It has been 194 days since the 49ers missed out on a win in Las Vegas: another Lombardi Trophy, which instead went to the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The return to Allegiant Stadium tonight will surely bring back painful memories, and it will also give the 49ers a chance to both wrap up the trauma of last season’s overtime loss in Super Bowl LVIII and officially end the preseason against the host Raiders.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said he will use some regular-season starters, possibly even more than the six who played in Sunday’s 16-10 home win over New Orleans in preseason play.
However, the Raiders plan to give their core players a rest, which means Maxx Crosby will not be the one to push Brock Purdy out of the 49ers’ pocket.
Here are four things to look out for:
1. LAST ATTEMPT
There weren’t many spots available on the 49ers’ championship-caliber roster before training camp, so one final preseason game is unlikely to determine many, if any, spots on the roster. Still, the final preseason game offers the hopefuls one last chance to make an impression.
The roster must be reduced from 90 players to 53 by Tuesday afternoon. Some players will be placed on the injured list, with up to two allowed to return after the first month of the season. 17 more players will return to the practice squad, some of whom you may not see in play until next preseason.
While Shanahan says he will use his regular players, it would be surprising if Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Charvarius Ward or Deommodore Lenoir made their preseason debuts.
2. RUNNING BACK ROULETTE
Remember past preseasons when the 49ers produced the NFL rushing leader? Go back to 2007 with Thomas Clayton, 2009 with Glen Coffee, 2010 with Anthony Dixon, 2011 with Kendall Hunter. Yeah, that’s not going to happen this preseason.
Jordan Mason is the 49ers’ leading rusher with 34 yards, which ranks 72nd in the NFL. Mason missed the last game with a hip injury but returned to practice on Wednesday, so he may make a cameo appearance, as he did in the opening series at Tennessee on Aug. 10.
Elijah Mitchell also returned to practice on Wednesday after a two-week layoff with a hamstring injury. The 49ers know enough about him and his medical history that he doesn’t need to play unless they want to trade him. Or he could still be Christian McCaffrey’s best backup this season.
This could be Isaac Guerendo’s professional debut. The fourth-round rookie looked quick and healthy in practice this week after spending four weeks rehabbing a hamstring injury he sustained early in training.
If the 49ers keep Guerendo on the ice as a secret weapon, this could be the final audition for rookie Cody Schrader, the 49ers’ 2018 rushing leader Matt Breida, outside hitter Ke’Shawn Vaughn and perhaps Patrick Taylor Jr., who just returned from a foot injury.
3. FIGHT FOR THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK
Purdy got his first hits in the first quarter against the Saints on Sunday, and maybe making another cameo appearance in this game will help exorcise the demons swirling around in his head over his incomplete passes in the Super Bowl in Vegas.
Before the final season last year, the 49ers had settled their competition for the backup player and traded Trey Lance. Two years ago, the 49ers gave no indication that Purdy would snatch the third spot from Nate Sudfeld behind Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
This year, we have two different styles competing in Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs. Allen knows the system well and has shown great accuracy with long balls to the perimeter. Dobbs’ best plays have come from his legs being out of sync.
“They’re pretty tight, so I’m definitely not going to say it now,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully they’ll show more in these two practices and hopefully a little more in the game.”
Not to be forgotten is rookie Tanner Mordecai, who impressed in his debut on Sunday and worked after practice on Wednesday while general manager John Lynch lingered on the field.
4. CORNERBACK PUZZLE
The 49ers needed to bolster their cornerback position this season — Mahomes-proof, if you will — and they appear to have accomplished that with the depth behind starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir. Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen is happy with Isaac Yiadom before an ankle injury sidelined him, and rookie Renardo Green has performed well as an inside/outside option like Lenoir.
So the question this game can answer is who will secure the final spot (or two). The 49ers retained five cornerbacks from last season’s original roster.
Darrell Luter Jr. appears to have the best chance. Veterans Rock Ya-Sin and Chase Lucas won’t go easily, but could be signed to the practice squad. Sam Womack is a valuable special teams player.
