his old team. He did a nice inside swim move to blow by the left tackle to get to the QB.
– Ji’Aiyir Brown is all over the field.
– Good pass breakup by cornerback Ambry Thomas. He needed that. It nearly led to an interception for safety Tayler Hawkins.
– Another tough go for the offense. Lance badly missed a first-down throw and then was immediately under duress on second and third downs. He’s been sacked on two of the team’s three third downs. This reserve offensive line is bad.
– There’s Samuel Womack III with a terrific open field tackle to eliminate any chance of YAC.
End of first quarter: Raiders 7, 49ers 0
Second quarter
– Don’t love to see nickel cornerback Isaiah Oliver getting beat in coverage by Keelan Cole for an 11-yard completion.
– Kinlaw is getting some wins, but he’s not been super effective. Getting to game plan will help that, so seeing him play well is a positive for San Francisco.
– Womack again with a good stop on a third-and-1. He flew up in run support on a handoff to the edge.
– Now it’s Ambry Thomas with a stop on fourth-and-short. He blasted in from the edge to drag down White from behind and force a turnover on downs. Good work from the reserve CBs.
– What a run by WR Ronnie Bell on first down! He took a jet sweep and broke multiple tackles to run through contact and get the 49ers first first down. That’s the kind of play that’s going to open the coaching staff’s eyes.
– Davis-Price looks like a different player. He’s so much more explosive and decisive.
– Well, the 49ers will take a touchdown, but Lance threw late to the end zone on a play action boot. It should’ve been intercepted, but it was tipped by a Raiders defender to TE Ross Dwelley for a touchdown. What a bizarre play. It counts as a TD, but Lance needs to get the throw out way earlier. That won’t go down as a plus for the coaching staff.
– Jake Moody hit his extra point!
– Rookie LB Jalen Graham had a good tackle on a run up the middle. The 49ers have some really good depth at that position. Tim Ryan on the TV broadcast said Oren Burks got hurt on the play in practice where Raiders WR Davante Adams was injured.
– Yikes. Not good for RB Jordan Mason. He dropped a screen on a second-and-5 that would’ve gone for a lot of yards. That was followed up by a third-and-5 run for 3 yards from Mason. Then he got stuffed on a fourth-and-1, although the second run wasn’t particularly well-blocked.
– Another PBU for Thomas. The 49ers’ third-year CB is having a really good day.
– Ouch. McCrary-Ball should’ve had a stop for a big loss on a run, but he couldn’t come up with the tackle. If he’s going to play Sam LB he has to convert on that.
– Another Raiders TD. Oliver got cooked by Cole again. He’s not having a great game. It appears the nickel corner job might be up for grabs.
– Really nice work by the 49ers offense to get into field goal range after taking over at their own 17 with 27 seconds left. Lance showed off his big arm with a couple of good throws into the intermediate and deep areas, but he also tossed a near interception to start the drive. Still, good execution overall.
– Moody shanked his first field goal try to end the half. Woof.
End of second quarter: Raiders 14, 49ers 7
Third quarter
– Good special teams tackle by TE Brayden Willis on the opening second-half kickoff. If he’s going to make the team, special teams play is going to matter.
– Rookie LB Dee Winters strung out a jet sweep for a short gain. That was impressive range from the sixth-round pick.
– Now it’s Graham, the other rookie LB, stepping up on an outside run to make a tackle for a short gain.
– Whew! Undrafted rookie CB D’Shawn Jamison is in to return kicks and he ripped off a really nice return. It was called back for a hold, but the play was ultimately a win for the UDFA.
– Sam Darnold is in at QB and looks like a QB with 55 NFL starts. He tossed a dime to Bell down the right sideline to get the 49ers out from under their own goal post.
– Cameron Latu is not having a great game.
– Yikes. Darnold got stuffed on a fourth-and-1 QB sneak. Overall a nice drive for the QB.
– Ouch. Latu again stands out for the wrong reason. He made a catch, but struggled to haul it in, eventually contained it, then fumbled. He’s had drop problems in practice and now his first reception as a pro ends in a fumble. That’s not a good look for the third-round pick.
– Davis-Price has translated his strong training camp to the preseason opener.
– A couple more good throws from Darnold. One into a tight window fell incomplete, another was layered in to Bell for 16 yards to end the quarter.
– Speaking of Bell, he might be playing his way onto the roster with his special teams contributions and what he’s done on offense.
End of third quarter: Raiders 24, 49ers 7
Fourth quarter
– It looked like some miscommunication with the 49ers on a fourth-and-7 at the Raiders 40. They wound up trying a 58-yard field goal and Moody pushed it way right. It wasn’t even close.
– A Brandon Allen sighting! He was intercepted on a very good throw to Bell, but Bell had it slip through his hands directly to a Raiders defender. That’s a nice play by Allen and a bad one for Bell.
– This is the most preseason fourth quarter of all-time.
– Jeremy McNichols is in at running back.
– Undrafted rookie Isaiah Winstead should get some more early looks in the next preseason game. He’s intriguing, but hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities.
– Good grab by Brayden Willis. He’s having a much better day than his fellow rookie TE, Latu.
– A Khalan Laborn sighting! The undrafted rookie couldn’t haul in a pass in the flat from Allen.
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