Raiders' Jarrett Stidham Wows Twitter After Derek Carr Benching in OT Loss vs. 49ers

Scott Polacek @@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 2, 2023

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 01: Jarrett Stidham #3 of the Las Vegas Raiders is pressured by Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers and Deommodore Lenoir #38 of the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Welcome to the show, Jarrett Stidham.

While the San Francisco 49ers escaped Allegiant Stadium with a 37-34 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and are still alive in the race for the NFC's No. 1 seed, the opposing quarterback making his first career start became the story.

The Raiders appear to be moving on from Derek Carr, with Ian Rapoport reporting they will "explore trade options," which left Stidham under center as the AFC West team plays out the string on a lost campaign.

All he did was go 23-of-34 for 365 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against one of the best defenses in the league, earning plenty of praise in the process:

NFL @NFL
Jarrett Stidham! Davante Adams! Run it back. 📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SFvsLV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SFvsLV</a> on FOX 📱: Stream on NFL+ <a href="https://t.co/AWLwvE0huJ">https://t.co/AWLwvE0huJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/TazRLCgZOZ">pic.twitter.com/TazRLCgZOZ</a>

B/R Gridiron @brgridiron
DAVANTE ADAMS. WOW. 😱 (via <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>)<a href="https://t.co/5tNMAnSePW">pic.twitter.com/5tNMAnSePW</a>

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Derek Carr watching Jarrett Stidham and Davante Adams score touchdowns <a href="https://t.co/9AY104d7US">pic.twitter.com/9AY104d7US</a>

Rodger Sherman @rodger
<a href="https://t.co/QREclywA7D">pic.twitter.com/QREclywA7D</a>

Nate Tice @Nate_Tice
Jarrett Stidham with the chaotic lifeforce of Brock Purdy <a href="https://t.co/8ZtO8WZFoc">pic.twitter.com/8ZtO8WZFoc</a>

Darren Rovell @darrenrovell
$56,765: What the Las Vegas Raiders paid Jarrett Stidham this week to play brilliantly against the 49ers. $1,023,529: What the Las Vegas Raiders paid Derek Carr to not show up to the game.

Albert Breer @AlbertBreer
Jarrett Stidham might be crushing Derek Carr's trade value here.

Lindsay Jones @bylindsayhjones
If we'd have told you back in August that Brock Purdy vs Jarrett Stidham would be one of the most competitive, entertaining games of the NFL season…

Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
This catch was inconceivable. Also — Stidham looks fantastic. I'm not in a great place. <a href="https://t.co/NTl1pZaLRn">pic.twitter.com/NTl1pZaLRn</a>

Paul Gutierrez @PGutierrezESPN
The only quarterbacks to throw 3 touchdowns against this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/49ers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#49ers</a> defense this season are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a> Jarrett Stidham and....Patrick Mahomes. That <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> game in Week 7 was the last game the 49ers lost. They've won 8 straight games.

Field Yates @FieldYates
Jarrett Stidham in the first half of his first career start, playoff against the best defense in the NFL: 11-for-14, 145 yards, 2 TD, no interceptions, no sacks taken. Decisive, accurate and in complete control. Very impressive.

Levi Edwards @theleviedwards
America watching Jarrett Stidham this evening <a href="https://t.co/hGtoAS3ISN">pic.twitter.com/hGtoAS3ISN</a>

lindsey ok @lindseyyok
Jarrett Stidham looking immediately better than Derek Carr is hilarious

Benjamin Solak @BenjaminSolak
why would you be scared of the playoff packers while the Jarrett Stidham Raiders are sitting here with a 2% chance to make it

Michael David Smith @MichaelDavSmith
The Patriots gave Jarrett Stidham away to the Raiders. (Trade was Stidham and a seventh-round pick for a sixth-round pick.) And Stidham looks better against the 49ers today than Mac Jones has looked at any point this season.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Davante Adams really broke the Raiders single-season receiving yards record on this catch TOUGH 😤 <a href="https://t.co/FPxuq5R6hz">pic.twitter.com/FPxuq5R6hz</a>

Stidham was dialed in from the start with touchdown passes to Darren Waller and Davante Adams in the first half. The latter made an incredible catch in the corner of the end zone to give the Raiders the lead at intermission, and there seemed to be an immediate chemistry in place with the No. 1 option and inexperienced signal-caller.

That chemistry continued in the second half with an incredible play that saw Stidham roll out of the pocket, stand strong as he absorbed a monster hit and deliver a strike to Adams, who did the rest for a touchdown.

Throw in a monster deep ball between the two during the game-tying touchdown drive in the final minutes, and the Stidham-Adams combination was unstoppable.

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While it didn't help that the Las Vegas defense couldn't stop Christian McCaffrey and gave up 20 points in the second half, the magic eventually ran out. After Robbie Gould missed a game-winning field goal in regulation, Stidham threw an interception that Tashaun Gipson Sr. returned deep into Raiders' territory to set up the winning kick in overtime.

The 49ers have now won nine in a row, but this one was anything but easy against Stidham.