49ers Beat Raiders 18-12 in Preseason Finale Decided Entirely by Field Goals

The San Francisco 49ers closed out their 2026 preseason with an 18-12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Every point in the game came from field goals — neither team scored a touchdown, an unusual outcome for a full NFL contest. The win puts San Francisco at 2-1 for the preseason.

Key facts

Final score: 49ers 18, Raiders 12 — every point from field goals, no touchdowns
When and where: Thursday, August 27, 2026, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
San Francisco’s preseason record moves to 2-1
Kicker Eddy Pineiro went 6-for-6 on field goals for San Francisco, including a 51-yarder and a 54-yarder
Raiders kicker Matt Gay made 4 of 5 field goals, missing a 54-yard try
Next meeting: a regular-season game on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. PT at Levi’s Stadium, scheduled to air on CBS
Roster cutdown deadline: Sunday, August 30, 2026, 3:00 p.m. PT

A rematch is already on the calendar

This was the preseason finale, not the teams’ next meeting. San Francisco and Las Vegas are separately scheduled to play again during the regular season on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. PT at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, with the game scheduled to air on CBS — the teams’ first meeting there since 2018, which also makes it their first game at Levi’s Stadium since the Raiders relocated to Las Vegas. The 49ers lead the all-time series 8-7 and are 4-4 at home against the Raiders. Thursday’s game was the two franchises’ 44th all-time preseason meeting.

Field goals decide the game

Kicker Eddy Pineiro provided the entire 49ers scoring output, going 6-for-6 on field goals, including a 51-yard attempt and a 54-yarder that put San Francisco ahead for good. The Raiders answered with field goals of their own — kicker Matt Gay made four of five field-goal attempts, missing a 54-yard try in the third quarter — but never found the end zone; San Francisco’s defense held Las Vegas scoreless on touchdowns and forced multiple Raiders field-goal attempts. Linebacker Tatum Bethune intercepted a pass and returned it 16 yards, and Keion White recorded an 11-yard sack.

Backups get their shot

With most of San Francisco’s usual starters held out of the game, the finale doubled as an audition for players fighting for a roster spot. Backup quarterback Adrian Martinez ran the offense, completing 12 of 21 passes for 130 yards. On the ground, Khalil Herbert paced San Francisco’s rushing attack with 39 yards on 8 carries. Wide receiver Jordan Watkins was one of the game’s most productive players, catching four passes for 64 yards and adding 21 rushing yards on three carries. Running back Jordan James made his 2026 preseason debut in the game after missing much of training camp with a rib injury, and The Press Democrat named him one of the game’s standout performers for his vision and pass-catching. His exact stat line was disputed across reports, but he entered 2026 as the RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey and was competing with rookie Kaelon Black. Ahead of the game, running back Christian McCaffrey had been held out of camp and practice with an injury of his own, while receivers Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall were also sidelined.

Injuries in the finale

The 49ers came away from the game with a couple of injury concerns. Linebacker Jalen Graham was evaluated for a concussion during the game but was cleared to return. Rookie cornerback Ephesians Prysock, a fourth-round pick, left in the first quarter with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder — the joint where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade. Tight end Brayden Willis suffered a concussion and did not return for the rest of the night.

What happens next

NFL teams, including the 49ers, must cut their rosters from 90 players down to 53 by Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PT — earlier than the traditional post-preseason Tuesday deadline, in part because San Francisco has to travel to Australia to open its season. In the days around the Raiders game, the 49ers also reshaped their roster. They traded running back Zamir White to the New Orleans Saints for linebacker Deion Jones. The team also signed defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko Jr. to a one-year deal and released tight end Josiah Deguara.

San Francisco opens the 2026 regular season on Thursday, September 10, against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia — the NFL’s first regular-season game held in the country, streaming on Netflix.