The Raiders handed the 49ers an 18-6 defeat in the first preseason game of the year.
1st QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
49ers kickoff returner Allen Rossum took the opening kickoff out to the 27-yardline.
Quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan started off as the 49ers signal caller, handing off the first snap to Frank Gore for a 6-yard run. Following a short completion to tight end Vernon Davis, Gore was stopped at the line on a 3rd and 1 carry for a three and out series for the 49ers offense.
The 49ers opened up in the 4-3 defense.
Justin Smith, Aubrayo Franklin, Isaac Sopaga, and Ray McDonald were the defensive linemen.
Manny Lawson, Joe Staley and Jeff Ulbrich started at linebacker.
Nate Clements, Michael Lewis, Walt Harris and Dashon Goldson started in the secondary.
Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell aired one out deep on 1st and 10, but cornerback Walt Harris was there to break up the pass to Drew Carter. It was a free play for Oakland with defensive end Ray McDonald jumping offsides on the play.
Oakland picked up a fresh set of downs on the next play with a 11-yard run by Justin Fargas, but the drive came to and end with a sack by McDonald. The second-year lineman and Justin Smith were both in Russell's face.
Gore retired after the first series, and was replaced by DeShaun Foster who started off the series with a 4-yard run.
In his first start, rookie Josh Morgan caught a slant pass from O'Sullivan for the 49ers first, first down of the game. The drive ended with an almost hazardous play. When in trouble, O'Sullivan tossed up a risky lateral pass to Foster who was quickly wrapped up for a 4-yard loss.
Safety Dashon Goldson slipped and missed an immediate tackle in the ensuing punt return, leaving Andy Lee to make a touchdown-saving stop. The 27-yard return ended up being negated due to a block to the back penalty.
Cornerback Walt Harris notched a second pass defense, getting his hands on a deep ball along the sidelines to Javon Walker on the next series. The Raiders picked up a couple of first downs and the 49ers then pulled most of their first-team defense including Harris, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith and Nate Clements.
The Raiders crossed into 49ers territory, but linebacker Tully Banta-Cain then got some pressure in Russell's face, picking up a holding call against Oakland to back them up to their side of the field. A pressure on 3rd and 11 by rookie Louis Holmes led to an Oakland punt.
The 49ers got the ball back at their 9, but the rookie Morgan gave the unit some breathing room with a 22-yard catch over the middle to end the quarter.
2nd QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
Following another 20-yard pass to Morgan, that was challenged by Oakland and upheld, the 49ers were prepped at the Raiders 35-yardline.
O'Sullivan's next pass deep to Foster was picked by Stanford Routt. Arnaz Battle stripped the ball inside the 10 on the return and Joe Staley had his hands on it, but allowed it to get away from him. Eventually Terdell Sands recovered for the Raiders at the 4-yardline.
Following a three and out, the 49ers offense got off to a poor start with Tony Wragge committing a false start penalty. On 2nd and 16, O'Sullivan again found his go-to target in Morgan for a 15-yard completion, but another false start on 3rd and 1 by tight end Vernon Davis put the O in a 3rd and 6 situation. Staley allowed his man to get pressure on O'Sullivan and the quarterback opted to scramble, coughing up the ball at the end of his run. Michael Waddell recovered the loose ball at the 49ers 45-yardline.
It was O'Sullivan's last series of the game. He finished 5 of 8 for 71 yards, with 1 interception and one fumble. Center Eric Heitmann also exited the game on this series with a hip injury.
Oakland drove down to the 11-yardline, and then with kicker Sebastian Janikowski out of the game, the Raiders opted to go for it on 4th and 2. Tully Banta-Cain and Dashon Goldson were there to make the stop and prevent a potential score.
In at quarterback, Alex Smith handed off twice to fullback Zak Keasey and then under pressure and with his feet not set, threw an incomplete pass well short of receiver Jason Hill.
Oakland scored on the next play with 3:26 left to go in the second quarter on a 53-yard punt return by Johnnie Lee Higgins. Safety Keith Lewis was there as Higgins caught the punt, but the returner juked Lewis and then beat Andy Lee to the end zone. Kicker Aaron Elling punched in the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
A 25-yard return by Rossum started Smith at his 37 with 3:19 left to go in the half. Following two incompletes, Smith hooked up with Arnaz Battle for a 23-yard completion at the Raiders 40. Another 10-yard pass to Battle and a personal foul against the Raiders moved the 49ers to the 12-yardline at the two-minute warning. San Francisco was held out of the end zone, settling instead for a 22-yard field goal by Joe Nedney to cap off the 10-play, 59-yard scoring drive. Smith completed 4 of 7 of his passes for 43 yards.
That left the 49ers trailing 7-3 at the half.
Smith finished his play in the first half 4 of 8 for 43 yards.
**3rd QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
**The Raiders opened the second half with a 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ate up over eight minutes off the clock. Running back Michael Bush punched it in from 5-yards out. Following a penalty on the extra point attempt, Oakland went for two and got it with an Andrew Walter throw to Chaz Schilens, taking a 15-3 second quarter lead.
There were two explosive plays on the drive, including a 19-yard Walter deep ball on the first snap. Bush also caught a short pass from Walter and turned it into a 23-yard pass play later in the drive to set the Raiders up at the 14.
Delanie Walker took his turn at kickoff duty, and crossed over the 30-yardline before he was hemmed up.
Smith stayed in at quarterback and after a handoff to Thomas Clayton found receiver Dominque Zeigler for an 11-yard pass, but Waddell stripped the ball out and recovered the fumble at the 49ers 44-yardline, bringing the 49ers to three turnovers so far on the night.
The defense held up on 4th and 7, giving the 49ers offense back the ball at their own 36-yardline with 2:45 to go in the quarter. Shaun Hill is now in at quarterback.
Smith finished the night 5 of 9 for 51 yards.
Hill had some momentum going with the unit, thanks to a few runs by Thomas Clayton and shot passes to Jason Hill and Moran Norris, but on 4th and 3 he chucked one up deep that was picked by Hiram Eugene to end the quarter.
4th QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
QB Marques Tuiasosopo opened up the final quarter for Oakland, getting help from Louis Rankin on 2nd and 10. Rankin found open space out to his left and charged 72 yards before cornerback Marcus Hudson chased him down at the 9-yardline to save a touchdown. The Raiders set up to go for it on 4th and goal, but a false start led to a 23-yard field goal and an 18-3 edge. The scoring drive lasted six plays and covered 75 yards.
Walker charged full steam ahead out to the 49ers 43-yardline on the ensuing kickoff return. With Hill still at the helm, the 49ers drove 37 yards in 10 plays. Kicker Ricky Schmitt knocked in a 38-yard field goal to cut the Raiders lead 18-6.
The defense stopped Tuiasosopo on the following drive on a 4th and 7 play at the 50 and Hill and company took over on downs.
Hill engineered a drive down to the Raiders 30, but on 4th and 9 his pass to Robert Ortiz was incomplete.
Oakland came up short on their next drive on yet another 4th down play. Facing 4th and 12 at the 49ers 34-yardline, the Raiders gained 11 yards on the ground and San Francisco took over with one minute left in the game at their own 23.
The game ended with a sack on Hill on a 2nd and 10 play from the 50, although the sack should have been erased by an illegal formation penalty on the offense.
Hill finished 10-of-20 for 83 yards and one interception.
PREGAME NOTES
The 49ers arrived via bus to the McAfee Coliseum around 4PM for a 7PM kickoff against the Oakland Raiders.
49ers rookie wide receiver Josh Morgan will start tonight in place of wide receiver Bryant Johnson, who is out with a hamstring. Veteran wide receiver Isaac Bruce will also be held out due to a coaching decision. Wide receiver Arnaz Battle will start in place of Bruce.
Safety Dashon Goldson will start in place of safety Mark Roman, who is being held out for precautionary reasons with a hamstring.
Also not playing tonight: G David Baas, S Lewis Baker, WR Ashley Lelie, RB Michael Robinson.
Safety Michael Lewis will wear the headset in his helmet for the first half with safety Keith Lewis taking over the headset in the second half. The headsets for defensive players is a new rule for 2008.
