Local QBs seem to have traded places

The quarterbacks in their postgame news conferences told the story Sunday, the story of the two games and the story of the season for the Raiders and 49ers. And maybe for the future. Jimmy Garoppolo was — how else can you say it? — charming. Asked his thoughts on facing the Titans this Sunday, Garoppolo was momentarily confused. The Bay Area’s newest hero was the only person in the world not assuming he will start.

“That’s on Kyle,” Garoppolo said of the, um, decision. What young NFL quarterback, after his second start with a new team and only his fourth NFL start ever, goes first-name on his coach? Like they’re buds. It’s possible Kyle (Shanahan)

won’t start Jimmy on Sunday. Just kidding. Wipe that coffee off your newspaper or laptop screen. The new S.F. (or Santa Clara) QB probably hasn’t even seen the Golden Gate Bridge yet and already he has shot up the Bay Area love scale to a reading not far below “Timmy Lincecum.”

Meanwhile, Derek Carr knows he’ll start for the Raiders on Sunday, but his world has turned bleak and muddy. The Hot Young Quarterback on the Upswinging Raiders is suddenly the focus of the question: Are the Raiders floundering or foundering?

(I had to look it up. Floundering means struggling. Foundering means collapsing or failing completely.) For now, floundering. It’s not just about the quarterbacks, but the switcheroo is on. The Raiders are shockingly inept and the 49ers are stunningly relevant; and Carr was supposed to be the next big star and the Raiders’ glue guy, and Garoppolo was supposed to be the shanghai’d sailor trying to survive the shipwreck.

It might turn out that we’re all overreacting. Maybe Garoppolo isn’t quite a blend of Joe Montana, Steve Young and Tom Brady. Maybe Carr’s mojo is still out there, reclaimable.

But check the big picture: Which team now has the dynamic, get-’er-done coach? Which has the shrewd general manager? Which has an improving defense?

If the 49ers played the Raiders right now, who would win?

I’m not sure, but I know who the 49ers’ quarterback would be.