The Greatest Moments in the 49ers-Raiders Rivalry

Few rivalries are as heated as territorial. While the 49ers and Raiders may not face each other every year, their rivalry is just as important to the Bay Area as those with more national appeal such as the 49ers-Cowboys, Ravens-Steelers, Patriots-Colts and Bears-Packers. Even though they have rarely faced off with equal rosters, these two teams and their fan bases hate each other with a passion that echoes from San Francisco and Santa Clara to wherever the Raiders call home. It is a rivalry built in the Bay Area and filled with memorable moments with some of the game's greatest. Let's take a look at some of its most memorable moments.

1985: An MVP has a Bad Day

The defending Super Bowl champions entered the L.A. Coliseum hot, having vanquished the Atlanta Falcons 35-16 just the week before. The 49ers vaunted defense knew that they had their hands full that afternoon as Raiders running back Marcus Allen was capable of anything. In his last two games, he ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns while catching eight passes for 57 yards. It was clear to many that he was just getting warmed up.

Indeed, the 49ers did their job, holding the great running back to just 59 yards on hte ground and 53 yards through the air, never once allowing him to cross the goal line. It would be his last game of the season to rush for less than 81 yards while he would eclipse 53 receiving yards just once (54 in Week 11).

Meanwhile, the 49ers bevy of stars put on a clinic against their rivals. Roger Craig added 20 receiving yards to his historic 1,000-1,000 season as he pranced into the endzone to begin the deluge. Touchdowns by Dwight Clark and Bill Ring in the second half put the game out of reach and it wasn't until quarterback Marc Wilson plunged from the one-yard line late in the game that the Raiders scored a touchdown of their own.

Marcus Allen would ultimately get the last laugh though. His 1,759 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on a 4.6 average as well as his 67 receptions for 555 yards and three touchdowns were deemed good enough for him to be named the league's MVP at season's end.

1991: Charles Haley Goes Bonkers... Again

The 49ers were going through some growing pains in 1991. After Joe Montana went down with a career-defining injury in the 1990 NFC Championship Game, his longtime backup Steve Young took over and struggled under the immense pressure of replacing a legend for much of the season. To top things off, both Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig, staples of the 49ers dynasty, had signed with the Raiders that offseason.

This was a grudge match filled with field goals and a lot of emotions. After the Raiders won, 49ers defensive end Charles Haley became violent in the locker room, seeking out both Young and coach George Seifert. It was only when Ronnie Lott was summoned from the home locker room to sooth Haley that things began to settle down. But the damage had already been done. Charles Haley was traded to Dallas before the start of the 1992 season. It was a move that the 49ers would forever regret.

1994: Jerry Rice Break's Jim Brown's Touchdown Record

Jerry Rice had spent the past nine years eviscerating defenses and scoring touchdowns while climbing the seemingly insurmountable ladder that Jim Brown had set three decades earlier. At the beginning of the 1994 season, the great receiver was just three touchdowns away from breaking the legendary running back's lifetime record. With the 49ers traveling to Kansas City the next week, everyone at Candlestick Park knew that the 49ers wouldn't rest until Jerry Rice broke the record at home. The fact that it was against their rivals who had once been across the Bay was only sweeter.

Rice began the game by catching Steve Young's heave on a post pattern and racing towards the end zone 69 yards away in the first quarter. After that, things quieted down for Rice as Young found tight end Brent Jones for two touchdowns to extend San Francisco's lead. Midway through the fourth quarter, the 49ers made a mad dash for history as their quarterback rumbled up the gut on fourth-and-five to keep the drive going. rice returned the favor a few plays later by taking a reverse from running back Ricky Watters 23 yards to score his 126th career touchdown, tying Brown's record and giving the 49ers a massive 37-14 advantage.

A short while later, the 49ers got the ball back. With time winding down, they knew that this might be their last chance to make history at home as both teams had begun pulling their starters. Steve Young dropped back and heaved with all his might, making sure that Jerry Rice was the only one with a shot at catching it. With defenders blanketing him from all sides, Rice leaped towards the heavens and came down with the ball. With the clock reading 5:29 left in the game, Jerry Rice's 38-yard touchdown reception made him the NFL's all-time touchdown leader. Now with 202 touchdowns to his name, Jerry Rice remain's the game's greatest scorer.

2000: Overmatched 49ers Take Raiders the Distance

The Raiders had been through some rough times over the past few years. After leaving Oakland in 1982, they returned from Los Angeles in 1995 yet they had yet to return to the postseason. That all changed in 2000. Hard driven head coach Jon Gruden had spent years cultivating and reestablishing the "Raider mystique" that the team had abandoned. Led by journeyman quarterback Rich Gannon and Heisman Trophy winning receiver Tim Brown, the Raiders took the league by storm in 2000 and would end the season losing to the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.

Meanwhile, the 49ers were going through growing pains as well. After Steve Young's sudden retirement that offseason, Jeff Garcia took over as the franchise's quarterback. Still, the young signal caller had a lot of growing up to do, even with great receivers such has Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice leading San Francisco's areal assault. It was an odd year for the 49ers, for although they eventually found their stride, they still finished the year a disappointing 6-10.

Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski got the Raiders on the board first with two field goals before Terrell Owens answered with a four-yard touchdown grab in the middle of the second quarter to the delight of the 3Com Park crowd. Tai Streets caught an exhilarating 37-yard pass down the sidelines to jumpstart the 49ers final drive of the half that would end with Jerry Rice snagging a five-yard touchdown with just 19 seconds remaining.

The Raiders came roaring back in the second half as Rich Gannon's successful two-point conversion dash followed Tyron Wheatley's one-yard plunge to tie the game at 14-all. Tim Brown answered Charlie Garner's fumble just minutes later by catching a 30-yarder to give Oakland the lead and after Gannon's 13-yard naked bootleg on the second play of the fourth quarter, all seemed lost for the 49ers

But the Red and Gold refused to go down quietly as their defense stiffened up and their offense came to life. Terrell Owens juked and jived his way for a 31-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive and after Janikowski missed a field goal, Charlie Garner made up for his two fumbles by catching the tying touchdown.

Back and forth the two teams went and soon, regulation had come to a close and the two teams were staring into the face of sudden death overtime. Tim Brown got things going with a 45-yard catch and run that helped set up his usually reliable kicker. Unfortunately, Janikowski whiffed the 35-yard attempt and the Raiders were left scratching their heads. The Raiders found new life as Anthony Dorsett blocked Wade Richie's chip shot field goal on the next drive. With 4:45 left in overtime, Rich Gannon found Tim Brown wide open down the right sideline for the clinching 31-yard touchdown. Although the outmanned 49ers gave it their all, the Raiders won 34-28.

2002: The Last Contenders

In 2002, both the 49ers and Raiders entered the year knowing that their respective Super Bowl windows were closing due to free agency, age and ever changing coaching staffs and front offices. Indeed, that year would be the last that the two teams would meet in the regular season and end the year in the playoffs.

Much had changed since their last encounter, none bigger than Jerry Rice. Following the 2000 season, Rice signed with the Raiders and immediately began paying dividends, teaming up with Tim Brown to form one of the league's best receiving tandems. This his first and only "real" game against his former team and he wanted to show the 49ers what they were missing.

Jerry Rice set up league MVP Rich Gannon's a one-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Porter by drawing a pass interference penalty deep in the 49ers red zone. A short while later, Terrell Owens hauled in Jeff Garcia's heave for a 42-yard gain, setting up Jose Cortez's 20-yard field goal. Ronald Curry fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the 49ers immediately pounced on the opportunity, with Cedrick Wilson catching Garcia's pass for an 11-yard touchdown and the lead.

The second and third quarters were relatively quiet as Sebastian Janikowski nailed a couple of field goals to give the Raiders a 13-10 halftime lead and Jose Corteze nailed. a22-yarder in the third to tie the game. Early in the fourth quarter, Jeff Garcia found Tai Streets deep in the middle of the end zeon for a two-yard touchdown to retake the lead. After a long drive, Charlie Garner rumbled his way up the gut for a 10-yard touchdown to tie the game.

The 49ers had a chance to win in regulation, but Jose Cortez missed the chip shot field goal badly. He didn't have any time to feel bad for himself however, as his team won the coin toss and got the ball back in overtime. Lined up in practically the same spot that he had before, Cortez nailed the game winning 23-yard field goal go vie the 49ers a hard fought 23-20 victory.

2014: The Changing of the Guard

The 49ers and Raiders had lived very different lives the past three years. While the Raiders were stuck in the mire of their ways, the 49ers were enjoying a terrific three year stretch where they reached at least the NFC Championship Game in each year. They had a loaded roster filled with All Pros and dotted with future Hall of Famers.

Meanwhile, the Raiders were starting fresh in 2014, having drafted quarterback Derek Carr and outside linebacker Kahlil Mack. They knew that they would eventually be good, but first they had to travel through the desert. Going into their Week 14 matchup, the Raiders had only recently won their first game of the year two weeks earlier. On the other side of the Bay, the 49ers were going thorugh a rough period as well. Their front office and coaching staff did not get along and there was tension on the sidelines as several players were going through legal and health issues. Still, the 49ers were favored by nine points against their rivals from across the Bay.

After throwing an interception on his first pass of the game, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick redeemed himself by completing an eight yard touchdown pass to fullback Bruce Miller to take a 7-3 lead. Still, the 49ers could not get out of their own way. Poor play by both sides of the line gave Oakland ample opportunity to go for the jugular. Derek Carr's two touchdown passes to Marcel Reeve and Mychal Rivera put the nail in the coffin as the 49ers lost 24-13. Two years later, the Raiders made the playoffs for the first time since 2002 while the 49ers finished 2-14. The tide had turned.

2022: The Raiders put up a Fight

The 49ers were rolling and the Raiders were in flux. Ever since Kyle Shanahan took over as the 49ers coach in 2017, the 49ers had built through the draft and free agency to become a juggernaut. Late in 2022, it didn't even matter who was starting under center. After losing their Opening Day starter Trey Lance in the second week of the season and his backup Jimmy Garoppolo (who had led the 49ers to two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl), the 49ers turned to the very last pick in the 2022 Draft, Brock Purdy. Surrounded by some of the best weapons in the game and fortified with a hungry defense, Purdy took the league by storm, leading the team to three straight wins (after his teammates had already won five in a row) going into their Week 17 matchup with the now Las Vegas Raiders.

Meanwhile, the Raiders were in flux. After less than a season of work, it was clear to all that coach Josh McDaniels and quarterback Derek Carr were not good for each other. Just days before the game, a benched Carr had unfollowed the team on social media. No one expected the 9.5 point underdog Raiders to fight back against a team on fire.

Quarterback Jarret Stidham got the Raiders on the board first with a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darren Waller. A short while later, Purdy found Brandon Aiyuk for a two-yard touchdown pass to tie the game. After the Raiders finished the first quarter with a 20-yard field goal, George Kittle gave the 49ers a four point lead wiht a two-yard snag in the second quarter. Las Vegas fought back and with just ten seconds remaining in the half, Davante Adams grabbed a four-yard pass from Stidham to give the Raiders a stunning 17-14 halftime lead.

Adams followed that up with an acrobatic 60-yard jaunt early in the third quarter. Seeing their dreams of a higher seed in the playoffs slipping away, the 49ers took command of the moment as newly acquired running back Christian McCaffrey finished off a drive with a 14-yard touchdown to cut the deficit. just before the third quarter expired. Kicker Robbie Gould both tied and took the lead on back to back kicks in the fourth quarter, but the Raiders Daniel Carlson tied the game again with a 57-yard field goal of his own.

Late in the game, the two sides traded touchdowns as neither defense could stifle the ground attack. Regulation ended with the teams tied 34-34 as Robbie Gould missed a 41-yard field goal wide right.. Nick Bosa, that year's Defensive Player of the Year, had been quiet for much of the afternoon, never getting his mitts on Jarrett Stidham. Still, the defensive end is relentless, no matter the circumstances. With the Raiders threatening, Bosa pushed a Raiders offensive lineman into Stidham's lap just as he threw the ball. Niners safety Tashaun Gipson was all to happy to collect the interception and rumbled 56-yards to set up Gould's redemptive game winning 23-yard field goal.

The 49ers won the thriller 37-34 and wouldn't lose until the NFC Championship Game four weeks later. Meanwhile, the Raiders have continued to stumble their way through mediocrity. But on that one afternoon, the gloves came off and the standings mattered little. All that mattered to those on the field was giving it their all, every single play.

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References

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