Stidham shines, but Raiders eliminated with OT loss to 49ers

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023 | 4:51 p.m.

The Raiders’ 37-34 overtime loss to San Francisco on Sunday reiterated a lot of the things we already knew about this year’s Raiders team.

They couldn’t hold a double-digit lead, losing for the fifth time this season when they led by at least 10 points. And the defense crumbled when it mattered, allowing the 49ers to average 7.5 yards per play and score on five of their final seven possessions. None of that came as a surprise.

This game was more about the things we don’t know, starting with the new quarterback and the potential composition the roster as Las Vegas looks ahead to the offseason.

Stidham starts

With longtime Derek Carr exiled for the rest of the season, Jarrett Stidham got his first career NFL start — and opened eyes with his play.

The third-year pro showed he could execute all aspects of the playbook. Head coach Josh McDaniels curated the first drive, calling a pair of designed rollout passes and Stidham hit on both, including a 23-yarder that he placed perfectly over Darren Waller’s shoulder for a touchdown.

Late in the half, Stidham demonstrated some chemistry with No. 1 receiver Davante Adams, hitting him on a fade in the corner of the end zone for a TD with seconds on the clock.

On the first possession out of halftime, Stidham showed he could make something out of nothing when he scrambled outside the pocket and located Adams behind the defense for a 60-yard score.

And Stidham came up clutch when the Raiders needed it most. Trailing, 34-27, with two minutes on the clock, he led a 67-yard touchdown drive to knot the score and send the game into overtime.

It ended poorly in OT, as Stidham was hit mid-windup and threw an interception that set up San Francisco’s game-winning field goal, but the McDaniels has to like what he got from his No. 2 QB. Stidham finished with 365 yards passing — more than Carr logged in any game this season — and three touchdowns.

It’s doubtful Stidham is a long-term consideration for the team’s search for a franchise quarterback, but he might have at least thrown his hat in the ring with his play on Sunday.

Adams revival

There was some speculation after Carr was demoted that Adams might be unhappy with the treatment of his good friend, even to the point of wanting out of Las Vegas. But Sunday showed that Adams can be wildly productive in McDaniels’ offense no matter who is under center.

In the previous three games, Carr and Adams connected on fewer than half of their targets, while Adams’ yardage dropped from 71 to 28 to, bewilderingly, 15 yards (on two catches) when the offense hit rock bottom in last week’s loss at Pittsburgh. With Stidham at the controls, Adams was the focal point once again and enjoyed one of his best games of the season, finishing with seven catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

Adams was deployed all over the field. He caught a designed rollout, an intermediate crossing route, a deep shot down the sideline and a goal-line fade. And he showed a good rapport with Stidham by working free for a 60-yard touchdown after Stidham escaped the pocket early in the third quarter.

There may be a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Raiders as they head into the offseason, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but Adams is rock solid. Whether it’s Stidham, a hot shot rookie or a big-name veteran running the offense next year, Adams will be a premier weapon.

Playoff picture

Because the Dolphins and Jets lost on Sunday, Las Vegas actually had a chance to keep its flickering playoff hopes alive with a win over the 49ers. And they almost pulled it off.

But when Robbie Gould converted a 23-yard field goal in overtime, the Raiders were officially eliminated.

Now it’s time to start looking ahead to the 2023 draft, and the franchise should be well positioned to secure a difference-maker. At 6-10, Las Vegas is currently tied with Atlanta and Carolina for the No. 7 pick; a loss next week against the Chiefs would mean they could drop no lower than 10^th in the draft order, while they could rise as high as No. 6 if the Rams win.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.