August 22, 2009 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CA

Rookie QB Nate Davis led the 49ers to three fourth quarter scores and the San Francisco defense forced four turnovers in the team’s 21-20 victory over cross-Bay rival, the Oakland Raiders, in the second preseason game of the 2009 NFL season.

Before Davis’ fourth-quarter heroics, it was Alex Smith’s chance to start under center. He completed just three-of-nine passes for 30 yards and was intercepted once. Shaun Hill, the presumptive opening day starter, didn’t fare much better completing a measly three-of-seven for 20 yards. Though the quarterbacks weren’t impressive, the running game racked up 275 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. All-Pro running back Frank Gore saw his first action of the young season (two rushes for seven yards), but it was rookie Glen Coffee who shined this day. The 2009 third-round pick out of Alabama ran for 129 yards on 16 carries, averaging almost nine yards a pop. Michael Robinson also ran for 97 yards and Kory Sheets had 51 more on the ground as well as a touchdown.

For the second straight week, San Francisco safety Reggie Smith saved the day for the 49ers. Last week, he picked off Broncos QB Chris Simms on a two-point conversion to seal the 49ers’ win over Denver. Fast forward eight days and the second-year pro faced another game-deciding two-point try, but this time Smith used a corner blitz to rattle Raiders QB Charlie Frye into an errant incomplete pass for another 49ers win.