Three things to watch for at Raiders-49ers on "TNF"

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The Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers meet in a two-team showdown with two wins combined. The year of football in the Bay Area has been tough, in part because of a devastating injury to the ACL for a team and a disassembly in mid-season for the other .

But it's always football in prime time, and as the saying goes, when it is, it is. In addition, as long as they escape the traffic, many supporters of both teams should go to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. And who does not like football under the lights ?!

Here are three reasons why you should watch the week 9 edition of Thursday Football. Remember: when it's turned on, it's on.

1. Final battle of the bay

This will be the last battle of the bay. The Raiders are expected to travel to Oakland in 2020 and teams will meet only once every four years. This has been a bit more juicy in recent years, especially when both teams were in the running and both were playing in old stadiums that were more relics than modern wonders. Now, only one team plays in an aging room and this game is played in the other, which is very new and has always been a good host. TNF Games.

The last point is important: at the time of prehistoric Brian Hoyer, San Francisco faced the Rams in an entertaining competition held Thursday night, a year ago. And just two weeks ago, the Niners gave the Packers everything they could do Monday night.

This begs the question: are the Niners at their best when the pressure is high? Is Kyle Shanahan the football equivalent of One-Take Jay?

In addition, are the Raiders able to beat anyone other than the Browns? And if so, would not it be great for Jon Gruden to win his second win against a neighbor that his team fanbase does not like much on their home turf?

I know, you can not wait for the kickoff now. But there is more!

2. tight end palooza!

Jared Cook is a name you may know. George Kittle, probably not – but it is in your interest to familiarize yourself.

In what is probably more the product of a quarterback that relies on a security cover (or defense systems that turn their attention elsewhere), these two tight ends lead their teams to the reception. Cook, who has had a relatively productive career during his 10-year career in the NFL, is heading to a career year at age 31. He is Derek Carr's # 1 target, and that has been pretty obvious for seven games, a glimmer of a season-long sad for Silver and Black.

Then, on the other side of the bay, Kittle, a second-year pass catcher who has already passed his 2017 total. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that he's doing a lot without Jimmy Garoppolo, lost because of the aforementioned injury to the ACL. No, Kittle teams up with C.J. Beathard, his former university teammate in Iowa.

This familiarity is paying off, to the point that Kittle has joined Focus Pro's All Pro Pro team.

What tight end will rule supreme Thursday? Where are they going both to be stars?

Hold your head together so that it does not explode.

3. Terrell Owens returns to the faithful

Each broadcaster has a page to which he or she turns when a game turns into an explosion, and this is mine for that piece. In case the game is not captivating, there is an additional attraction, the one that was for a time the greatest football.

His name: Terrell Owens. You may know him as T.O.

Owens became notoriously the first in history to boycott his own funeral in the Football Hall of Fame in August, making headlines and enlightening the selectors, who he said had hurt him. to wait a few years. On Thursday, he will be honored at half-time and receive his Hall of Fame ring of excellence.

Pro Football Hall President and CEO David Baker travels across the country handing these rings to each of the new recruits. Similar ceremonies take place in each stadium of the Hall of Fame team. Jerry Kramer received his in Green Bay earlier this season; Robert Brazile also in Nashville.

But none of these men avoided their ceremony and had his at his college. Owens did, doing a little intrigue with this meeting. (It is important to note that there is no lingering animosity between the Hall and Owens, the Hall keeping his invitation open to Owens permanently and a guarantee to protect his legacy for as long as he lives. It exists.)

Plus, expect many camera clippings during the game and comment on his illustrious career (including how he eventually became a star of rival Dallas Cowboys) via Joe Buck and FOX's Troy Aikman. Maybe we'll even have another Hello football tie.