3 Takeaways from Raiders' Week 17 Loss vs. 49ers

The Las Vegas Raiders appeared to be punting on the 2022 season when they benched starting quarterback Derek Carr for the final two games. However, Las Vegas showed that it has plenty of fight left, even though they fell to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17.

The 49ers, who are still alive for the NFC's No. 1 seed, came into Sunday as hot as any team in football. Led by backup-turned-starter Jarrett Stidham, the Raiders took San Francisco to overtime.

Stidham didn't do enough to win the game, but he provided an offensive spark that has been missing recently with Carr under center. Davante Adams played every bit like the All-Pro receiver he was with the Green Bay Packers, and the Las Vegas offense showed that it can go toe-to-toe with one of the best defenses in the NFL.

The Raiders have been eliminated from the postseason, but they can play spoiler against the Kansas City Chiefs next week. That game suddenly looks a lot more interesting.

Here are our three biggest takeaways from Las Vegas' Week 17 loss to the 49ers.

The Raiders Might Have Something in Stidham

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Jarrett Stidham

Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round pick out of Auburn, never got a chance to start in three seasons with the New England Patriots. However, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels got to see Stidham for those three years as New England's offensive coordinator.

The rest of the Raiders got a look at Stidham on Sunday. Against a defense that ranks second overall and first in points allowed, Stidham went 23-of-34 for 365 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 34 yards and quickly developed a rhythm with Adams and tight end Darren Waller.

Adams caught seven passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Waller caught four for 72 yards and a score.

With the benching of Carr potentially a precursor to the Raiders parting ways with their longtime starter, Stidham has a chance to audition for a role in 2023. He'll be a free agent in March, but re-signing him as a backup or a bridge starter—if Las Vegas is eying quarterbacks in the 2023 draft—would make plenty of sense.

Stidham looked the part of a starter for most of Sunday's game, before a poorly thrown interception in overtime cost him the game. He'll have a chance against the Kansas City Chiefs next week to prove that the performance was no fluke.

Josh McDaniels Isn't Getting Fired in the Offseason

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Raiders coach Josh McDaniels

While Carr may not be a Raider next season, there's virtually no chance that McDaniels is gone. It always felt unlikely that McDaniels would be one-and-done in Las Vegas, and even more so after franchise owner Mark Davis offered up his public support.

"As far as Josh goes, I have no issues," Davis said in November, per Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Still, missing the postseason a year after the Raiders made it with interim coach Rich Bisaccia wasn't the best look for McDaniels, and his decision to bench Carr could have blown up in his face. Had the Raiders quit on McDaniels and rolled over against the 49ers, Davis' support might have waned.

Instead, Las Vegas battled, Stidham played about as well as Carr has all season, and it was clear that at least some of the players have bought into what McDaniels is selling.

Is McDaniels going to be the long-term answer as head coach? That remains to be seen, but it's becoming clear that he'll get another opportunity to run the show in 2023.

Josh Jacobs Is Going to Get Paid in Free Agency

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Raiders RB Josh Jacobs

Since the Raiders are largely focused on 2023 now, it's worth discussing the future of Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs. He'll be a free agent in the spring, and without a doubt, he's shown enough this season to warrant an extension.

To date, the Alabama product has rushed for 1,608 yards, caught 51 passes for 395 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. While his numbers against San Francisco weren't eye-popping, he did enough to keep the defense honest while making life easier on Stidham in his first career start.

Jacobs finished with 69 rushing yards (4.1 yards per carry), four receptions, 26 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown. He also caught the attention of 49ers star and likely Defensive Player of the Year candidate Nick Bosa.

"Best running back I've played against in my career, no doubt about it," Bosa said of Jacobs, per Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area.

While the Raiders should be eager to keep Jacobs, they won't be able to do so at a bargain price. Not after this season. Jacobs has emerged as one of the league's best all-around backs in 2022, and it was apparent throughout Sunday's game that he's in store for a hefty payday.

Jacobs has an estimated market value of $12.2 million annually, according to Spotrac, and it wouldn't be a shock to see him command even more.