Raiders, 49ers leave on different paths ahead of NFL season promising twists, turns
LAS VEGAS — And with that, the Raiders and 49ers go their separate ways.They will meet again in Week 9, but they leave the preseason headed toward vastly different destinations, burdened by vastly different expectations.The 49ers are pursuing a Super Bowl.The Raiders are searching for the foundation upon which they might eventually build one.That difference was never more apparent than Thursday night, when the two former Bay Area neighbors met in each team’s preseason finale against the glistening backdrop of the Las Vegas Strip, visible just beyond the lanai doors of Allegiant Stadium.It was an appropriate setting.Las Vegas is built on risk, chance and the uncertainty of what comes next.
And that provided an especially fitting metaphor for two teams making decidedly different wagers on the season ahead.While the 49ers protected nearly every player essential to their championship hopes, the Raiders played most of their starters.It’s why Kirk Cousins opened the game at quarterback, lined up behind the Raiders’ starting offensive line, and why Mac Jones, not Brock Purdy, was under center to start the game alongside the 49ers’ second-string offensive line.For one team, the risk of playing key players outweighed whatever might have been gained.For the other, there was still too much work to be done and too many questions to be answered.The 49ers did not need one more preseason game to determine who they are.The Raiders are still very much trying to figure out their identity.The 49ers enter the season carrying the weight of championship expectations while trying to steer through storm clouds that began gathering before the games even counted.Kyle Shanahan’s car accident and Jed York’s arrest created an unsettling backdrop around the organization.
On the field, Nick Bosa had not practiced since Aug.3, while Christian McCaffrey missed time because of tightness.
Injuries have already complicated the journey, creating questions about whether the 49ers can re...