49ers @ Raiders Preseason Live Blog

Big day for Trey Lance and Sam Darnold.

LAS VEGAS -- This is the live blog of the San Francisco 49ers' preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

12:00 This preseason game has more at stake than a typical preseason game, because of the quarterback position. The 49ers want Brock Purdy to be their starter, so he isn't playing today. The problem is that he's having a rough training camp following offseason elbow surgery. He has thrown roughly an interception per day. At first, you could understand the picks, because he was facing the 49ers' elite defense. But then Purdy went to Henderson, Nevada to practice against the Raiders for two days, and he threw four picks against their subpar defense. So the interceptions are a Purdy issue. He seems to have lost zip on his throws and can't fit passes into tight windows.

Enter Trey Lance and Sam Darnold. Both are fully healthy and have the arm strength to make difficult throws. If one or each of them plays well in this game after Brock's big flop in the desert, the 49ers could begin to wonder if they're miscalculated which quarterback will give them the best chance to win this season. They know Trey Lance has improved his throwing mechanics and accuracy in practice. If those improvements carry over to a preseason game in which he can get hit, unlike practice, the 49ers might begin to take him more seriously. Same goes for Sam Darnold, who hasn't played in a game with the 49ers yet. Big day for both of them.

FIRST QUARTER

1:05 The 49ers receive the opening kickoff. Ronnie Bell returns it to the 49ers 25.

1:07 Trey Lance is the quarterback, and the 49ers immediately go three and out. Lance got sacked on first down and third down after this first read wasn't open either time. Nick Zakelj and Matt Pryor gave up the sacks, respectively. Lance completed a four-yard check down to Ross Dwelley on second down after his primary target was covered. After the punt, the Raiders take over at their 25.

1:14 The Raiders march right down the field and punch the ball in the end zone from one yard out. They absolutely gashed the 49ers in the run game. Steve Wilks was calling stunts and defensive tackles such as Javon Kinlaw were not maintaining gap integrity. This happened in the joint practices, too. Something to monitor as Steve Wilks takes ownership of this defense.

49ers 0, Raiders 7.

1:20 On 3rd and 5 from the 49ers 23, Lance throws a short pass under pressure to Charlie Woerner but the pass leads him too far and falls incomplete and the 49ers go three and out. Lance has been under pressure every time he has dropped back in this game.

1:27 On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 34, Ambry Thomas breaks up a short pass over the middle. Then Ronnie Bell receives the punt and returns it a couple yards. He seems like the primary return man until Ray Ray McCloud returns from a broken wrist in eight weeks.

1:32 On 3rd and 8 from the 49ers 16, Lance gets sacked for the third time, and the 49ers go three and out for the third time. They have no first downs. Their offensive line is getting destroyed by the Raiders defensive line and Lance has no time. After the punt, the Raiders take over at their 35.

SECOND QUARTER

1:44 On 4th and 1 from the 49ers 38, Kerry Hyder and Ambry Thomas stop Zymir White for no gain, and the Raiders turn the ball over on downs.

1:52 On 1st and goal from the 9, Trey Lance fakes a handoff, rolls left, sees Chris Conley open in the end zone but throws late to him and almost gets picked off, but the defensive back drops the ball and tips it directly to Ross Dwelley who makes the touchdown catch. Exactly how Kyle Shanahan drew that one up. Lance is now 4 of 6 for 44 yards, one touchdown and a passer rating of 127. Not bad for a guy who has no pass protection.

49ers 7, Raiders 7.

1:59 On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 16, Samuel Womack gets beat and gives up what could have been a 34-yard catch, but Tre Tucker dropped it. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 35.

2:08 On 4th and 1 from the Raiders 39, Trey Lance lines up in the shotgun and hands off to Jordan Mason, who gets stopped for no gain. What a cute play call. A simple quarterback sneak would have been better.

2:17 On 2nd and 7 from the 49ers 10, Isaiah Oliver gives up a touchdown catch to Keelan Cole. Oliver is the 49ers' starting nickel, and he has been getting torched by backups in this game. Not great.

49ers 7, Raiders 14.

2:24 Jake Moody shanks a 39-yard field goal as the first half ends. Yikes. He better not do that in a playoff game.

2:25 Trey Lance finishes the game completing 10 of 15 pass attempts for 112 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He had two passes that got dropped by defenders, but Lance's passes are hard to pick off because he throws so hard. Overall, it's tough to evaluate him behind that attrocious second-string offensive line, but he definitely displayed improved accuracy and throwing mechanics.

2:35 Kyle Shanahan called 20 passes and just 7 runs in the first half because he's a genius who is committed to putting Trey Lance in positions to be successful.

THIRD QUARTER

2:42 Daniel Carlson makes a 53-yard field goal for the Raiders.

49ers 7, Raiders 17.

2:53 On 4th and 1 from the Raiders 31, Sam Darnold attempts a QB sneak and gains no yards. The 49ers turn it over on downs. Darnold completed 3 of 3 passes on that drive for 59 yards. Interesting that once Darnold enters the game, Kyle Shanahan starts balancing out the runs and passes.

2:57 The Raiders go three and out. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 5.

3:01 On 1st and 10 from the 49ers 5, Sam Darnold rolls left and completes a short throw to Cameron Latu, who fumbles. The Raiders recover at the 49ers 14.

3:04 On 2nd and goal from the 2, the Raiders punch it in. Let's see if Shanahan calls lots of passes to get back in the game, or sticks with a balanced approach for Darnold.

49ers 7, Raiders 24.

3:15 On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 40, Darnold throws an errant pass while taking a big hit to the chest. Now Jake Moody will attempt a 58-yard field goal. The Raiders take a timeout.

3:16 Since Darnold entered the game, Shanahan has called 9 runs and 8 passes. For Lance, Shanahan called 7 runs and 20 passes. Hmmmmmm.

FOURTH QUARTER

3:17 Moody's kick is short and wide right. Uh oh.

3:23 Daniel Carlson makes a 46-yard field goal for the Raiders. They outplayed the 49ers in both joint practices and have outplayed the 49ers today.

49ers 7, Raiders 27.

3:28 On 1st and 10 from the 49ers 23, Brandon Allen throws a pass that flies right through Ronnie Bell's hands, gets picked off and returned to the 49ers 2.

3:30 On 1st and goal from the 2, the Raiders punch it in.

49ers 7, Raiders 34.