San Francisco 49ers fans have had this one circled on the calendar since the 2018 schedule was revealed – a Week 9 matchup against the Oakland Raiders on "Thursday Night Football." The Nov. 1 showdown will mark the final "Battle of the Bay" before the Raiders leave town and move to Las Vegas.
There's a lot to unpack with this matchup. Both teams finished 2017 with 6-10 records. That led to the coin flip for draft position at the NFL Combine that landed in San Francisco's favor. The 49ers claimed the ninth-overall selection with the Raiders picking 10th. It turned out that the toss had a direct impact on the results of the 2018 NFL Draft.
When San Francisco selected Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey with the ninth pick, Oakland immediately traded back to spot No. 15. The Raiders ended up taking UCLA tackle Kolton Miller with the pick. Following the conclusion of the first round, there were reports that the Raiders had locked onto McGlinchey as their guy – hence the trade back when the 49ers took him off the board.
Jon Gruden, in his second stint as the Raiders head coach, will lead the Raiders into Levi's® Stadium. The high-profile hire was highlighted by Gruden's 10-year, $100 million contract. He'll be standing across the field from his former understudy, Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan started his NFL coaching career working under Gruden with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The quarterbacks are sure to be headliners as well. Expectations for Jimmy Garoppolo are sky high after signing his massive five-year contract extension. Derek Carr is coming off of an underwhelming campaign as a lingering back injury limited him to just 3,496 passing yards and 22 touchdowns.
Fans who attend the final installment of this rivalry in its current form will receive a "Battle of the Bay" rally towel. It's sure to be a raucous atmosphere as the 49ers will be looking to begin the second half of their season on the right foot.
There are still three game themes and giveaways yet to reveal. Check back next Wednesday to see what's in store for you in Week 7 when the 49ers host the Los Angeles Rams on "Sunday Night Football." Until then, here's what's been revealed thus far.
| Game | Opponent | Game Theme | Giveaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 16 | Chicago Bears | Faithful Appreciation | Beanie |
| Week 15 | Seattle Seahawks | Youth Football and Player Cause | Poster |
| Week 14 | Denver Broncos | First Responders Appreciation | Tote Bag |
| Week 10 | New York Giants | Salute to Service | Cheer Banner |
| Week 9 | Oakland Raiders | "Battle of the Bay" | Rally Towel |
