Niners Ride McCaffrey to Victory over Falcons

Week 7 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium after a brief two-game road trip, the (4-2) San Francisco 49ers would look to shake off their first road loss of the season while playing host to the upstart (3-2) Atlanta Falcons in primetime on Sunday Night Football. After finishing with an 8-9 record a season ago, second-year head coach Raheem Morris has the Falcons playing a much better brand of football so far this season as the team entered Sunday night's game coming off a pair of impressive wins over the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills, two teams that made it to their respective conference championship a season ago. Led by a red-hot running back in Bijan Robinson who tallied 170 rushing yards and a touchdown a week earlier, the head-to-head matchup against San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey would be one of the main storylines entering the game. Having trained with each other in the offseason, Sunday would be the first time both players would step on the same playing field in a game. 

Another storyline on the 49ers' side would be how the team would respond defensively without their leader and heartbeat in All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who was officially added to the team's Injured Reserve list earlier in the day after he suffered a broken and dislocated ankle a week ago. While no player would be able to step in and replicate the type of impact Fred Warner is capable of making, second-year linebacker Tatum Bethune made a good first impression in his first career start. When things were all said and done, Bethune tallied 10 total tackles setting a new career-high, including one tackle for loss. Needing to play inspired ball on defense, Bethune was one of several 49er players able to do just that as both he and fellow linebacker Dee Winters showed up to Levi's Stadium wearing a Fred Warner jersey. While Warner was unable to suit up with his squad, he made his presence very known by showing support to his 49er teammates on the field before the game while riding around on a mobility scooter and hugging them on their way into the locker room after the game. Warner was also shown multiple times on the Levi's Stadium jumbotron during the game which was sure to fire up the fans. 

In what's been a rough season for Kyle Shanahan's 49ers on the injury front, the team finally received some good news regarding tight-end George Kittle as the All-Pro returned to the field on Sunday. In his first game back in action since leaving in the first half of Week 1, Kittle failed to log a single reception in the entire game on two targets, but he still made his presence felt as his blocking prowess played a major role in why the running game was finally able to have some success. Behind Kittle's stellar blocking, running back Christian McCaffrey was able to surpass his season-high in rushing yards (69) by halftime. McCaffrey would nearly double that mark on Sunday night by finishing with 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, his most rushing yards in a game since Week 16 2023 and his seventh consecutive game with over 100 scrimmage yards. Sunday's game would also be McCaffrey's seventh career game with 100+ rushing yards and 70+ receiving yards, breaking a tie with Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk and Priest Holmes for the most in NFL history. CMC would also become the first player in NFL history with 50+ rush yards and 50+ receiving yards in 6 of his team's first 7 games. 

But before the 49ers took control of the ballgame on the ground and imposed their will in the trenches, things got off to a less-than-ideal start. While San Francisco was able to hold Atlanta's offense to a three and out punt on the game's opening-drive, the Falcons did manage to strike first with a field goal on their second possession and had an opportunity to add on more as San Francisco saw their second drive that was trending in the right direction go up in flames when quarterback Mac Jones had his pass intended for Jauan Jennings tipped into the air and intercepted. Their third possession would be a charm, however, as San Francisco found the end zone on McCaffrey's first of two touchdowns. The team would tack on a field goal after forcing Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to fumble the ball following a Bryce Huff strip-sack, giving the Niners a 10-3 advantage. Atlanta nearly got three-points back on their end just before the half following a big gain on a 38-yard completion to receiver Darnell Mooney down the sideline, but a key intentional-grounding penalty one play later would result in a pivotal 10-second runoff that ended the half and prevented the Falcons from even attempting a field goal try.  

With San Francisco opening the second half in possession of the ball, they would add another Eddy Pineiro field goal to increase their lead to 13-3. After holding the Falcons offense to their second-fewest rushing yards in a half this season thru the first two quarters, Atlanta would take advantage of a big 45-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Taking over near midfield, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson who had been held in check up to this point began to finally put his stamp on the game, catching a screen-pass and scoring on a 10-yard touchdown to make it a 13-10 ballgame. Atlanta would have a chance to take the lead or at least tie the game near the midway point of the fourth quarter, but coach Morris' decision to bypass a game-tying field goal attempt and instead go for it on 4th and 1 at the San Francisco 35 yard line would come back to haunt him as cornerback Chase Lucas read the play perfectly and caused a broken pass intended for Drake London, resulting in a pivotal turnover on downs. With rookie cornerback Upton Stout listed as a gametime-decision, his injured ankle would keep him sidelined for the game which led to Lucas being called upon to fill in. And fill in he did, making several key plays in coverage that helped keep London (4 receptions, 42 yards) and company at bay. 

Taking advantage of Atlanta's unsuccessful gamble, the 49ers marched 59-yards on 15-plays in just under 6-minutes, capping off the big drive with McCaffrey's second touchdown of the night from 4-yards out. Penix Jr. and the Falcons offense would give it one final shot at a last-ditch comeback with under 2:30 remaining in regulation, but another turnover on downs would seal the Niners' 20-10 victory. McCaffrey would lead both teams in rushing (129) and receiving (72), helping San Francisco put up their highest total in rush yards (174) since 2024 Week 8 vs the Dallas Cowboys. With the win, quarterback Mac Jones earned an extra $400K in incentives by winning four games as the 49ers' starting QB, improving his record to 4-1 as the team's starter. Jones would have his most pedestrian game yet on the season by throwing for only 152 yards, no touchdowns and 1 interception, but still found a way to help his team get the win. Jones' counterpart Michael Penix Jr. threw for 241 yards and 1 touchdown but did suffer the big fumble before the half. Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson was held to just 40-yards on the ground on 14 carries, but did have a strong night receiving with 52 yards and a touchdown on 6 receptions. Niners kicker Eddy Pineiro logged another strong outing in the win by going 2-for-2 on field goals from 55 and 43 yards, setting a San Francisco franchise record for consecutive field goals made to start a season with 17. 

Week 8 Preview: The (5-2) 49ers will head back on the road to pay a visit to the Lone Star State where they will face off against the (2-4) Houston Texans and head coach DeMeco Ryans who served two seasons under Kyle Shanahan as defensive coordinator of the 49ers from 2021-22. Coming off a 27-19 loss on the road to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, the Texans offense had a lackluster night both on the ground with only 56 rushing yards to show for and thru the air from quarterback C.J. Stroud who took a beating and was pressured virtually all game long. Robert Saleh's 49er defense will look to replicate that same success Seattle had against this Houston group. Stroud might also be without his top target in receiver Nico Collins who had to exit Monday's game after his head hit the turf on a play that has left him in the league's concussion protocol. Putting pressure on the Niners to keep up their winning ways are the division rival Rams and Seahawks who share a three-way tie with San Francisco for the top spot in the NFC West at 5-2 on the year. 

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Another Game Another Key Injury, 49ers Lose Warner before Falling to Bucs

Week 6 - The 2025 NFL season has been a rough one for teams around the league regarding injuries as some of the game's brightest players have fallen to the injury bug in the early going. But no team in all of football has had it worse than the (4-1) San Francisco 49ers in terms of both the amount of players they've lost to injury (27) and the star power of those losses as head coach Kyle Shanahan could virtually assemble a Pro Bowl team with the laundry list of injuries his team has already suffered only five games into the season. On Sunday while taking on the (4-1) Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, the 49ers who are already without former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, lost yet another one of their defensive captains and vocal leaders and suffered without a doubt their biggest blow possible when 4-time First-Team All-Pro and 4-time Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Warner needed to be carted off the field in the game's opening quarter after being rolled up on by a teammate making a tackle. Warner entered Sunday's game needing only five tackles to surpass Hall of Famer Patrick Willis for the 49ers' franchise record and tallied only one before suffering the injury at the 7:48 mark of the first quarter. 

The magnitude of both the player and injury was quite evident as players from both teams gathered near midfield to take a knee and hold a prayer for Warner as he was attended to by medical personnel before being carted to the locker room with what was later diagnosed as a broken and dislocated ankle. It would also come as a shock given how durable Warner has been over the years having missed only 1 game out of 122 career contests. He will now miss the rest of the season with 11 games remaining. Unfortunately, even after the brutal injury, the show would have to go on as there were still more than three and a half quarters to be played. Touted as being a heavyweight matchup for the NFC's top-seed, Sunday's meeting between the 49ers and Bucs would mark the first time in NFL history that two teams would meet six weeks into the season with all of their games decided by 5-points or less. Ironically, the two teams who have only known one-score games this season would ultimately take part in a game that was decided by double-digits. 

San Francisco's defense which hadn't allowed any first quarter points all season, got off to another promising start to begin the game as quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers were held to a punt on the game's opening-drive. After a pair of runs on first and second down on the 49ers' ensuing possession, QB Mac Jones had his first pass attempt of the afternoon intercepted on a play that saw the quarterback and receiver clearly on the wrong page. A week after a career-night for 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne, the QB-receiver duo was out of sync which allowed the Bucs to setup shop at the San Francisco 12 where they would score two plays later with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by running back Rachaad White, ending the Niner defense's scoreless first quarter streak. Jones and Bourne would redeem themselves on San Francisco's next drive as the two connected on the very next play with a 41-yard pass that helped the 49ers get on the board with a 52-yard Eddy Pineiro field goal. After exchanging punts, Jones and Bourne were back at it to open the second quarter, this time connecting on a 56-yard reception. Still seeking their first rushing touchdown of the year, Christian McCaffrey finally broke through on third down with a 1-yard score to give San Francisco a 10-7 lead. 

The 49ers' lead would be short-lived as the Bucs took advantage of Warner not being on the field and began to pick apart the 49er secondary, scoring touchdowns on three of their next four full possessions after the heart-wrenching injury took place. One of the league's leading MVP-candidates in the early going, Baker Mayfield led his team on back-to-back touchdown-scoring drives to end the first half as San Francisco was only able to answer with field goals, leading to a 20-16 halftime lead for Tampa Bay. The Niners nearly suffered another freak injury before halftime when kicker Eddy Pineiro had his foot stepped on by a teammate just after drilling the field goal that sent the team into the half. Despite trailing at the half, it would be only the second career game with 200 passing yards thru the first two quarters for 49ers QB Mac Jones. Sunday would also mark the first time in his career that he would log back-to-back 300 yard passing games as Jones threw for a season-high 347 when it was all said and done. Adding a fourth field goal by Pineiro to open the second half, Tampa Bay again did them one better by finding the end zone. One of the bigger plays that likely did the 49ers in was a pivotal 3rd and 14 that saw Mayfield avoid being sacked by two defenders before breaking another tackle and eventually lunging forward for the first down on a back-breaking 15-yard run. Instead of setting up a punt, the Bucs converted for a new set of downs and scored two plays later on a 45-yard bomb to Tez Johnson. 

After a failed two-point conversion and a missed field goal on Tampa Bay's ensuing possession, the 49ers still had a chance trailing by 8-points with just under 9-minutes to go. But with a second Mac Jones interception on the day and a turnover on downs on San Francisco's final two possessions, the 49ers would fall 30 to 19, allowing their highest point total of the season. Unable to force any turnovers of their own on defense, the 49ers' drought of consecutive games without an interception has now reached 13 games, the longest such streak in NFL history. In a game that was full of lots of negatives, the 49ers did have a few positives on Sunday including the first career sack of rookie first round pick Mykel Williams and the return of second-year safety Malik Mustapha who made his season debut after recovering from an ACL injury suffered at the end of last season. Entering the game with a career record of 0-4 against the 49ers, Baker Mayfield finally got off the schneid with the win on Sunday, improving his MVP campaign by throwing for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win and sacked only once, despite losing his top target Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury in the first half. Elsewhere, the 49ers' offensive-line which has been problematic this season, would let quarterback Mac Jones down on Sunday as he was sacked six times on the afternoon, tying a career-high. 

49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne had another stellar day at the office Sunday, tallying a career-high 142 receiving yards for the second consecutive week, giving him back-to-back games of 100+ yards after only one such game in his previous 114 career games. Meanwhile, Bourne's teammate and fellow receiver Jauan Jennings had another rough day at the office after missing action in Week 5 due to an injury, catching only one pass for 7 yards. Jennings was called for several penalties on Sunday and even got into a shouting match on the sideline with coach Shanahan. Jennings revealed in the locker room after the game that he played through five broken ribs which would explain his poor performance. But the biggest elephant in the room after the game were the worries that surrounded Fred Warner. Team reporters described the somber 49ers locker room after the game as the most depressing they've ever felt it outside of the Super Bowl loss in overtime two seasons ago. And understandably so, the loss of Warner is sure to change the way John Lynch will approach the NFL trade deadline as they will likely need too much to now fill the voids of both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. The truth is there is no replacing the type of player or leader that Fred Warner is and there isn't a Fred Warner-type player out there on the market. Baker Mayfield also opened up his postgame presser by sending thoughts and prayers to Warner. 

Week 7 Preview: The (4-2) 49ers will return home to Levi's Stadium in Week 7 where they will play host to the (3-2) Atlanta Falcons for a Sunday Night showdown. With head coach Kyle Shanahan having to now plan for life without the league's best linebacker with Fred Warner out, some good news should be on the horizon as the team is expected to get both George Kittle (hamstring) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) back in the lineup this week on offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy could also be eying a return soon as he recovers from a toe injury that has kept him out of all but two games this season. The 49ers will have their hands full come Sunday with Falcons running back Bijan Robinson who trained with fellow running back Christian McCaffrey in the offseason. Robinson is coming off a spectacular game in which he logged 238 scrimmage yards, the most ever in a single game in Falcons franchise history after 170 rushing yards and another 68 yards receiving. Atlanta is equally as daunting on the defensive side of things as their defense has allowed the fewest total yards per game and passing yards per game in the NFL this season.

With coach Shanahan yet to announce a starter at quarterback, regardless of who is under-center on Sunday, the 49er offensive-line will have to do a much better job of keeping their QB on their feet as Mac Jones was sacked too many times last week and will face another tough bunch to face this week coming off a four-sack night against Buffalo's Josh Allen. The Falcons are riding high with a two-game win streak after pulling off the Monday Night upset over the Bills on Monday night, 24-14.  

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49ers Win Thursday Night Thriller over Rams behind Pair of Defensive Rookies

Week 5 - After dropping both games to the rival (3-1) Los Angeles Rams a season ago, the (3-1) San Francisco 49ers were dubbed the little brother to their southern California counterparts by L.A. running back Kyren Williams. Referencing a changing of the guard after the Niners had enjoyed a dominant run in recent years over the Rams in their historic rivalry with nine straight regular season wins dating back to 2019, the Rams had suddenly found themselves winners of three straight head-to-head meetings for the first time since 1999 to 2001. With a myriad of injuries up and down the roster for the Niners and only four days removed from their first loss of the season in Week 4, San Francisco made the trip to L.A. and opened up as 8.5 point underdogs. While not exactly a surprise to some given the Rams' hot start and San Francisco's ever expanding injury list, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed to his team before kickoff that the game's high spread had pissed him off as echoed at the podium in quarterback Mac Jones' postgame presser. Not to mention homefield advantage was hardly a factor as the 49er faithful would paint the town red once again as L.A.'s SoFi Stadium, appropriately nicknamed Levi's South, resembled a 49ers home game as red and gold was adorned throughout. 

Making the start at QB for a third time this season after a brief return from Brock Purdy who would miss his third game in four weeks due to a toe injury, backup Mac Jones filled in quite nicely once again despite having his thinnest options at wide receiver yet. With a banged up receiving corps that was missing Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) who were just the latest additions to the injury list, as well as Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jacob Cowing (hamstring), Jordan Wakins (calf) and All-Pro tight-end George Kittle (hamstring), the 49ers would look to Kendrick Bourne who had only joined the team three weeks ago via free-agency and Demarcus Robinson who barely made his season debut with the team a week ago after serving a 3-game suspension to start the season. While Robinson didn't quite have the revenge game many including myself thought he would against his former team of the past two years, Bourne on the other hand turned back the clock and registered a career night with 10 receptions and 142 receiving yards. With San Francisco being the only team in the NFL ranked in the top 5 in total offense and total defense this season, they would flex both of those muscles in the first half on Thursday. 

Coming out guns blazing on both sides of the ball to open the game, the 49ers were absolutely dominant in the opening quarter, highlighted by an opening-drive touchdown that spanned 87-yards over 12-plays, capped off by a touchdown pass from Jones to backup tight-end Jake Tonges who again answered the call while filling in for the injured Kittle. After forcing a punt on L.A.'s first possession of the game, Kyle Shanahan's offense embarked on an even longer drive of 76-yards on 19-plays, eating up over 8-minutes in time of possession. Again, ending the drive with a touchdown, Jones threw a dart to running back Christian McCaffrey who scored from a yard out to give his team a 14-0 lead. Just when the Rams began to finally show some life on offense, the 49ers pounced on a fumbled pitch from L.A.'s quarterback Matt Stafford. The Rams would finally find the end zone before the half with a touchdown reception from Kyren Williams, but San Francisco would manage to add to their lead before halftime with an Eddy Pineiro field goal, making it 17-7 at the half. 

Opening the second half with the ball, the Rams would have an early opportunity to put a dent into San Francisco's lead, but their kicking woes would once again haunt them. Prior to Thursday night, the only loss suffered by the Rams this season came at the hands of the kicking team as kicker Joshua Karty had his potential game-winning field goal attempt blocked and returned by the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in Week 3. Against the Niners, Karty would have another forgetful game as his 53-yard field goal attempt was missed wide right. Making matters worse, the Niners were able to add another Eddy Pineiro field goal on the other end to make it a 20-7 game. While San Francisco would continue to dominant in the time of possession battle, their inability to score a touchdown from the 1-yard line would allow the Rams to stick around. With touchdowns on each of their next two possessions, Matt Stafford and the Rams would do just that as Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams each hauled in touchdown receptions to help pull L.A. even. What was once a 20-7 game with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter, quickly turned into a 20-20 tie with a pending extra-point that would give the Rams a 21-20 lead. However, the Rams would be snakebitten again by kicker Joshua Kurty who this time had his PAT blocked by Jordan Elliott of the 49ers. 

With both teams exchanging punts after failing to move the chains, San Francisco took over from their own 2-yard line before moving the ball up the field and making it across midfield. But it was there where their drive would begin to stall as they were forced to settle for yet another field goal attempt. With his deepest attempt yet in a 49ers uniform, kicker Eddy Pineiro would nail the 59-yard field goal attempt, setting a new career-long and giving San Francisco a 23-20 lead with 2:57 remaining in the fourth quarter. It would also mark the second longest made field goal in 49ers franchise history (David Akers, 63-yards). After logging his 50th career game-winning drive a week earlier against the Colts, Rams QB Matt Stafford would have a chance to add another to his resume as L.A. took over and quickly began to march down the field. Already thin on the defensive-line, defensive tackle Kalia Davis (broken hand) and defensive-end Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) would have to leave Thursday's game with injuries. But that wouldn't stop another name on the defensive-line from stepping up big and making a game-saving play as rookie Alfred Collins turned in his best game yet at the pro level. With the Rams making it all the way to the 1-yard line, running back Kyren Williams would be met near the goal line by Collins who was able to punch the ball loose and recover his own forced fumble. 

While the Niners would take over pinned back at their own goal line with only 1:05 remaining in regulation, they would fail to convert a game-sealing first down and instead had to punt the ball back to the Rams who were able to successfully preserve clock by using all three of their timeouts. Taking over at midfield, the Rams were able to move the ball another 20 yards to setup Karty who was able to redeem himself a bit with a 48-yard field goal that would tie the score at 23-23 and send the game into overtime. With the Rams winning the coin-toss and electing to differ, the 49ers were given another gift from Karty who's kickoff fell short of the landing zone which resulted in a penalty and San Francisco taking over at the 40-yard line. Able to move the ball another 46 yards on strikes from Mac Jones, the 49ers eventually settled for a 41-yard field goal from Pineiro that skipped off the inner-post before splitting the uprights. Just enough to give the 49er fans in attendance and watching from home a mild heart-attack. With the Rams taking over possession with a chance to sneak away with a win, Stafford launched a deep pass on 2nd and 1 to a wide-open Tutu Atwell for a 38-yard gain that put the Rams in the red zone. But after failing to convert the first down on the next three plays, Rams head coach Sean McVay opted to go for it on a crucial 4th and 1 attempt from the San Francisco 11-yard line where running back Kyren Williams would be met just shy of the 1st down marker by a gang of 49er defenders including rookie safety Marquis Sigle who came up with the game-winning stop, sending the 49er sideline and the SoFi Stadium crowd into a frenzy. 

Pulling off the upset to improve to 4-1 on the season, San Francisco improved to 3-0 in the division after a dreadful 1-5 record against division foes a year ago and snapped their three-game skid to the Rams. With all five games this season decided by one score, Thursday marked the first game without a turnovers this season for San Francisco. And while they came up with two fumbles in the win, the defense is still in search of their first interception of the season. 49ers quarterback Mac Jones threw for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns, becoming just the 4th QB since 1950 to record a 3-0 record and pass for 800+ yards and 6+ touchdowns in his first three starts with a team (Matt Stafford 2021, Patrick Mahomes 2017-18, and Kurt Warner 1999). With his league-best third game this season with 275+ passing yards and a 65+ completion percentage, Jones also became just the 4th 49ers QB since 1950 to win his first 3 starts in franchise history (Y.A. Tittle, Jimmy Garoppolo, Brock Purdy). Elsewhere, running back Christian McCaffrey was unable to record a rushing touchdown yet again, but made his presence felt in other ways by registering another 139 yards from scrimmage, giving him 100+ scrimmage yards in each game this season. CMC becomes just the 6th player in NFL history to reach 11,000+ scrimmage yards and 80+ total touchdowns in their first 100 games. All other players to reach that feat before him are either Hall of Famers or are guaranteed to one day reach that honor (Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, Ladanian Tomlinson, and Adrian Peterson). Matt Stafford of the Rams also had a stellar outing in the loss, passing for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns. Receiver Puka Nacua logged another 10 catches for 85-yards and a touchdown, becoming the first player in NFL history with 50+ receptions in the first five games to a season. 

Week 6 Preview: The (4-1) 49ers will hit the road in Week 6 where they are undefeated up to this point with a record of 3-0 away from Levi's Stadium and will pay a visit to Tampa Bay to face off against Baker Mayfield and the (4-1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Leaders of the NFC South, Mayfield has the Bucs looking to run the table once again in the division. Coming off an impressive road victory over the Seahawks in Seattle, Mayfield has gotten the Bucs off to a tremendous start so far with the help of his newest toy and early Offensive Rookie of the Year front-runner Emeka Egbuka. The two have connected inside the end zone on five occasions already and will be one of the key storylines the 49er defense will have to keep close tabs on come Sunday. With San Francisco still yet to give up any points in the first quarter of a game this season, they'll try to keep that trend alive against this high-powered Bucs offense. While the 49ers have won all of their games by close margins with wins of 4, 5, 1 and 3 points, the Bucs actually have them beat as they're the first team in NFL history to win four games by 3 or fewer points in the first five games of a season. Of those four wins, three of them have come on the road.

And like San Francisco, Tampa Bay is winning games without some of their best players as receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, running back Bucky Irving and tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke have all missed time this season. After losses from both Philadelphia and Seattle on Sunday, the 49ers currently sit atop the NFC standings with a record of 4-1 and the only team in the conference with more than one division win under their belt. With a thrilling 23-20 win over Tampa Bay at home a season ago, there will likely be more fireworks when these two teams meet as both clubs try to stake their claim atop the NFC standings.

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Turnovers too much to Overcome for 49ers in 1st Loss of the Season

Week 4 - Looking to keep their undefeated streak alive, the (3-0) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the (2-1) Jacksonville Jaguars. But before the two teams would even have a chance to step onto the gridiron to face one another, fireworks would fly in the days leading up to the matchup when Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh mentioned during his Thursday presser with the media that his players and staff would have to be extra careful with their signs and communication on gameday when explaining that Jags first-year head coach Liam Coen's staff has an elite system of legally stealing signs that dates back to his time in Los Angeles with the Rams where he spent four seasons on their coaching staff. While Coen kept things light and deflected to address Saleh's comments during the week, they were sure to be a hot topic when both teams met at midfield after the game which led to both Coen and Saleh having to be separated by players and staff following a war of words. 

With injuries plaguing the 49ers each and every week in the early part of the season thus far, second-year receiver Ricky Pearsall who has been a godsend through the first three weeks and practically the only healthy receiver remaining on the team, ironically appeared on the team's injury report as somewhat of a surprise on Wednesday with knee soreness. Like teammate and fellow wide-receiver Jauan Jennings who has been dealing with ankle and shoulder injuries of his own, the two wide-outs would be game-time decisions for Sunday. Meanwhile, quarterback Brody Purdy who had missed the last two games while dealing with toe and shoulder injuries, was given clearance to return to action for Sunday's game, albeit while having to wear extra toe protection. But by the time the game started, it was evident that the Niners signal-caller would have to shake off the cobwebs as many of his passes were off-target or often time had too much air on them which led to overthrows or worse -- interceptions. Purdy's problems weren't the only thing holding the Niners back on Sunday, but they certainly led the charge, especially in the first half. 

The 49ers would open the scoring on Sunday with a field goal on their opening-drive after making a trip inside the red zone but failed to strike pay dirt. After forcing Jacksonville to punt after what appeared to be a successful opening-drive by the Jags, the 49ers suffered their first of several miscues on the afternoon when tight-end and former-Jaguar Luke Farrell fumbled on the first play of the second quarter during a first down reception that would've set the Niners up near mid-field. Quick to turn the turnover into points, Jags running back Travis Etienne wasted no time by taking the handoff on the first play of the ensuing drive 48-yards to the house to give his team a 7-3 lead. Looking to answer, Purdy connected with Pearsall on a highlight-worthy reception for 31-yards just a few plays later, only to have his next pass intercepted on a ball that was just out of the reach of a streaking Christian McCaffrey, tipped into the air and into the hands of a Jaguars defender. With a 19-play, 107-yard drive that spanned more than 8-minutes, Jacksonville was able to take a 14-3 lead after quarterback Trevor Lawrence found tight-end Hunter Long in the end zone for the touchdown. 

Taking over with just under 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the second half, the 49ers who were in need of any points they could get before halftime, marched their way inside the red zone before stalling out at the 5-yard line. Able to add to another Eddy Pineiro field goal, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers appeared to be heading into the half trailing by only one score. Instead, San Francisco's special-teams which has been a nightmare for the past few seasons, reared its ugly head once again on the ensuing kickoff as Jacksonville returned the kick 66-yards to put his team within striking distance with 0:32 remaining. By adding a field goal of their own, the Jaguars were virtually able to steal back those three points and put a dent in any momentum San Francisco had planned on carrying with them into the half. Opening the second half trailing 17-6, the 49ers were finally able to find the elusive touchdown-scoring drive that eluded them in the first half. After forcing a three and out on the Jags' opening-drive to begin quarter No. 3, a big play to backup tight-end Jake Tonges helped setup an 8-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to McCaffrey on a shovel pass. With a successful two-point conversion to Jauan Jennings, the Niners would pull within a field goal, but they would suffer a price as Jennings took a shot to the ribs that would limit him for the remainder of the contest. 

With as good as San Francisco's defense has been through the first three weeks of the season, Robert Saleh's unit has been unable to force an interception up to this point. Even worse, the Niners' interception drought spans to their last ten games. Meanwhile, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence had thrown at least one interception in six straight games entering Sunday, both of which are the longest active streaks in the NFL. The 49ers thought they had their first pick on the year during Jacksonville's ensuing possession when rookie cornerback Upton Stout jumped in front of a pass intended for Jags rookie receiver Travis Hunter, but a dubious pass interference call wiped away any hopes of a turnover. With the drive eventually ending in a punt, the 49ers would get the ball back with a chance to take the lead, but Brock Purdy had his pass tipped and intercepted on the first play of the drive. By adding a field goal, the Jaguars were able to score their 17th point off of San Francisco turnovers. 

The 49ers nearly got off the schneid by forcing their first turnover of the afternoon when All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball loose while making a tackle for his 17th career forced fumble, but the Niners were unable to recover the football. Nonetheless, Warner's forced fumble would put him in sole possession for the most in franchise history, breaking a tie with newly inducted Hall of Famer Patrick Willis. With the 49er defense playing much better in the second half, allowing only 3-points, perhaps the biggest back-breaker of them all would come on an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jacksonville's Parker Washington. With a turnover on downs on the other end to open the fourth quarter, things were not looking good for the 49ers who were now trailing 26-14. But even then, San Francisco would fight back and put themselves in a position to potentially steal another win. With another big reception from Christian McCaffrey, Jake Tonges was able to score just a few plays later, taking a screen pass 21-yards for the touchdown. Narrowing the gap to make it a 26-21 ballgame, the 49ers appeared to be in business when Jags kicker Cam Little missed a field goal attempt from 47 yards out. But just when the Niners began to march following a quick 13-yard gain on first down, Purdy was stripped of the ball from none other than former 49er Arik Armstead, sealing the win and spoiling things for the team that drafted him 17th overall where he spent the first nine years of his career. 

Having lost 15 of their last 19 games on the west coast entering Sunday, the Jags were able to improve to 3-1 on the year for the first time since 2018, thanks in large part to their ability to force takeaways. By winning the turnover battle 4-0 against San Francisco, the Jacksonville defense logged 3+ takeaways in four straight games for the first time in franchise history. With only nine takeaways all of last season, the fewest in the NFL, the Jags have already surpassed that mark in only four games with 13, the most in the league. On the other hand, San Francisco committed four turnovers for the first time since December 25, 2023 versus the Baltimore Ravens. Playing in their first game without defensive star Nick Bosa, the effect of not having their best pass rusher was blatantly clear after Sunday as the 49ers failed to log a single sack or single QB hit in a game for the first time since September 20, 2015 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. San Francisco's defensive-line saw their QB pressure totals take a major dip on Sunday, dropping from 22 each of the last two weeks to just 5. Their previous season-low was 10 in Week 1 against Seattle. 

As bad as San Francisco's special-teams has been over the last few years, Sunday saw a low even for them as they allowed their first punt return for a touchdown since Dec. 3, 2017 versus the Chicago Bears. 49ers QB Brock Purdy threw for 309 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the loss, compared to only 174 yards passing and 1 touchdown from Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence. Jags running back Travis Etienne rushed for a game-high 124 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Christian McCaffrey hauled in six receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers and added another 49 yards on the ground to give him 141 yards of total offense. Unfortunately, Sunday would mark the first time in 47-years the 49ers would fail to log a single rushing touchdown thru the first four weeks of a season and the last remaining team in the league to find the end zone on the ground this season. 

Week 5 Preview: Sitting in a 3-way tie for 1st place in the NFC West following their Week 4 loss, the (3-1) 49ers will have a chance to improve to 3-0 in the division when they get set to face the last remaining rival and their longest standing rival in the (3-1) Los Angeles Rams. With a banged up roster and a short week ahead of the Thursday Night meeting at LoFi Stadium aka Levi's South, the 49ers will have their hands full and will likely summon Mac Jones back into the starting quarterback role once again to make his third start of the season with Brock Purdy experiencing more toe soreness following Sunday's game. Purdy joins receivers Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall as well as linebacker Dee Winters who were all dinged up on Sunday and are all listed as questionable for the quick turnaround of Thursday's game. Regardless of health, the 49ers will need to do a much better job in the turnover department as the four turnovers suffered in the loss to the Jags were far too many for any team to overcome, especially one with a myriad of injuries. With Jennings and Pearsall out, former Ram Demarcus Robinson will likely see a heavy workload in his first game against the team he spent the last two seasons with. A revenge game for Robinson would do wonders for a receiving corps that has been descimated by injuries. Robinson is also looking to make his first stamp with his new team after having served a 3-game suspension to start the season stemming from a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. 

The Rams enjoyed success against the Niners last season with wins in both meetings including a late-game comeback in L.A. in Week 3 which kickstarted a series of games in which the 49ers struggled to hold leads late. Ironically enough, special-teams also proved to be a major factor and a key reason the 49ers were able to allow L.A. to sneak back in and win that game, just like it did on Sunday against the Jags. The only loss suffered by the Rams so far this season came at the hands of the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles who blocked and returned a go-ahead field goal in the final seconds of their Week 3 meeting.  

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49ers Pull off Walk-off Win over Cardinals, But Lose Bosa for the Season

Week 3 - After starting the season with back-to-back road games, the (2-0) San Francisco 49ers would return to Levi's Stadium to host the (2-0) Arizona Cardinals in front of the Faithful in their home-opener. Sitting atop the NFC Western Division standings at 2-0 in a three-way tie with the Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers would have a chance to separate themselves a bit with what would be their second win against a division opponent in as many tries and the only team entering Sunday with a win within the division. With only one win against the vaunted NFC West a year ago, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would be able to eclipse that mark on Sunday with a victory, while also looking to bounce back from dropping both games against the Cardinals in 2024-25. What would begin as an offensive struggle highlighted by stellar defensive play by both sides thru the first three quarters, quickly turned into a classic finish that would be won in large part thanks to the contributions of several of the 49ers' newest members. 

But not before both teams were struck hard by the injury bug, claiming team captains from both sides with season-ending leg injuries. Having suffered several key injuries in the early going of the season through the first two weeks, the Niners got more bad news on Sunday when defensive-end and former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa went down in the first quarter with a knee injury. While Bosa was able to walk off the field gingerly under his own power, he would hit the deck on the sideline while being examined by the team's medical staff before giving a thumbs down to family members watching from the stands. Meanwhile, Arizona running back James Conner suffered an ankle injury that would require him to be carted off the field early in the second half. The injuries to both players would be a gut-punch to their respective teams and will undoubtedly leave a void on the field and in the clubhouse. But as always, the show must go on. 

While neither team was able to do much of anything in the opening quarter, the limited success on offense came from Arizona on the Cardinals' opening-drive which spanned 14-plays before eventually stalling on a missed field goal attempt from kicker Chad Ryland who missed from 57-yards out. San Francisco on the other hand saw two possessions in the first quarter, both of which ending with a three and out punt. After Arizona struck first with a field goal on their next drive, San Francisco answered with a field goal of their own as the offense finally began to move the chains before kicker Eddy Pineiro tied the game at 3. Running the two-minute offense would become a thing of beauty for San Francisco on Sunday, as quarterback Mac Jones was able to stay cool, calm and collective in marching his team down the field to close out both halves against the Cardinals. After forcing an Arizona punt just before the two-minute warning, Jones was able to get his kicker in position to kick a go-ahead field goal just before halftime as Pineiro split the uprights from 51-yards out to give his team a 6-3 lead heading into the locker room. 

Without one of their team captains on defense for 3+ quarters, guys like linebackers Fred Warner and Dee Winters as well as rookie defensive-end Mykel Williams would all have to step up in Bosa's absence. Behind the tutelage of defensive-coordinator Robert Saleh, the defense would answer the call and keep the Arizona offense at bay virtually all game long. With the Cardinals tying the game after a field goal on their first possession of the second half, the 49ers began a 12-play, 73-yard drive that spanned 6 minutes and 22 seconds of game time, their longest of the afternoon. Unfortunately, that drive would go up in flames near the goal line as San Francisco came up short on third and fourth downs from only a yard out. San Francisco's next possession, however, would have a much better outcome to open the fourth quarter. 

Facing a 4th and 2 at the Arizona 40-yard line, head coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a gutsy pass play that saw quarterback Mac Jones heave a deep ball down the sideline and into the bucket for 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall who has had quite the start to his sophomore campaign. Coming down with the 34-yard gain to keep the drive alive, Jones hit fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the end zone for the go-ahead score and the game's first touchdown with 10:50 remaining in regulation. With Arizona QB Kyler Murray held in check virtually all game long through the air with only short passes and minimal gains to show for, the aerial attack suddenly began to click as the Cardinals found gains of 32 and 33 yards thanks to a big reception from second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and a huge defensive pass interference call in the end zone from San Francisco's second-year cornerback Renardo Green. Murray would cash in on the crucial penalty two plays later with a 1-yard pass to standout tight-end Trey McBride for the game-tying touchdown. 

Looking to answer right back, the 49ers began to march after a big rush from second-string running back Brian Robinson who got his team in field goal range. But just a few plays later, Jones would be intercepted when attempting to squeeze a pass thru a tight window intended for Ricky Pearsall. The Cardinals would fail to cash in with the turnover and were held to a quick three and out punt to pin the 49ers deep inside their own 10. The poor field position would prove to be costly as the 49ers were called for a safety in their own end zone after a holding penalty on guard Dominick Puni. Ironically, the 49ers defense nearly forced a safety a few possessions earlier on an intentional grounding penalty by Murray who was pinned back inside his own territory, but officials claimed the Arizona quarterback was not fully in the end zone at the time he released the ball. With Arizona now leading 15-13 and in possession of the ball following the safety, Murray and company had a chance to close out the game with a few first downs. They would manage to get just one before a pivotal pass breakup by 49ers rookie cornerback Upton Stout on a third and long, knocking the ball loose from receiver Zay Jones as both players went to the ground. Resulting a fourth and long, the Cardinals would be forced to punt, giving Mac Jones and the 49er offense one last chance to march their way to victory. 

Taking over with 1:46 remaining in regulation, Jones began to chip away at the field, hitting a variety of receivers for gains of 11, 10, 7 and 11 yards before a big 20-yard completion to McCaffrey on a screen play, setting up kicker Eddy Pineiro for a game-winning field goal attempt. With six game-winning kicks under his belt entering Sunday, Pineiro added game-winner No. 7 by splitting the uprights from 35-yards out to give his team the 16-15 win in their home-opener and send the Levi's Stadium crowd into a frenzy as time expired. The come-from-behind win in the final moments would mark a series of firsts for the 49ers, including their first win when trailing in the final 10-seconds of regulation since their epic battle against Drew Brees and the Saints in 2019 that ended on a walk-off field goal by former kicker Robbie Gould. It would also mark the first time in franchise history that the 49ers would win three straight games to open a season all by seven points or less. After leaning on the defense to close out wins in each of the first two weeks, Sunday's resilient win was the team's first this season at the hands of the offense. The 49ers were able to claw their way to victory on Sunday despite losing the time of possession battle by 9-minutes and 18-seconds, their biggest deficit in a win since October 31, 2021 against the Chicago Bears. 

Helping lead the team to a win for a second straight week, quarterback Mac Jones threw for 284 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception on Sunday, connecting on 8 passes to receiver Ricky Pearsall who totaled 117 yards receiving to become the first 49er since Antonio Bryant in 2006 with 100+ receiving yards in two of the team's first three games. Running back Christian McCaffrey tallied 140 total yards after 52 yards rushing and 88 yards receiving, with a game-high 10 receptions. It would be McCaffrey's 12th career game with 10+ receptions, extending his own NFL-record for the most among running backs. Arizona's Kyler Murray threw for 159 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 37 yards in the loss. 

Week 4 Preview: Improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2023 which ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, the 49ers are 1 of 6 remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL and will look to keep things rolling as they get set to welcome in the (2-1) Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers will get their first look at last year's Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. The two-way college star has seen action playing both sides of the ball as a receiver and cornerback, having played 43 snaps on defense in Week 3 compared to 37 snaps on offense. 

Serving as the backup to Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence a season ago where he made seven starts and amassed a record of 2-5, Mac Jones may get a crack at his former team if coach Kyle Shanahan decides to give first-string QB Brock Purdy an extra week of rest while recovering from shoulder and toe injuries suffered in Week 1. Labeled as a game-time decision in Week 3, time will tell if Purdy is ready as he's expected to return to practice this week. Then again, Jones himself was forced to finish Sunday's game with a knee brace after re-aggravated a PCL sprain he suffered during training camp. Whether it's Purdy or Jones that suit up under-center for the Niners in Week 4, San Francisco will look to improve their winning streak to four and hopefully go a week without suffering a key injury which they've been unable to avoid thru the first three weeks of the season with Kittle, Purdy, Jennings and now Bosa all missing time in the early going. If the Niners can continue to find ways to win without some of their best players, coach Shanahan will certainly be one of the top Coach of the Year candidates in the league. 

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49ers March to 2-0 with Win over Saints

Week 2 - After riding high following their Week 1 road victory over the rival Seattle Seahawks, the (1-0) San Francisco 49ers looked to keep things rolling in Week 2 as the road trip continued to the Big Easy where coach Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would take on the (0-1) New Orleans Saints. Eying a 2-0 start to the season for a fourth time under coach Shanahan, the 49ers hope their hot start would be a good omen as the team has reached the NFC Championship in each of the previous three instances. But if they wanted to improve to 2-0, they'd have to do so without two of their most important pieces on offense. The celebration of their Week 1 win would be short-lived as the team learned in the days following that they would be without All-Pro tight-end George Kittle who was placed on the team's Injured Reserve list, putting him on the shelf for at least the next four games due to a hamstring injury. The news on Kittle was to be expected considering he watched from the sideline for the second half of the game against Seattle in street clothes. What did catch the 49ers by surprise, however, was the unexpected injury designation placed on quarterback Brock Purdy who appeared unbothered in the team's Week 1 comeback victory. Instead, Purdy would be ruled out of Sunday's game against the Saints with toe and shoulder injuries. Listed as week-to-week, Purdy is expected to miss anywhere from 1 to 5 weeks, with team officials hoping he'll return sooner rather than later.  

Taking over in Purdy's absence would be quarterback Mac Jones who signed a two-year, $7 Million contract with San Francisco as a free-agent during the offseason. A member of the 2021 NFL Draft class and selected 15th overall by the New England Patriots, Jones was one of several quarterbacks coach Shanahan and general manager John Lynch had considered drafting with the 3rd overall pick before ultimately deciding to take quarterback Trey Lance. Jones went on to have a Pro Bowl season in his rookie year with the Patriots, before being traded to Jacksonville three years later where he spent last season as a backup behind QB Trevor Lawrence. With a career record of 20-29 as a starter entering Sunday, Jones would get some support from none other than Brock Purdy pregame as the 49ers franchise quarterback was shown hyping up his fellow QB during warmups as Jones loosened up before making his first start in a Niners uniform. Jones would be one of many new faces getting their first bit of action on Sunday with the 49ers. With receiver Jauan Jennings banged up in Week 1 with a shoulder injury and listed as questionable, the 49ers didn't take any chances, signing free-agent receiver and former 49er Kendrick Bourne who had been released two weeks earlier by the Patriots. And last but not least would be at the kicker position. 

After a rollercoaster Week 1 with kicker Jake Moody which included a missed field goal from 27-yards out and another field goal attempt that was blocked, Shanahan and company decided that they had seen enough and were ready to move on from Moody, releasing him and electing to sign kicker Eddy Pineiro. Both Jones and Pineiro would get off to rocky starts in their 49ers debut, before both eventually settled in and managed to have big days for their new club. Opening Sunday's game on defense, the 49ers got off to a sluggish start as San Francisco's secondary was beat on multiple plays but managed to escape the drive unscathed due to several drops by Saints receivers and a missed 48-yard field goal attempt from New Orleans kicker Blake Grupe. Taking over on offense, Mac Jones threw incomplete passes on each of San Francisco's first three downs, resulting in a quick 49ers three and out. Jones would rebound one possession later, helping lead the team to the end zone with a 16-play, 65-yard touchdown-scoring drive. Striking pay dirt would be tight-end Luke Farrell who scored his first career touchdown reception from 11-yards out, putting the Niners ahead, 6-0 following a missed point-after by Pineiro. 

Pineiro would have a chance to redeem himself on San Francisco's next drive, splitting the uprights from 44-yards out for a field goal that gave the 49ers a 9-0 lead. The Saints would put together a strong drive before the end of the first half as quarterback Spencer Rattler who entered Sunday's game with a career record of 0-7, showed flashes, including on an 18-yard jump-ball reception by tight-end Juwan Johnson who had dropped two passes earlier in the game before making up for them with the touchdown grab. But instead of taking a 9-7 lead into the half, Mac Jones led the team on a perfectly executed 2-minute drill, completing 7 of 9 pass attempts for 77-yards, the last of which on a third down pass in the end zone to running back Christian McCaffrey for the 7-yard score. With the successful point-after by Pineiro, the 49ers went into the half leading 16-7. Beginning the second half with possession of the ball, San Francisco began to march on offense once again, making it across mid-field before Jones was sacked from behind which led to a fumble recovered by the defense. The Saints would turn the turnover into points as Rattler found a receiver in the end zone for his second touchdown pass of the afternoon. 

Looking to keep the Saints at bay, the 49ers added to their lead with a made field goal on their next drive. With their lead now 19-14, San Francisco's defensive captain Fred Warner came up with a huge stop right when the Saints offense began to have success as the All-Pro linebacker made a heads up play to punch the ball loose to force and recover the fumble following an errant pass reception by New Orleans' Alvin Kamara who was holding the ball up on his shoulder which made for an easy target. Another well-orchestrated drive by the 49ers was capped off by a 42-yard strike to Jauan Jennings on 3rd and 11, resulting in the catch and run touchdown to give San Francisco a two-score lead. With the Saints refusing to go down without a fight, Rattler led the Saints on another scoring-drive to pull his team within striking distance, marching 61-yards on 17-plays for his third touchdown pass of the game, setting a new career-high. Attempting to put the game on ice needing one final successful drive on offense, Jones and company came up short on each of their last two possessions, the last of which ending on an incomplete pass that was just missed by Jauan Jennings. 

With San Francisco forced to punt, it would be up to the defense for a second consecutive week to shut the door and seal the win for the Niners. Meanwhile, Rattler who was still in search of his first career win as a starter, the second-year QB would connect on each of his first six pass attempts for short gains during the Saints' final drive before an incomplete pass would bring up a pivotal 4th and 1. Having closed things out by getting to the quarterback and forcing a fumble on their final play in Week 1, it was the defensive-line that came thru in the clutch yet again. With Nick Bosa the hero against Seattle, it was his fellow defensive-end and newcomer Bryce Huff who would make the game-winning play versus the Saints by getting to the quarterback and knocking the ball loose. Although New Orleans did recover the fumble, the ball went backwards to result in an 8-yard loss and a turnover on downs as San Francisco hung on for the 26-21 win. Prior to Sunday's win, the 49ers had boasted a record of 0-4 in games Brock Purdy missed or left with an injury. The team was able to bring that dubious streak to an end thanks to a strong outing from the defense and a valiant effort from Mac Jones. 

Jones tied a career-high with 3 touchdown passes and threw for 279 yards. Perhaps what was most impressive in the win for the 49ers QB were his numbers on third down: 7 for 12, 121 passing yards, 3 TD's, 0 interceptions and a passer rating of 132.3. Jauan Jennings led all receivers with 89 yards and a touchdown on five receptions. Running back Christian McCaffrey had another busy day at the office and etched another milestone by becoming just the third RB in NFL history to reach 50+ rushing touchdowns and 30+ receiving touchdowns, a feat matched by only Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Lenny Moore. CMC finished with 55 rushing yards and 52 receiving yards to go along with his receiving TD. Spencer Rattler had a strong outing in the loss for the Saints, throwing for 207 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 picks, while running back Alvin Kamara ran for 99 yards on 21 carries, and caught another 6 receptions for 21 yards receiving. Unfortunately for New Orleans, the duo would not be able to prevent the Saints from falling to 0-2 for the first time since 2017. 

Week 3 Preview: With the 49ers knotted up atop the NFC Western Division standings alongside the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams who each sit at 2-0, San Francisco will have a chance to separate themselves a bit in Week 3 when they play host to the Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. While the team is sure to be fired up when they kick-off their home-opener, a win over Arizona would give the Niners two wins over division opponents, while everyone else in the division is still seeking their first division win of the season. With a narrow win at home against the (0-2) Carolina Panthers in Week 2, Arizona has won each of their games this season in similar fashion as the 49ers, having come thru with big defensive stops in the final moments to stave off any late comebacks. San Francisco will also hope to breathe easier in the final minutes of a game in Week 3, but nothing can be so certain when these two division foes meet. The 49ers will also have revenge on their mind as the Cardinals handed Kyle Shanahan and company losses in both meetings a season ago. Two members of the 49ers who might not be able to join their team in Week 3 are fullback Kyle Juszczyk who left Week 2's game with a concussion and guard Ben Bartch who suffered a foot injury and was seen postgame wearing a boot. 

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A Tale of Two Jakes - 49ers Win a Wild One in Seattle

Week 1 - With the San Francisco 49ers kicking off their 2025-26 regular season on the road against the rival Seattle Seahawks, head coach Kyle Shanahan's team would have a chance to make an early statement within the NFC Western Division with a win on Sunday. With three straight wins at Seattle's Lumen Field for the 49ers, including a Thursday Night win last season during Week 6, San Francisco would look to continue their success in the same building that was once a house of horrors for this 49ers franchise. Under quarterback Brock Purdy, however, San Francisco has enjoyed a turn of the tide as he entered Sunday boasting a perfect 3-0 record in the Emerald City. But with a revamped defense and plenty of new faces on offense, Purdy and company would look to keep that trend going against his QB counterpart and former teammate Sam Darnold. 

Making his Seahawks debut and facing his former team after a resurgent year as the man at the helm of the Minnesota Vikings, which of course followed up his bounce back season as a backup to Purdy in 2023, Darnold gives plenty of credit to coach Shanahan for helping him turn things around after a tumultuous start to his career with the Jets and Panthers. After handing San Francisco a loss a season ago during the team's Week 2 visit to Minneapolis, Purdy and Shanahan would love to return the favor to start off their 2025 campaign by handing Darnold an L in his first game with Seattle. While Darnold was certainly Seattle's biggest offseason acquisition, perhaps the biggest acquisition during the offseason for the 49ers came in the form of a coach with the return of former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh who found his way back as the team's defensive play-caller. After four solid seasons at the helm of the Niners defense from 2017-2020, Saleh made the jump to head coach for the New York Jets for three-plus seasons before being fired mid-season after a 2-3 start. But one team's trash is another team's treasure and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan couldn't be any happier as the re-hired Saleh was right back to his old self, dialing up magic as the San Francisco defense turned up the heat in the season-opener and ultimately kept the 49ers in it after a shaky start on offense. Although the 49ers did score on their opening-drive to jump out to a quick 7-0 lead behind their new $265 Million dollar man Brock Purdy under-center, the rest of the day was rather forgetful on offense until their final drive. 

One of the biggest question marks entering the season for the 49ers was the health of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey who missed 12 games a season ago but had shown signs during training camp that he was back to his old self and as healthy as he's been in over a year. But on Thursday, CMC was pulled from practice and added to the team's injury report with a calf issue. With uncertainty hanging over McCaffrey's head in the days leading up to the season-opener, San Francisco's do-it-all playmaker was right back out there on Sunday helping lead the way on offense. After the 49er defense forced a punt on Seattle's opening-drive, Purdy hit McCaffrey for a 3-yard gain on the team's first play from scrimmage. From there they would be off to the races as they embarked on a 17-play, 85-yard drive that ended in Purdy finding tight-end George Kittle for a 5-yard touchdown. Making an impact early on and primed for a big day, Kittle would unfortunately leave the game in the first half with a hamstring injury and would have to watch the rest of the game from the sideline. 

After witnessing a successful drive by San Francisco, the Seattle offense would follow suit and orchestrate their best drive of the day with a 13-play, 51-yard touchdown-scoring drive spearheaded by backup running back Zach Charbonnet who scored from a yard out. From there, the game would turn ugly as defense began to steal the show for both teams, leading to a combined four consecutive punts. Marching down the field just before halftime, San Francisco appeared as if they would be heading into the locker room at the half with a 3-point lead when kicker Jake Moody setup for a 27-yard field goal attempt with a minute remaining. But after struggling mightily a season ago, Moody's demons appeared once again as he missed the short field goal attempt by hitting the left upright. Coach Shanahan was visibly upset on the team's sideline and his frustration would only grow as Seattle was able to march into field goal range in the final minute of the first half to setup kicker Josh Myers for a 48-yard field goal to turn the tables and pull off the 6-point swing as it was Seattle who instead took a 10-7 lead into the half. 

Despite opening the second half with possession of the ball, things were already less than ideal for the San Francisco offense which would be without George Kittle for the remainder of the game. But things would take another turn for the worse after the team began to march across midfield when Purdy was intercepted on a pass intended for receiver Jauan Jennings. After being stopped in their tracks, San Francisco's next possession which saw them convert four first downs ended with another head-scratching moment on special-teams, this time as Jake Moody's 36-yard field goal was blocked. Luckily, San Francisco's defense would force a turnover of their own when Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was stripped of the ball from behind on the first play of the fourth quarter from Sam Okuayinonu, recovered by rookie starting safety Marques Sigle. The 49ers would convert the turnover into points as they tied the game at 10 behind Jake Moody's 32-yard field goal. After forcing a Seattle three-and-out on their ensuing possession, things were looking up for San Francisco before Purdy was picked off for a second time as he tried forcing a pass to second-year man Ricky Pearsall. The turnover would allow Seattle to jump back ahead with another Josh Myers field goal. 

Trailing 13-10 with just over 3-minutes remaining, Niners QB Brock Purdy would remind us all of his magical prowess as he launched a 45-yard pass on the second play of the drive down the left sideline to Pearsall to put his team within striking distance. With things slowing down a bit on the next few plays, Purdy was flushed out of the pocket and forced to make a running pass to one of the most unlikeliest of heroes in third-string tight-end Jake Tonges who had to pry the ball away from a defender before coming down with the go-ahead 4-yard score in the game's final minutes. With the 49ers leading 17-13 and 1:44 remaining in regulation, the game was all but over as Seattle looked to pull off some magic of their own with 1-timeout remaining. And after a 40-yard reception from Darnold to Smith-Njigba helped Seattle setup shop inside the red zone, it looked as if the Seahawks were going to deal the latest heartbreaking-loss to coach Shanahan and the 49ers. Luckily for them, San Francisco defensive-end Nick Bosa would have other plans as he picked the perfect time to come up with the team's one and only sack on the day with a strip-sack, forcing and pouncing on the loose ball to seal the 17-13 win for the 49ers in the opener. 

Helping San Francisco start the season 1-0, quarterback Brock Purdy who had perfect bookend touchdown drives to start and finish the game, helped lead the game-winning drive by going 6-for-6 for 67 yards and a touchdown before ultimately finishing with 277 yards passing, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions on the day. Elsewhere, running back Christian McCaffrey who was active for the frist time since December 1, 2024, registered 142 total yards on 9 receptions and 22 carries, marking his 31st career game with 50+ rush yards and 50+ receiving yards, second most since 1950 (Marshall Faulk: 41). But the biggest storyline of all is that of San Francisco's third-string tight-end Jake Tonges who's career numbers before Sunday were as follows: 20 games, 34 offensive snaps played, 10 routes run, and 1 target for 0 catches. Helping fill-in for the injured George Kittle, Tonges finished Sunday's game with 31 offensive snaps played, 15 routes run, 3 targets and 3 catches for 15 yards including the game-winning touchdown. Purdy's game-winning touchdown to Tonges had a completion probability of 14.7%, the most improbable completion of the week entering the Sunday Night game. At the time of Purdy's pass, the Niners QB was traveling 15.98 mph, while Tonges had 0.4 yards of separation when the ball arrived. 

The 49ers have now won 5 of their last 6 matchups against Seattle, all with Brock Purdy as the starting QB, with four straight victories at Seattle's Lumen Field, their longest road winning-streak against Seattle in franchise history. The two teams will not meet again until Week 18. 

Week 2 Preview: The (1-0) 49ers will continue their 2025-26 season on the road in Week 2 when they pay a visit to the Big Easy to take on the (0-1) New Orleans Saints. With the Saints falling in Week 1 by a final score of 20-13 to the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers will look to become the second NFC Western team in as many weeks to leave New Orleans with a win. Hopefully they'll receive some good news in time for that meeting on the injury front as both George Kittle (hamstring) and Jauan Jennings (shoulder) are scheduled to undergo MRI's on Monday after both left Sunday's game with injuries. Having to play Week 2 without both players would be a big blog considering the team is already thin at the receiver position with Brandon Aiyuk, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins all on the shelf with injuries, and while newcomer Demarcus Robinson serves a 3-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy in the offseason. Whether or not Kittle or Jennings make it back in time for Week 2 action, expect another big game from receiver Ricky Pearsall who hauled in 4 catches for 108 yards in Week 1 for the Niners. 

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A Blockbuster Trade for Buster, Giants

 

Twas a Happy Father's Day for all fans of the San Francisco Giants, whether you're actually a father or not after the news broke of a blockbuster trade that sent All-Star slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox to the Bay Area. With more than a month before the MLB trade deadline and the Giants at 41-31 in a neck and neck battle for first place out west with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco took the field on Sunday for their rubber-match against their longtime foe trailing by only 1 game. But just 20-minutes before first pitch of a game that was nationally televised on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, Giants skipper Bob Melvin would be forced to call an audible as left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison who was slated to be his starting pitcher was pulled from the bullpen during his warmup session after learning that he would be one of the centerpieces of the trade for Devers. In addition to Harrison, the Giants also sent right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks and prospects Jose Bello (reliever) and James Tibbs III (outfielder) to Boston, the 13th overall pick in last July's Draft. 

For a team that has touted the best bullpen in the Bigs and a starting pitching staff that has been plenty solid, the Giants offense on the other hand hasn't necessarily delivered their end of the bargain, sitting at 24th in batting average and 20th in both doubles and home runs. Much to the displeasure of Giants fans who have expressed their frustration on social media (myself included). Buster Posey has heard those cries loud and clear and in his first year as President of Baseball Operations in San Francisco, has now answered them by making the type of trade that could change the landscape of the entire organization. The addition of Devers gives the Giants the superstar slugger they've tried so desperately to land over the last several off-seasons but have struck out. Despite signing shortstop Willy Adames this past December to the most lucrative contract in franchise history (7-years, $182 Million), they had whiffed on all the big fish they had attempted to catch prior, including Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani just to name a few. Landing Devers now will help alleviate some of that pain and will leapfrog Adames as the highest-paid Giant ever. After signing a 10-year extension with the Red Sox in 2023 worth $313.5 Million dollars, San Francisco will take on the remaining $250 Million-plus of Devers' contract. 

Hitting .272 on the year with 15 home runs belted and 58 RBI, Devers automatically becomes the most feared hitter in the lineup and will depart from his time in Boston with his last hit as a member of the Red Sox being a home run against the archrival Yankees just hours before the team decided to send him packing. With experience at both third base and DH, Dever figures to start at third base in the absence of Platinum Glove-winner Matt Chapman who is expected to miss several weeks with a hand injury, before Devers likely makes the switch to DH or first base. While the deal hasn't been received well by Red Sox Nation on social media, Devers' last few weeks in Boston didn't leave the best taste in the mouth of the Red Sox front-office after both sides failed to see eye to eye following the addition of All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman back in February which led to Devers' initial refusal to move from the hot corner to accommodate Bregman. While Devers would eventually bite the bullet to allow Bregman to play third, the damage was already done. Things only soured further after Devers was asked to move again from DH to first base following a season-ending injury suffered by Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas, which Devers again refused. In the hours after dealing Devers, Boston's front-office admitted they weren't shopping him around but were listening to offers when San Francisco came knocking. 

Turning the attention to Boston, both Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks have had their ups and downs in San Francisco and will welcome a clean slate in bean town. Following a dazzling Minor League career and being called up to the Majors in 2023 and becoming the second youngest Giants starter since Madison Bumgarner at the young age 22, Harrison had shown flashes in a Giants uniform but hadn't panned out to be one of the top young arms in their starting rotation like they had hoped. Failing to make the team's Opening Day roster in 2025, Harrison began the year in the Minors before being called up in May to mainly serve out of the bullpen. Meanwhile, Hicks who signed a 4-year, $44 Million dollar contract with the Giants in 2024, began his tenure with the Giants absolutely on fire having been converted from a reliever to a starting pitcher. However, his blazing hot start began to fizzle out once the season wore. Once the temperatures began to rise, so to did his ERA. Opening 2025 as a starter again, Hicks again got off to a hot start as a member of the starting rotation before being demoted back to the bullpen. Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey will try to work his magic to help turn both pitchers around and steer them in the right direction after having served on the Giants' coaching staff under the same title from 2020-23. 

As for the prospects, Tibbs may be the only part of the deal that will be tough to see go from a Giants standpoint given his potential and the Giants' luck or lack thereof in developing young sluggers from within their farm system, but even then this was a deal Buster had to make to help turn the tide. Tibbs, 22, is a power-hitting outfielder that was selected 13th overall by the Giants in last year's MLB Draft and could be MLB ready as early as next year. Elsewhere, Jose Bello is a 20-year old right-handed pitcher that was signed by the Giants out of the Dominican in 2023 as an international free-agent at the age of 17. Expected to be a reliever, Bello is still many years away from being Major League-ready according to his scouting report. 

As the summer months begin to heat up, the same could be said for Devers who is swinging a hot bat and will have a chance to stick it to his former team as San Francisco hosts Boston this coming weekend for a 3-game series at Oracle Park.  

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