Tag: 49ers vs Raiders

49ers rookie impresses coaches with improbable debut

In his preseason debut on Friday, the former Louisville running back carried the ball 11 times against the Raiders.

After the rookie running back suffered a hamstring injury at the start of training camp, the San Francisco 49ers have been without their 2024 fourth-round pick for most most of camp and the first two preseason games. Yet, after returning to practice earlier in the week, Isaac Guerendo made his highly-anticipated preseason debut on Friday night against the Las Vegas Raiders.

In his first preseason game in the NFL, it didn’t take long for the former Louisville Cardinal to make an impression. In the second quarter, Guerendo took back a kickoff return for a 93-yard touchdown. Along with a blazing run to the end zone on kickoff, Guerendo added 32 yards on 11 carries and two catches for three yards.

On Sunday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to members of the media on a conference call where he praised Guerendo’s performance on Friday against the Raiders. When talking about the rookie running back, Shanahan noted the lack of padded practices Guerendo has had since suiting up for the Senior Bowl in February.

I thought he did a real good job, especially since it was the first day he had shoulder pads on since the Senior Bowl. He got hurt our first day of practice and then the two practices we had before the Raiders week were unpadded practices. So for him to go that long without putting pads on, I really liked how he ran. He tried to break tackles, never eased up on contact, tried to run through it, hit the holes well and had a real good first game.
After spending five seasons at Wisconsin, Guerendo transferred to Louisville for his final season. With the Cardinals. Guerendo rushed for 810 yards on 132 carries with 11 touchdowns. Guerendo added 22 receptions for 234 yards.
Guerendo’s standout performance should likely bounce him up the depth chart and into the conversation for Christian McCaffrey’s backup alongside Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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WATCH: 49ers rookie has huge kick return in preseason debut

This is one way to stake a claim to a roster spot.

How about San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo?

The fourth-round pick suffered a hamstring injury on Day 1 of training camp that kept him out until the final week of the preseason. He finally got into a game when the 49ers had their final exhibition game Friday night at Allegiant Stadium against the Las Vegas Raiders.

It was clear early on why the 49ers selected Guerendo. He looked comfortable on an early kick return and put together a couple of nice runs on offense where he showed the same smooth running style that made him successful in college.

The Raiders had a punt return for a touchdown that cut the 49ers lead to 10-7, and then Guerendo went to work on the ensuing kickoff with a 93-yard return.

That’s the kind of thing a player can do to help himself make a roster after getting virtually no practice or game action in before the regular season.

Guerendo got to the sideline, then made a couple of great cuts before running through contact and getting into the open field. His speed was also evident before he ran out of gas and got chased down.

Coaches will want to see him switch the football to his outside arm when he gets to the sideline, but that’s a small nitpick compared to the big play he generated. Guerendo was on the outside looking in at a roster spot entering Friday, but plays like this one will help his case.

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Brandon Aiyuk with 49ers in Las Vegas despite no contract extension

Brandon Aiyuk traveled to Las Vegas with the 49ers. Here’s what that may or may not mean:

The San Francisco 49ers visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday night at Allegiant Stadium to finish their three-game preseason slate.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters he’s expecting his starters to play in the exhibition finale. One of the starters who won’t be suiting up is wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. He is still negotiating a long-term contract extension with the 49ers and isn’t likely to take the field until he has a new deal.

However, Aiyuk is with the 49ers in Las Vegas according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.

There wasn’t any new reporting on the negotiations. Garafolo said the two sides are still trying to hammer out a deal and that the chasm between them isn’t wide.

This marks the second consecutive preseason game Aiyuk has attended. He was in the team’s suite at Levi’s Stadium for their Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Now he’s traveled with the team to Las Vegas.

It’s hard to see that and not assume things are still amicable and trending toward Aiyuk staying with the 49ers.

On the other hand, it doesn’t really mean anything if the two sides are at an impasse in the negotiations. It may not be a sign that Aiyuk is leaning toward agreeing to the 49ers’ offer. This may just be a staring contest where Aiyuk is going through the motions and doing all the right things in hopes of getting the 49ers to blink.

Unfortunately, the fact remains that Aiyuk and San Francisco are still at a tipping point. He’ll either be extended or traded. And there’s no substantial reporting that indicates one or the other is more likely with just over two weeks to go until the team kicks off its regular season.

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How to watch 49ers preseason finale vs. Raiders

There’s one last preseason game. Starters are playing for the 49ers. Non-starters have one last shot to make the roster. Don’t miss it.

The preseason finale has finally arrived.

Friday evening in Las Vegas marks the San Francisco 49ers last preseason bout of the year. They’ll take on the Las Vegas Raiders in one last dress rehearsal before things get real in Week 1 against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has indicated the 49ers starters will play at Allegiant Stadium. Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce will not play his starters.

The 49ers have largely held the first-team out of preseason action so far, but they’ll play that group more extensively in their final tuneup of the preseason.

While the starters playing will be fun, it’s the players further down the depth chart worth watching closest. Fans shouldn’t tune out once the starters are pulled. With only one game left to show the coaching staff why they should make the team or be in a certain role on the roster, the non-starters should put on a show in Sin City.

Here’s all the game information, and how to watch/listen to the final week of the preseason:

Kickoff: 7:00pm Pacific Time

Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

TV: KPIX and CW Bay Area

Free streaming: FuboTV

Radio: KGO 810 AM

The 49ers also stream the game on their app, but it’s only available for viewers in the Bay Area market.

NFL+ also offers a paid streaming option.

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Will 49ers starters play in preseason finale vs. Raiders?

The 49ers will look much more familiar in Friday’s exhibition finale.

The San Francisco 49ers will wrap up their preseason slate Friday on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Preseason got a little sideways for the 49ers when they had to cancel their joint practices with the New Orleans Saints ahead of their Week 2 matchup. That forced San Francisco to recalibrate how they’d utilize their starters in exhibition action.

They’re back on track now heading into the final week. Typically the 49ers use the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. It sounds like that’ll be the plan for San Francisco against the Raiders.

“Yeah, I’d like the starters to play,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said in press conference Tuesday. “We’ll see how today and tomorrow go, but that’s the plan.”

The 49ers will only get two practices in before traveling to Las Vegas for Friday’s kickoff. Tuesday’s session was light according to reporters on site at the team facility, and starters took all the reps since most of them didn’t play in Sunday’s preseason game.

Barring some kind of injury issue, the 49ers should play all of their available starters for at least a series. Some may play more than others, but the more important thing is for starters to get some real football in before Week 1 against the Jets.

The team will have to also balance reps for players still trying to make the team, and ensuring none of the starters are banged up in the exhibition finale.

Kickoff from Allegiant Stadium is slated for 7:00pm Pacific Time on Friday.

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49ers hopeful 2 injured rookies will make debuts in preseason finale

2 49ers rookies haven’t made their preseason debuts yet, but there’s hope that’ll change in Friday’s preseason finale.

The San Francisco 49ers have nearly navigated their three-game exhibition slate with only one game left Friday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

One of the notable pieces of the 49ers’ preseason has been the absences of rookie first-round wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and rookie fourth-round running back Isaac Guerendo.

Neither player has suited up for a preseason game yet. Pearsall has barely practiced due to hamstring and shoulder injuries, while Guerendo hasn’t suited up since hurting his hamstring on Day 1 of training camp.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Sunday indicated the team hopes to get both Pearsall and Guerendo back in practice ahead of their preseason finale. That would put the pair on track to get their first taste of preseason action when the 49ers visit the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.

“Yeah, that stuff is always tough when guys get hurt and they’re not out there,” Shanahan said. “Especially when guys get hurt right away. So that was so good for [WR] Jake [Cowing] to be able to go through this week, stay healthy through this week, and get to play in that game. Hopefully expecting to get [RB] Isaac [Guerendo] back next week. So hopefully practice will go well, and we can take a look at him in the game. Hopefully [WR] Ricky [Pearsall] will get there too.”

Cowing set a strong bar for offensive rookie performances when he debuted against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. He caught four of his five targets for 51 yards, and took his lone carry for 19 yards. Despite missing a ton of time, Cowing looked ready to contribute in the NFL.

The hope is for Pearsall and Guerendo to hit the ground running the same way.

San Francisco will treat their third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season with starters seeing at least a little playing time. Then they’ll give way to players like Pearsall and Guerendo, who should both receive ample opportunities given their overall lack of playing time in camp and the preseason.

If neither player can suit up or produce in their first game opportunities, it’s worth wondering whether they’ll be effective at all in their rookie seasons. If one or both put together an outing like Cowing did in his debut, they could become bigger factors in their position groups.

However, both Pearsall and Guerendo figure to be a larger part of San Francisco’s offensive plans beyond the 2024 campaign. Not that they can’t contribute in Year 1, but there’s plenty of depth ahead of both players on the roster. That should change next season where the team may rely heavily on their two 2024 draft picks.

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49ers vs. Raiders: Twitter reacts to ugly 34-7 loss in preseason opener

Following the 49ers’ 34-7 loss in the preseason opener against the Raiders, fans and analysts chimed in on Twitter with mixed reactions.

During the preseason, the final score doesn’t always tell an accurate story of what happened on the field. However, the 34-7 score in the San Francisco 49ers’ preseason-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders might say it all. 

After a trio of three and outs with Trey Lance under center, the 49ers’ slow start stretched through the entire preseason contest on Sunday afternoon on the Las Vegas strip. 

While the Raiders scored early and often, the 49ers’ only points came on a near interception from Lance that was deflected into the hands of Ross Dwelley for six points. 

Lance finished the day with 112 yards on 10-of-15 passing with a touchdown pass. During his time on the field in the first half, Lance was sacked four times behind the 49ers’ offensive line. 

Jake Moody had the chance to add some points for the 49ers, but the rookie missed both of his field goal attempts on Sunday. 

During his first drive under center in the second half, Sam Darnold provided a bit of spark for the 49ers with a pretty ball down the sideline to rookie Ronnie Bell. Darnold finished with 84 yards on 5-of-8 passing. 

Brandon Allen entered the game in the fourth quarter and quickly threw an interception that slipped through the hands of Bell and right to Raiders’ corner Sam Webb. 

While the 49ers’ overall performance was forgettable, young players like Ambry Thomas, D’Shawn Jamison, Ji’yair Brown and veteran Clelin Ferrell all had intriguing moments against the Raiders. 

Following the 49ers’ 34-7 loss to the Raiders to open the preseason, NFL Twitter exploded with reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts were saying on Sunday afternoon. 

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

WATCH: 49ers’ Ross Dwelley holds on to deflected pass from Trey Lance for touchdown vs. Raiders

Ross Dwelley held on to a deflected Trey Lance pass for the 49ers’ first touchdown of the 2023 preseason.

After a slow start to the preseason in the first quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers are officially on the board in 2023. However, it didn’t come easy.

Following a solid drive down the field, Trey Lance dropped back on first and goal from the Las Vegas nine-yard line and appeared to be looking for veteran wide receiver Chris Conley over the middle of the endzone. Raiders corner Duke Shelley closed Lance’s window quickly on an arrant throw for a near interception.

However, the Raiders’ defensive back couldn’t hold on for the turnover as the ball was deflected right into the hands of tight end Ross Dwelley for a touchdown. Despite the late throw, Dwelley was able to get the 49ers’ on the board to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter.

Stay tuned to Niners Wire for more updates from the 49ers’ preseason opener in Las Vegas.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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What to watch for with each 49ers QB vs. Raiders

What we’re hoping to see from every #49ers QB in their preseason opener.

The 49ers open up their preseason slate Sunday at Allegiant Stadium vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. While it marks the first game of the year for San Francisco, the scoreboard is far less consequential than the battle going on on the 49ers’ side of the field between Trey Lance and Sam Darnold.

Lance vs. Darnold is the No. 1 position battle in camp for the 49ers and Sunday will be the first real opportunity to see them both in action against an opposing defense. It could be a substantial turning point for the fate of the team’s QB depth chart.

Here’s how head coach Kyle Shanahan has said the playing time will go for each QB, along with what we’re looking for out of each of them Sunday:

Which 49ers need to shine in joint practices with Raiders?

These are the #49ers who most need to play well in their joint practices with the Raiders.

The 49ers on Thursday begin their all-important joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders before facing them in the preseason opener Sunday afternoon.

While more eyeballs will be on the preseason bout, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will be locked in on the two joint practices. In those sessions Shanahan believes coaches can get a better evaluation of players because they’re in a controlled environment.

For some players this will be more of a tune up. The starters won’t play in the exhibition contest according to Shanahan, so the two practices will serve as a chance to compete against another team and some different players than the ones they’ve seen the last two weeks.

For other players the two practices could dramatically impact their chances to make the club or carve out a bigger role than they might’ve been on track for.

Here’s a look at the 49ers who most need to play well in their joint practices with Las Vegas: