It was the first game of the post-Derek Carr era in Las Vegas. And not only did the offense not skip a beat, it looked better than it had all season long. Meanwhile the banged up defense look as bad as it had at any point this season.

Thus how the two teams went into overtime tied at 34 and the Raiders ultimately lost 37-34.

Ballers

QB Jarrett Stidham, WR Davante Adams

Stidham was perfect to start this game, driving the Raiders down the field for a touchdown on the opening drive while going three-for-three for 58 yards and a 24-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller.

The second drive, Stidham got Adams involved. His first pass went to Adams who broke wide open for a 27-yard gain. A few plays later, Adams forced a pass interference to give the Raiders a first and goal at the five-yard-line. They would get to the one and settle for a field goal to go up 10-7.

Just before the half was up, the two had their first gorgeous connection. Stidham put it up along the left side of the end zone for Adams who caught it over a defender and tapped his toes for the touchdown to give the Raiders a 17-14 lead at the half.

A couple minutes into the third quarter, they connected again. Again it was for a touchdown. This time Stidham rolled out left and kept his eyes downfield with defenders closing in. All the while Adams was working to break open. Just as Stidham reached the left sideline and was about to get nailed, Adams got behind the defense and Stidham threw it to him for a 60-yard touchdown. Adams later said Stidham congratulated him on the sideline with blood in his teeth. Instant respect.

The 24-14 lead would disappear in the fourth quarter and become a 27-24 deficit. Then a 34-27 deficit with two minutes left. Then Stidham went back to work, first finding Mack Hollins for 21 yards, then throwing one up for Adams who made a spectacular adjustment and diving catch for 45 yards. A couple plays later, the Raiders tied it up at 34.

In the overtime period, Stidham dropped back and was hit as he threw, causing the ball to flutter and was picked off and returned to put the 49ers in position for the game-winner.

Stidham finished with 365 yards and three touchdowns. That’s the most passing yards by a Raiders quarterback since week 11 of the 2021 season. And matches Derek Carr’s highest TD total of any game in the past four years.

Adams had seven catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. His second best game of the season.

CB Tyler Hall

The Top Baller from last week in Pittsburgh, Hall is showing up with some big time plays of late. He had two pass breakups in the fourth quarter that helped end drives. The first was on a deep ball near the goal line. The second was at the goal line on a pass that wasn’t even to his man. He just read Purdy’s eyes and came off his man to knock down a would-be touchdown pass to George Kittle. Hall also didn’t give up a catch on 26 snaps.

TE Foster Moreau, TE Darren Waller

Moreau rebounded from a rough game in Pittsburgh to be a reliable target and blocker in this one. Waller looked to be back to his old self as well.

The first play of the game went to Moreau on a swing pass that went for 20 yards. The final play of that drive, Stidham again rolled right, this time dropping one in for Waller who had gotten behind the defense for the touchdown.

Waller’s stat line was interesting. He had three catches for 72 yards. That’s an average of 24 yards per catch. But in actually, his three catches all literally went for exactly 24 yards each.

Moreau’s second catch came in the fourth quarter. Stidham threw for him with the defender’s back turned and Moreau reached over the defender’s back and pulled the pass in for 21 yards. Two plays later, he caught one over the middle for 14 yards to set up a long field goal to tie the game at 27-27.

The 49ers answered with a touchdown to go up 34-27. Then it was Waller getting open in the end zone to force a pass interference that put them in first and goal at the one and another game-tying score.

K Daniel Carlson

Without Carlson’s big leg, this game doesn’t get to overtime. He came in and split the uprights on a 57-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. What a weapon he is.

Honorable Mention

CB Amik Robertson — Climbing the ladder to take a ball away from George Kittle is no small thing. That’s what Robertson did to give the Raiders their only takeaway of the game.

Busters

LT Kolton Miller

Twice in this game Miller got destroyed in the block. And both times were catastrophic for the Raiders.

The first time the Raiders were going for it on 4th and one at the two-yard-line. Miller tried to block Arik Armstead who tossed him to the side on onto his face and made the stuff on Josh Jacobs for no gain. No TD, no points, and 49ers ball.

The big one was the final play of the game for the Raiders. Stidham dropped back and set up to launch the ball downfield for Davante Adams, but Miller was knocked off balance and driven back into Stidham’s lap, hitting him as threw and causing the pass to flutter. It was picked off and returned to make for an easy game-winning field goal.

LB Luke Masterson

The 49ers first scoring drive started with Masterson out of position on an 11-yard run. A few plays later he gave up a seven-yard catch. The next play Christian McCaffrey broke off a 36-yard run and they went on to score the touchdown to tie it at 7-7.

They made it two touchdown drives to open the game. The second TD drive Masterson gave up a nine-yard catch and the touchdown catch.

The third 49ers TD drive came in the third quarter. From the Vegas 30-yard-line, Masterson bit on the play action on a reverse that went for 16 yards. They scored on the next play.

Early in the fourth quarter, with the score tied up at 24-24, Materson was late getting over to give up a 42-yard catch and run to the 23-yard-line, setting up a field goal and a 27-24 49ers lead.

The next drive was capped by a 14-yard run on which Masterson was dragged the final five yards to the end zone to give the 49ers a 34-27 lead.

CB Nate Hobbs, S Trevon Moehrig, S Duron Harmon

Hobbs gave up the first touchdown of the game on a two-yard catch. He and Moehrig were then called for pass interference on consecutive plays on the next drive that ended in a touchdown.

The third TD drive, Hobbs gave up a 19-yard catch and the drive ended with Duron Harmon among those blocked on a 14-yard touchdown run.

The next two scoring drive began with Moehrig missing the tackle on a nine-yard run and getting blocked on a 42-yard catch and run. Both ended with field goals to give the 49ers their first lead of the game.

The final touchdown for the 49ers saw Harmon blocked along the way from 14 yards out.

The Raiders got a temporary reprieve despite the 49ers driving into scoring position in the final seconds. That drive Harmon gave up an 11-yard catch and Hobbs gave up three catches for 42 yards. The game went to OT due to Robbie Gould missing a 41-yard field goal.

DT Bilal Nichols, DT Jerry Tillery

You wouldn’t have hardly even knew these guys were in the game if you weren’t watching closely. With just one solo tackle between them and no pressure on Brock Purdy, the 49ers offense had their way with the Raiders defensive line.

Tillery gave up a 36-yard run on the first touchdown drive that was stopped at the one. And Nichols was handled on the block on their final touchdown run from 14 yards out.

DC Patrick Graham

When every level of the defense fails, the man in charge of them does too. Even with the Raiders offense matching their most points scored in regulation this season, they still couldn’t keep it.

Story originally appeared on Raiders Wire