The San Francisco 49ers wrapped up their 2026 preseason slate on Thursday night against Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium, defeating the Raiders 18-12.
K Eddy Piñeiro accounted for all 18 of San Francisco's points, connecting on six field goals, including three from 50-plus yards and his longest of 59 yards. The 49ers defense kept Las Vegas out of the end zone and came away with an interception as San Francisco closed out the preseason 2-1.
The matchup marked the latest chapter of the "Battle of the Bay" and the 44th preseason meeting between the two teams.
With the preseason complete and the 53-man roster cutdown approaching on Sunday, Thursday's matchup provided one final opportunity for players to make their case for a roster spot.
Here are five takeaways from the 49ers preseason finale against the Raiders:
1. Piñeiro Goes Six-for-Six
Piñeiro was perfect from the field on Thursday, connecting on all six of his field goal attempts and accounting for every point in San Francisco's 18-12 win.
The 49ers kicker opened the night with makes from 24 and 25 yards before showing off his range in the second half. Piñeiro connected from 48 yards in the third quarter to tie the game at 9-9 before drilling a 59-yarder in the fourth to give San Francisco its first lead of the night.
After Las Vegas tied the game at 12, Piñeiro came through again, connecting from 51 yards to put the 49ers back in front with under two minutes remaining. He added his sixth and final field goal from 54 yards with eight seconds left to extend the lead to 18-12.
Piñeiro finished the night 6-for-6 with four makes from 48-plus yards.
2. Luter Jr. and Bethune Team Up for an Interception
The 49ers defense came up with the first turnover of the night late in the first quarter. CB Darrell Luter Jr. got a hand on QB Fernando Mendoza's pass, tipping the ball into the hands of LB Tatum Bethune. Bethune returned the interception 16 yards to the Raiders 22-yard line, setting San Francisco up in scoring position.
Luter continued to make plays in coverage in the second quarter, breaking up another Mendoza pass. The fourth-year cornerback also came up with an open-field tackle earlier in the game, bringing down TE Michael Mayer by the ankles.
Bethune was active throughout the night, finishing second on the team with nine total tackles, including three solo, to go along with his interception.
The interception highlighted a strong night for the 49ers defense, which held Las Vegas without a touchdown and forced the Raiders to settle for four field goals.
3. Watkins Shows His Versatility
WR Jordan Watkins found several ways to make an impact in the 49ers preseason finale, contributing as a receiver, runner, and returner.
Watkins found a rhythm with QB Adrian Martinez in the second half, hauling in two 19-yard receptions on third down to help power a scoring drive. He added another 21-yard reception in the fourth quarter to help move San Francisco into Raiders territory on the drive that ended with Piñeiro's 51-yard field goal which put the 49ers in the lead.
The second-year wideout finished as the 49ers leading receiver with four catches for 64 yards and added 21 yards on three carries.
Watkins also handled kickoff and punt return duties throughout the night, adding to a versatile performance in the final evaluation before roster cutdown.
4. James Gets His First Preseason Action
RB Jordan James made his 2026 preseason debut against the Raiders after being sidelined with a rib injury for much of Training Camp.
James saw his first carries early in the second quarter before finding a rhythm on San Francisco's final scoring drive before halftime. The running back hauled in a pass from Martinez and took it 20 yards before breaking free for a 17-yard run up the middle that brought the 49ers inside the Raiders 10-yard line.
The drive ended with Piñeiro connecting on a 25-yard field goal to tie the game at 6-6.
James ended the night with eight carries for 35 yards and one reception for 20 yards.
5. Dugger Leads the Defense
LB Jaden Dugger was all over the field at Allegiant Stadium, finishing as the 49ers leading tackler with 10 total tackles, including five solo.
The rookie was particularly active during a third-quarter Raiders possession. Dugger contributed on multiple stops before generating pressure on back-to-back plays, helping force consecutive incompletions and bringing out the Raider's field goal unit. That following 54-yard attempt went wide left, which set the 49ers up to take the lead.
Dugger's performance was part of a strong showing from San Francisco's defense. DL Keion White recorded an 11-yard sack on Mendoza in the second quarter, and DL Ogbo Okoronkwo followed with a nine-yard sack later in the period.
The 49ers defense kept the Raiders out of the end zone for all four quarters, holding Las Vegas to four field goals in the six-point win.
WHAT'S NEXT
With the preseason complete, the 49ers now turn their attention to final roster decisions. San Francisco must trim its roster to 53 players by Sunday before shifting its focus to Week 1.
The 49ers will be heading Down Under for their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10th, which will mark the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Australia.
