The preseason finale was a psuedo-dress rehearsal for the Las Vegas Raiders after all.
After sitting their starters last week in their second preseason game against the Houston Texans, the Raiders repped their first teams Thursday during an 18-12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium.
Kirk Cousins quarterbacked the starting offense — down injured running back Ashton Jeanty — to field goals on the first two drives (against a backup defense), and the starting defense sans defensive end Maxx Crosby held San Francisco’s second-team offense scoreless for two possessions.
Rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza started his outing with a modified first-team offense, throwing high to wide receiver Jalen Nailor for an interception on his first possession. Playing five drives (mostly with the second team) and into the third quarter behind an unstable offensive line, he finished 7 of 14 for 57 yards — mostly completing checkdown passes.
Cousins finished 8 of 11 for 51 yards and rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. had eight carries for 51 yards. Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers played right guard with the starting and backup offenses.
Mendoza led Las Vegas to a field goal on its final possession of the opening half, a six-play, 45-yard drive accelerated by rookie receiver Malik Benson’s drawn pass interference. He dinked and dunked his way down the field on the first possession of the second half, but Matt Gay missed from 54 yards after making kicks from 45, 53 and 37 yards.
Aidan O’Connell replaced Mendoza behind center in the final minute of the third quarter.
San Francisco kicker Eddy Pineiro made field goals from 24, 25 and 48 yards before making the go-ahead field goal from 59 yards with 9:09 to play. O’Connell set Gay up with the game-tying 48-yard field goal on the ensuing possession with a 19-yard completion to Shedrick Jackson.
The 49ers responded with Piniero’s 51-yard field goal, capping a drive spanning 5:47. The Raiders answered by going four and out, and Piniero added a 54-yard kick.
Raiders rookie Keyron Crawford was carted off the sideline — after being helped off the field — with an ankle injury in the third.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.
