Bay Area debate? Joe Staley prefers 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo over Raiders’ Derek Carr

Before the start of the season, there was no doubt that the Oakland Raiders had the better quarterback of the two Bay Area NFL teams. Derek Carr, a rising star in the league, was the clear favorite.

Now, the answer isn't as clear. The acquisition of Jimmy Garoppolo by the San Francisco 49ers via a trade with the New England Patriots on October 30 and his starts over the past four games has ignited a debate on which team has the better quarterback.

Former NFL executive and current analyst Michael Lombardi weighed in on the debate on Christmas night and sided with the 49ers quarterback.

41 minutes later, 49ers tackle Joe Staley cast his vote by responding to Lombardi.

It seems clear who Staley thinks is the better of the two quarterbacks.

"Jimmy is playing great football for us at the quarterback position," Staley said following the 49ers' win over the playoff-bound Jacksonville Jaguars this past Sunday. "It is probably the most important position in team sports. He is doing a terrific job out there. He raises all shifts up there, and everybody is playing really good football right now. We have a close locker room. I am really proud to be a part of it. It is pretty special here."

Fans of each team will be able to see both quarterbacks go head-to-head next season. The Raiders will pay a visit to Levi's Stadium next year to play the home-team 49ers. Until then, we can compare each quarterback's stats over the past four games since Garoppolo became the 49ers' starting quarterback and keeping in mind that Carr may have a few more weapons at his disposal.

Since Week 13, Carr has completed 82 of his 144 pass attempts (56.9%) for 809 yards, five touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 70.1. He is 1-3 in those games.

By comparison, Garoppolo has completed 98 of his 143 pass attempts (68.5%) for 1,250 yards, four touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 96.2. He is a perfect 4-0 in those games and 6-0 as an NFL starter.

The debate may not matter much in a few years when the Raiders have officially relocated from Oakland to Las Vegas, which will leave the 49ers as the only NFL team in the Bay Area.