The San Francisco 49ers' preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders ended with the visitors walking away with an 18-12 victory at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada on Aug. 27.
The Niners took a 12-9 lead with 9:09 remaining in the game after a 59-yard field goal from Eddy Piñeiro, who went 6-for-6 on field goals (24 yards, 25, 48, 59, 51, 54) in the final preseason game for San Francisco.
The Raiders answered on the next possession. Matt Gay hit a 48-yard field goal, tying the game 12-12 with 7:38 left.
The 49ers responded, going 50 yards in 12 plays and capping the possession with a 51-yard field goal to give San Francisco the lead with 1:51 remaining. The 49ers' defense stopped the Raiders and gave the ball back to their offense, which was able
to extend the lead on a Pineiro 54-yard field goal.
No touchdowns were scored in the game, a credit to both defenses.
Here's a breakdown of the winners and losers from the preseason finale matchup between the 49ers and Raiders:
Winners from 49ers' preseason finale
49ers running back room
San Francisco might have one of the best running back groups in the NFL. Everyone knows that MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey is capable of putting up more than 1,000 yards rushing or receiving. However, with the depth that the Niners have in the backfield, San Francisco can spread his touches around and keep him readily available throughout the season.
Kaelon Black seems to be a fine draft pick. Black has shown a mix of power and speed when taking handoffs. Against the Raiders on Aug. 27, the rookie running back averaged 7 yards per carry, showcasing his promising skillset.
Jordan James has also shown that he could be a trusted back capable of making something happen on any given snap. He made a catch out of the backfield and added 35 rushing yards in eight attempts. Khalil Herbert isn't one to sleep on. He led San Francisco on the ground with 40 yards on six touches against Las Vegas.
Sincere McCormick has had moments, however he did not have a great performance against Las Vegas with seven touches for just 8 yards.
Don't forget that San Francisco signed Deebo Samuel Sr. in the offseason. He's expected to line up at running back at times.
Final opportunities for 49ers' second-, third-string
The Niners' second- and third-string players, along with others looking to make a name for themselves, got to showcase why they belong on San Francisco's 53-man roster. It was the last look that front offices get before cutdown day.
For guys like Adrian Martinez, who went 12-for-21 passing for 130 yards with no touchdowns, it was the last chance to have eyes on them. Martinez had a solid outing and with Kurtis Rourke dealing with broken ribs, Martinez needs to stay ready.
KhaDarel Hodge had timely catches and big plays on special teams that really stood out.
San Francisco starters
It's the final preseason game and that's a win for the 49ers and their starters as they get a chance to rest up and heal any nagging injuries ahead of their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Expect the Niners to have guys ready and healthy, including Brock Purdy, McCaffrey, Samuel and even potentially George Kittle. Others expected to be ready are Trent Williams, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
Eddy Pineiro
Piñeiro got paid over the offseason and it's looking like he's going to back that promotion up with stellar play. He went 6-for-6 against the Raiders, with three makes of at least 50 yards.
Last season, he only missed one field goal. Piñeiro finished 28-for-29 on field goals and tied Nick Folk for best field goal percentage in the NFL at 96.6%.
His only miss of the season was a 64-yard field goal attempt against the Colts that was just a few feet short, hitting the crossbar.
Losers from 49ers' preseason finale
Raiders rookie QB Fernando Mendoza
Against the 49ers, the first overall pick had the worst rating of all Raiders quarterbacks. Mendoza had a 31.0 quarterback rating after going 7-for-14 for 57 yards. He was sacked twice and had a pass intercepted after the ball deflected off the hands of his receiver with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.
There's a reason he's not yet starting over Kirk Cousins.
49ers mistakes
The game was filled with second- and third-string players and it wasn't a clean game. That's not reassuring in the event that starters go down. San Francisco committed nine penalties for 84 yards.
Although it's just preseason, that's something that the 49ers want to fix going into their regular-season opener against the Rams.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winners and losers from 49ers vs. Raiders preseason finale: Eddy Pineiro perfect
