49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy believes facing adversity against the Raiders was “great for the team,” as San Francisco pulled out a win in overtime in Las Vegas.
The Raiders might have moved from Oakland to Las Vegas, but it always will be a Battle of the Bay when they face the 49ers.
Although the unique rivalry doesn’t have the official title anymore since the Raiders left the Bay Area following the 2019 NFL season, that feeling for fans separated by the Bay Bridge remains. And it was very alive Sunday when the two teams battled it out in an overtime Week 17 showdown at Allegiant Stadium.
After the 49ers came out on top with a 37-34 win, 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead made one thing perfectly clear.
Prior to Sunday’s matchup, the two teams had played against each other 14 times, with the all-time series tied at 7-7, making things even more intense in their latest contest.
San Francisco now has won five of its last six contests against the Raiders and holds the all-time series winning record (8-7). And just like Armstead, 49ers fans won’t let Raiders fans forget it.
The rivalry goes back decades as their first meeting was Dec. 20, 1970. Although in different divisions, the teams would occasionally meet in the preseason and did so for about 20 years until things turned violent in 2011.
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The teams last matched up in 2018, which ended in a 34-3 49ers rout. Five years had gone by before Sunday's game brought the two teams on the same field together again. All fans -- Raiders, 49ers and football fanatics -- can agree that it did not disappoint.