vs. 
The 49ers are back this weekend at home in a matchup against a team that some folks are convinced the 49ers should beat. The Oakland Raiders sit at 2-3 and are coming off a much-needed victory over the San Diego Chargers. And yet, it's hard to not think of them as the same Raiders that have been struggling for years.
At the end of this weekly post I list out comparative statistics and rankings between the two teams. The Raiders are a team that is all over the place this season. Their passing offense struggles while they put together a strong rushing attack. On the other side of the ball the Raiders pass defense is very solid while their rush defense is one of the worst in the NFL, giving up 147.8 yards per game. Is this the game Frank Gore really busts out on the ground?
The last time these two met was back in 2006 when the 49ers seemed to be a team on the rise. At that point in the season the 49ers were strugglig a bit at 1-3 but put together a fairly strong all around performance. The defense picked four Walter/Tuiasosopo passes. The offense saw Frank Gore put up five yards per carry on his way to 134 yards, while Alex Smith was 15/19 for 165 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. His performance that day netted 120.5 passer rating, which is actually the highest single game rating of his NFL career. Maybe we'll get a repeat performance?
I've decided to add a poll to these prospector's guides so we can see how folks feel about this matchup.
49ers-Raiders Connections
Coaches
- 49ers special asst. to the head coach/secondary coach Johnnie Lynn coached with Raiders special teams coordinator John Fassel while with the Ravens during the 2005 season. Fassel also coached with 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Johnson while with the Ravens from 2006-07. Coach Lynn also coached with Raiders strength and conditioning coach Brad Roll while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1995 season.
- 49ers quarterbacks coach Jason Michael coached with Raiders squad development coach Willie Brown during the 2005 season.
- Raiders squad development coach Willie Brown, tight ends coach Adam Henry, wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal, and special teams coordinator John Fassel, all coached with 49ers running backs coach Tom Rathman during the 2008 season in Oakland. Brown also coached Rathman at running back while the two were with the Raiders during the 1994 season.
- Raiders defensive coordinator John Marshall coached with the 49ers from 1989-98, serving as the defensive line coach from 1989-93, linebackers coach from 1994-96 and defensive coordinator from 1997-98. Marshall was a coach with the 49ers when assistant offensive line coach Ray Brown played T/G for the team and running backs coach Tom Rathman held the same position in 1997. Marshall also coached with 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari while with the Seahawks during the 2008 season.
- Raiders quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett was a quarterback/receivers coach with the 49ers (1982-85). Hackett also coached with 49ers special teams coordinator Kurt Shottenheimer, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, and offensive line coach Mike Solari while with the Chiefs in 1997.
- Raiders passing game coordinator Ted Tollner coached in many capacities for the 49ers, serving as quarterbacks coach (2002-03), offensive coordinator (2004), offensive assistant (2007) and quarterbacks coach/assistant to head coach coach (2008).were teammates at Arizona State University from 2006-09.
49ERS OAKLAND CONNECTIONS: 49ers OT Barry Sims played nine seasons (1999-2007) with the Raiders, starting 115 games for Oakland ... 49ers K Joe Nedney played the final three games of the 1999 season for the Raiders and converted 5 of 7 field goals.
BURNING UP - 49ers WR Kyle Williams and Raiders LB Travis Goethel were teammates at Arizona State University from 2006-09.
FRESNO FAITHFUL - 49ers QB David Carr and Raiders OLB Sam Williams were teammates at Fresno State University from 1999-2001.
BULLDOG BROTHERS - 49ers DT Demetric Evans and Raiders DE Richard Seymour were teammates at the University of Georgia from 1998-2000.
TERP TIES - 49ers TE Vernon Davis and Raiders LS Jon Condo were teammates at the University of Maryland during the 2003 season.
SINGING "ROCKY TOP" - 49ers NT Aubrayo Franklin and Raiders DT John Henderson were teammates at the University of Tennessee in 2001.
LONGHORN LOVE - 49ers CB Tarell Brown, Raiders DE Lamarr Houston, and FS Michael Huff were all teammates at the University of Texas.
HUSKY HEAVEN - 49ers S Dashon Goldson and Raiders RB Marcel Reece were teammates at the University of Washington during the 2006 season.
Series Highlights
Matchups: 11
Series Record: Raiders lead series 6-5
49ers Home Record vs. Raiders: Raiders Lead Series 4-2
First Meeting: 12/20/70, 49ers win, 38-7
Last Meeting: 12/20/09, 49ers win, 34-20
Current Streak: Won 2
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 2 (11/3/02-10/8/06)
Longest Raiders Win Streak: 3 (10/27/74-9/12/82)
Most 49ers Points: 44 (9/5/94), 44-14, at San Francisco
Most Raiders Points: 35 (10/27/74), 35-24, at San Francisco
49ers Shutouts: None
Raiders Shutouts: None
SAN FRANCISCO 34, OAKLAND 20
At San Francisco, CA, October 8, 2006
The San Francisco 49ers forced 5 second half turnovers to rally from a 13-7 halftime deficit in a 34-20 victory over the Oakland Raiders in the Battle of the Bay. The 49ers second half was highlighted by CB Walt Harris' 3 INTs and a TD by rookie DT Melvin Oliver, who scooped up a Raiders fumble on a muffed backward pass and scored on a 12-yard run.
RB Frank Gore and QB Alex Smith both had big games on offense. Gore pounded out 134 rushing yards on 27 carries for a 5.0-yard average. Smith completed 15-of-19 passes for 165 yards and 3 TD passes, including 2 in the 3rd quarter. After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive with a 4-yard TD pass from Smith to WR Arnaz Battle, the 49ers had two chances to pull away in the 2nd quarter after the Raiders closed the gap to 7-6 but were stopped on two 4th-and-1 attempts deep in Oakland territory. The Raiders capitalized on the second failed attempt by executing a perfect two-minute drill that resulted in a TD for a 13-7 halftime lead.
The 49ers quickly took control of the game after halftime with a blocked punt that set up a TD, a fumble returned for a TD and 4 INTs that led to 10 points. LB Manny Lawson blocked a Raiders punt on their first 2nd-half drive that positioned the 49ers at the Oakland 9-yard line, it set up Smith's 2nd TD pass to Battle to retake the lead at 14-13. Oakland drove to the San Francisco 23-yard line on the ensuing drive, Harris had the first of 3 INTs when he picked off a pass in the end zone for a touchback. The 49ers took advantage of the turnover, moving to the 33-yard line, where Smith hit RB Maurice Hicks on a screen pass. Hicks turned it into a 33-yard TD after diving over the pylon to put San Francisco in front 21-13 heading into the final quarter of play.
S Chad Williams intercepted a Raiders pass early in the 4th quarter and returned it 43 yards to the Oakland 28-yard line to set up a PK Joe Nedney FG and a 24-13 lead. On the Raiders first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Oliver scored on a 12-yard fumble return when the Raiders muffed a backward pass. Oakland added a TD and the 49ers answered with a FG for a 34-20 final that improved the 49ers to a 2-3 season record.
2010 Statistics
| 49ERS (rank) | RAIDERS (rank) | |
| 0-5 (4th NFCW) | Record | 2-3 (t-2nd AFCW) |
| 15.2 (30th) | Points per game | 22.2 (11th) |
| 311.4 (23rd) | Total Offense | 339.2 (15th) |
| 77.8 (30th) | Rushing Offense | 134.2 (8th) |
| 233.6 (11th) | Passing Offense | 205.0 (20th) |
| 29:14 (21st) | Possession Avg | 31:18 (14th) |
| 26.0 (27th) | Points allowed/gm | 26.8 (28th) |
| 339.0 (17th) | Total Defense | 345.8 (t-23rd) |
| 111.4 (18th) | Rushing Defense | 147.8 (31st) |
| 227.6 (21st) | Passing Defense | 198.0 (10th) |
| 10 (t-12th) | Sacks | 10 (t-12th) |
| 45.8 (6th) | Punting Avg (Gross) | 49.2 (1st) |
| -10 (32nd) | Turnover Differential | 0 (t-13th) |