Purdy Shines in Homecoming as 49ers Sweep Cards

Week 15 - A week after clinching the first playoff spot in the NFL this season following a win over rival Seattle coupled with a loss from the Green Bay Packers, the (10-3) San Francisco 49ers would have the opportunity to secure the NFC Western Division with a win on the road against the (3-9) Arizona Cardinals. With a chance to sweep the season series over the Cardinals, Sunday's game would also serve as 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's homecoming, facing the team in his home state of Arizona for the first time of his career. Honored by the Cardinals in 2017 for being named the Arizona Football Player of the Year out of High School, and with his family and friends in attendance, Purdy would add to his MVP resume with another strong outing on Sunday. But before the Niners would go on to put up a season-high in points scored, it was the Cardinals offense that opened the game with the ball and dealt the first blow. 

With QB Kyler Murray under-center against the 49ers for the first time this season, San Francisco would match-up against the former No. 1 overall pick in 2019 for the first time in over two years. Happy to have their signal-caller back, the Cardinals offense marched with ease on their opening-drive as Murray found his tight-end Trey McBride early and often as the two connected on a 38-yard gain that set a single-season franchise record for the most receptions by a Cardinals tight-end (57). Several plays later, running back James Conner gave Arizona an early lead by finding the end zone from 2-yards out. With San Francisco's defense leading the league in rushing yards allowed per game entering Sunday at 78.3, Arizona would eclipse that mark in the first half alone as the 49ers were without their top two defensive-tackles in Arik Armstead (foot/knee) and Javon Hargrave (hamstring). Wasting little time to answer back, the 49er offense got some big runs from running back Christian McCaffrey who had another big day at the office, before Purdy found a wide-open Deebo Samuel who was able to tip-toe his way into the end zone from 12-yards out. 

Making it across mid-field on their second possession, the Cardinals showed some aggressiveness early on by electing to go for it on a 4th and 3 call from the San Francisco 42-yard line. Stepping back to pass, Murray was intercepted by 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward who made a house-call and returned the pick-six 66-yards the other way for the go-ahead touchdown. Ward who was questionable coming into Sunday's game with a groin injury suffered on the first drive of last week's game against the Seahawks that kept him sidelined for 3+ quarters, showed that he was feeling just fine on Sunday, giving San Francisco their first defensive touchdown of the season. With a pair of Matt Prater field goals on their next two possessions, the Cardinals inched closer by making it a 14-13 ballgame. Looking to add to their lead before the half, the 49ers began to march, but endured a scare when Brock Purdy made a brief visit to the medical tent following a collision with a member of the Cardinals that led to a roughing the passer penalty. Backup QB Sam Darnold came in for three plays before Purdy reentered the game and was welcomed by a roar from the many 49er fans in attendance. Picking up right where he left off, Purdy hit tight-end George Kittle on a big third down conversion before finding McCaffrey in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown grab. 

Receiving the ball to start the second half, the 49er offense continued to roll as Purdy and Kittle connected again on third down, picking up 35-yards on a 3rd and 11. One play later, Purdy found a wide-open McCaffrey who leaked free and back-peddled his way to make a leaping grab that caused him to fall, get back and up dart free for the 41-yard score. After exchanging punts, the Cardinals added another field goal, but could not slow San Francisco on defense as McCaffrey struck pay dirt for his third time on the afternoon. In what would be a lackluster afternoon by the 49er defense in terms of tackling as a number of San Francisco's better defenders were struggling to wrap up on Sunday, the Cardinals took advantage and were able to keep it a two-score game early in the fourth quarter when running back Emari Demercado broke free from a tackle and rushed for a 49-yard touchdown. The Niner offense would answer back with Brock Purdy's fourth and final touchdown of the afternoon on a dime into the end zone that Deebo Samuel laid out to get, giving Deebo his third straight multi-touchdown game. 

With the game now out of reach and San Francisco leading 42-22 in the fourth quarter, Mooney Ward picked off Kyler Murray for a second time, making way for Sam Darnold to finish the game under-center in place of Brock Purdy with just over six-minutes remaining in regulation. Kicker Jake Moody added a 43-yard field goal to increase San Francisco's lead before a garbage-time touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to rookie tight-end Elijah Higgins who hauled in his first career score. Leaving the desert with a 45-29 win, the 49ers completed the season sweep of the Cardinals with their sixth straight win of the season and 12th consecutive victory within the division. Two of San Francisco's leading MVP candidates led the way as quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns without being sacked all afternoon, and running back Christian McCaffrey finished with 187 total yards and 3 total TD's, giving him a total of 20 touchdowns on the season and his 6th game with 100+ rush yards this season (the most in the NFL). With four touchdowns against Arizona in their earlier meeting this season, McCaffrey tied an NFL record for the most TD's versus one team in a season in the Super Bowl era with 7 against the Cardinals. He would tie another NFL record for the most career games with a rushing and receiving touchdown with 15. 

In the losing effort, Murray threw for 211 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions and ran for another 49 yards on 6 carries for Arizona, with 10 receptions and 102 of those yards going to tight-end Trey McBride who had a solid outing and led all receivers in both categories despite the loss. However, the Cardinals did excel with their running game on Sunday, rushing for 234 total yards compared to San Francisco's 144. Keeping Purdy on his feet throughout the entire contest, the 49ers were able to get to Murray three times, including a sack from Nick Bosa who hit double-digits this season and increased his mark for the most sacks since 2021 with 44.5. In the locker room after the game, the 49ers were given new hats and t-shirts as they celebrated the team's second straight division title and third NFC West title overall since Kyle Shanahan took over the head coaching job back in 2017. 

Week 16 Preview: The (11-3) 49ers will play host to the (11-3) Baltimore Ravens as the first two teams to punch a playoff ticket in each conference meet on Christmas Day for Monday Night Football. With both teams currently sitting atop their respective conference slotted as the No. 1 seed, both squads will look to come out with a win to stay on top in hopes of securing a first-round Bye in the playoffs. With the 49ers having already clinched the NFC West, the Ravens are looking to fend off the (9-5) Cleveland Browns for the AFC North crown. Where the 49ers will need to improve if they want to keep Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson at bey is keeping him in check with his legs as he is just as dangerous if not more when escaping the pocket and running the ball. The Ravens defense also ranks 2nd in the NFL in average yards allowed at 284.4, which will be a challenge the 49er offense will gladly welcome, serving as a tune up before the start of the playoffs. The last time these two teams met was in December of 2019 in Baltimore, a back and forth game in which the Ravens kicked a late field goal to win it in wet conditions by a final of 20-17. The 49ers will try to flip the script on Baltimore in the rematch in hopes of spreading some holiday cheer in front of the 49er Faithful of Levi's Stadium. 

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49ers Complete Sweep of rival Seahawks

Week 14 - A week after showing that they can beat just about anybody after handing the Philadelphia Eagles a 23-point beatdown in Philly, the (9-3) San Francisco 49ers turned their attention to the rival (6-6) Seahawks whom they've beaten in four straight meetings dating back to last season and as recent as Thanksgiving night. Returning home to Levi's Stadium, Brock Purdy and the 49ers would look to make it five straight wins over the Seahawks on Sunday, who've been on a bit of a tailspin having lost three straight games and could ill-afford another loss within the division as their chances of making the playoffs continue to plummet. Hoping for a saving grace, backup quarterback Drew Lock would make his first start in a Seahawks uniform in place of Geno Smith who was ruled out with a groin injury just hours before kickoff. 

Seeing his first NFL action since 2021 while a member of the Denver Broncos, Lock would keep Seattle in the game virtually all afternoon long before succumbing late to the stout Niner defense that tagged him for two interceptions and brought him down for four sacks on the day. While the defense of San Francisco came thru late in the game to shutout the Seattle offense in the fourth quarter, it was the offense that stole the show in the first quarter. On the first play from scrimmage, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey charged for a 72-yard run that immediately put the San Francisco offense on the door step before Jordan Mason walked in a touchdown from 3-yards out one play later. Taking a much different approach, Seattle would answer back on their ensuing drive with a 10-play, 70-yard drive capped off by a 31-yard touchdown pass to receiver D.K. Metcalf as Lock threaded the needle with a pass that zipped by the outstretched arms of San Francisco's Ambry Thomas. With two receptions for 52-yards on Seattle's opening-drive, Metcalf would be held catch-less the rest of the way despite the Niners' top cornerback Charvarius Ward being sidelined with a groin injury just a few plays into the game. 

After their blazing start on their first drive, the 49er offense began to lull as they were held to back to back three and out punts before finally showing life again. But just when the offense was starting to march, a bit of miscommunication by Purdy and receiver Brandon Aiyuk began to transpire as the two were not on the same page which led to an interception on a tipped-pass. Trailing 10-7, San Francisco got a big play from their most versatile weapon on offense in receiver Deebo Samuel who hauled in a 54-yard reception over the top for the go-ahead touchdown. With a 14-10 lead at the half, the 49ers added another Deebo Samuel touchdown to the scoreboard, this time on a 1-yard carry. Refusing to go down quietly, Seattle answered with a touchdown of their own after a pair of big plays through the air by running back Kenneth Walker III and tight-end Noah Fant who marched 53-yards on two plays before Lock hit his other tight-end Colby Parkinson for a 25-yard touchdown pass on the same exact play Brock Purdy and the 49ers successfully ran against the Seahawks in Seattle a season ago. 

With the game much closer than 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan would've liked, San Francisco opened the fourth quarter with another quick score that put the game out of reach for good. Needing only three plays, Purdy got his own tight-end involved with a 44-yard touchdown grab that gave the 49ers a 28-16 lead. Rookie cornerback Ji'Ayir Brown would record his second career interception on Seattle's ensuing drive, but just when it appeared that the 49ers would turn the turnover into points, Brandon Aiyuk was stripped from behind after collecting 30-yards on a play that would've put his team in the red zone. It would be no harm, no foul for the Niners as Seattle was held to a punt. Putting the finishing touches on the afternoon would be All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who came down with the Niners' second interception of the contest on a Drew Lock heave on 4th and 13 that led to a little fisticuffs between Warner and Seattle's D.K. Metcalf who was shutout in the second half. Metcalf and 49ers corner Deommodore Lenoir were both ejected for for unsportsmanlike conduct.  

49ers QB Brock Purdy would record a career-high in passing yards in the win with 368 to go along with his 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 145 yards on 16 carries, while Deebo Samuel (7 receptions, 149 receiving yards and 2 total touchdowns) and Brandon Aiyuk who surpassed the 1,000 receiving yards mark for the season (6 receptions, 126 receiving yards) led all players through the air. As for San Francisco's defense which has generated 29 sacks in their last 5 games played (1st in the NFL), which is seven more than the next-closest team, defensive-end Nick Bosa was the cause of 1.5 of those four sacks on Sunday which moved him to 3rd all-time in 49ers franchise history with 52.5 career sacks. While Drew Lock threw for a respectable 269 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in a losing effort, and showed that he can be a capable backup when needed, even against the formidable 49er defense, it wasn't enough to prevent San Francisco from pulling off a season sweep of the Seahawks for a second straight season. 

Week 15 Preview: With their fifth straight win coupled with a loss from the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, the (10-3) 49ers became the first team in the NFL this season to clinch a playoff berth with four games remaining on the regular season schedule. Next on their list will be the (3-10) Arizona Cardinals whom the 49ers defeated at home back on October 1, but are coming off the Bye Week and an impressive 24-10 road win before that over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tempers flared at the end of the game the last time these two teams met between 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga and Cards running back James Connor, as both players needed to be separated following San Francisco's 35-16 win. With quarterback Kyler Murray back under center, the 49ers will face Murray for the first time this season and for the first time since Week 5 of the 2021 regular season as he's dealt with multiple injuries including a torn ACL during Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season. In the running for the 1st overall pick, only the (1-12) Carolina Panthers have a worse record than Arizona, with the New England Patriots also sitting at 3-10 on the year. As for San Francisco, the 49ers will need to keep their foot on the gas if they want to maintain the NFC's No. 1 overall seed as they can control their own destiny and currently hold a tie-breaker over the Eagles & Cowboys who both also sit at 10-3 on the season, but both have a division loss under their belt. 

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49ers Handle Eagles in Landslide Win

Week 13 - Looking to continue their winning-streak and gain ground in the race for the NFC's No. 1 seed, the (8-3) San Francisco 49ers would have a date against the (10-1) Philadelphia Eagles, a team 49er fans and players alike have had circled on their calendar since the release of the NFL's regular season schedule. Despite the reputation of Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field for being one of the tougher venues in the NFL to play in for opposing teams and the Eagles being the NFC's top seed, the San Francisco 49ers opened as 3-point favorites on the road in Philly, much to the surprise of many around the football world. But by game's end, some might have been left thinking why only 3-points? After all, the Eagles as good as their record is, have made a habit out of pulling a rabbit out of their hat this season by staging second half comebacks and sneaking by with wins in games they probably should've lost. Sunday's heavyweight bout with the 49ers appeared to be just the latest chapter to that story, but San Francisco's suffocating defense would have other plans once they got settled in, coupled with the Niners offense which was unstoppable once they got things rolling.

There had been a lot of chatter between these two teams dating back to the last time they met 10 months earlier in the NFC Championship which led to a blowout win for Philly after the 49ers were virtually handicapped by losing their third-string quarterback Brock Purdy at the time, one drive into the game. One member of the 49ers who didn't shy away with his comments was none other than receiver Deebo Samuel who had some choice words for a specific Eagles DB, and was also quoted as saying, "If Brock was in, I don't think it would've been close." With QB Brock Purdy indeed healthy and on the field Sunday for the rematch, Deebo's words would prove to ring true in this one, giving even further reason to ask what really would've happened had the 49ers not lost their quarterback in that game? 10 months after tearing his UCL several plays into the biggest game of his career and missing out on a trip to the Super Bowl, Purdy once again stuck it to his critics and bolstered his case for the MVP Award. But not before a pair of ugly drives that left the 49ers with negative yardage on offense through the first quarter. 

With San Francisco winning the coin-toss and electing to differ, the Eagles put together back-to-back impressive drives of 13-plays for 67 yards and 12-plays for 53 yards, respectively, spanning 5:09 and 6:48 of game time, but were held to field goals on both possessions. That bend but don't break mentality by the Niner defense proved to be huge and allowed San Francisco to keep the game within striking distance and prevented things from getting out of hand, while also snapping Philadelphia's streak of 12 straight red zone drives with a touchdown scored, the longest streak of its kind in the NFL entering Sunday. Meanwhile, the 49er offense was held to three and outs on each of their first two possessions. By the end of the first quarter, San Francisco found themselves outgained by Philly: 124 total yards to San Francisco's -6 yards, the fewest in a quarter under coach Kyle Shanahan. But as soon as the second quarter started, it was almost as if someone on the 49ers flipped a switch as the team began to turn things around and never looked back, going back to basics by running the ball and finding success doing so. Embarking on an 11-play, 88-yard drive, San Francisco began their scoring barrage which was setup by a big gain from tight-end George Kittle, capped off with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to receiver Brandon Aiyuk to take a 7-6 lead. 

Kittle would help setup another 49ers touchdown with another big gain before running back Christian McCaffrey struck pay dirt with a 2-yard rushing touchdown just before the half, giving San Francisco a 14-6 halftime lead. Despite trailing at the half, the Eagles found themselves in familiar territory, boasting an NFL-best 5-0 record when trailing at home this season. However, the 49ers would pick up right where they left off to open the second half as the game soon turned into the Deebo Samuel Show. Following a 33-yard gain on a short pass from Purdy to McCaffrey, Deebo took a handoff 12-yards to the house for a touchdown. The trash-talk and animosity between both teams that ignited after last season's NFC Championship would boil over onto the field during the Eagles' first drive of the second half when 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw got into an altercation along the Philadelphia sideline with the Eagles' director of security. After an unnecessary roughness penalty on Greenlaw for a late hit on Philly receiver DeVonta Smith, the Eagles' team security guard stepped in and attempted to separate the two players, something Greenlaw and his fellow teammates took exception to, with the 49ers linebacker making contact with the staffer's face that ultimately resulted in automatic ejections for both parties. Philly would use the ejection to their advantage, finding the end zone several plays later with a 1-yard touchdown by quarterback Jalen Hurts by way of their famous "Brotherly Shove" play. 

Finding the end zone for the first time of the day, Philadelphia crept up to make it an 8-point game midway thru the third quarter. Just when the Eagles had the 49ers right where they wanted them, Deebo Samuel struck for 48-yard touchdown, breaking a tackle on a quick pass and darting through the middle to find pay dirt. After a three and out punt by the Eagles, San Francisco orchestrated another long drive that lasted nearly 7-minutes on 13-plays for 75-yards and ended with a touchdown pass from Purdy to receiver Jauan Jennings who shook off a tackle and rushed in for an 18-yard score. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts who entered Sunday with 5 straight wins when facing a 10+ point deficit which was tied for the longest streak since 1950 with Joe Montana & Steve Bartkowski, did what he could to keep that streak alive, but San Francisco's offensive firepower was too much for the Eagles defense. Even after Hurts returned from a brief visit to the locker room after being shaken up and marched his offense into the end zone on a 17-play drive that resulted in a touchdown, Deebo Samuel provided the dagger a few plays later with a 46-yard receiving touchdown to put the game out of reach as San Francisco held on for the 42-19 win.

Returning to the same field he was injured on 10 months earlier, quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 314 yards and 4 touchdowns and was named the FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week. Meanwhile, Deebo was awarded NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 3 touchdown performance, finishing with 22 yards rushing on 3 attempts and 116 yards receiving on 4 receptions. Running back Christian McCaffrey again topped 100 scrimmage yards on his way to becoming the first 49ers rusher to top the 1,000 yard rushing mark since Frank Gore in 2014. With his single-season franchise record 12th rushing touchdown on the season, McCaffrey also joined Marshall Faulk and Lenny Moore as the only players in NFL history with at least 50 rushing touchdowns and 25 touchdown receptions in their career. In the loss, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts tallied 298 yards, 1 rushing touchdown and 1 passing touchdown, snapping his streak of 14 straight wins versus teams with a winning record, the longest such streak since 1950 as the 49er defense got to him for three sacks on the day. After a slow start, the San Francisco offense torched Philly for 456 total yards of offense compared to the Eagles' 333 yards, this after -6 total yards thru the first quarter for the 49ers. 

Week 14 Preview: The (9-3) 49ers will return to their home digs of Levis Stadium in Week 14 to host the rival Seattle Seahawks whom they'll face off against for the second time in three weeks. Looking to add to their lead in the NFC Western Division standings which currently sits at 3 games above the Seahawks and L.A. Rams who both sit at 6-6 on the year, Seattle comes in riding a 3-game losing streak after suffering losses to the aforementioned Rams, Niners and Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers can deal a another blow to Seattle's playoff hopes as Geno Smith and company will need to right the ship fast if they plan to vie for an NFC wild card spot. The 49ers meanwhile will look to win their fifth straight game of the season and their fifth straight over Seattle. With 8 games of 30+ points scored for the 49ers offense this season, quarterback Brock Purdy is now the new MVP favorite in Vegas at +300, owning a slight edge over Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Dak Prescott of the Cowboys, with both at +350. 

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49ers Feast on Seahawks in Thanksgiving Win

Week 12 - Facing off with their hated rivals from the pacific northwest for the first time this season, the (7-3) San Francisco 49ers would look to continue their recent success against the (6-4) Seattle Seahawks in a Thursday night showdown on Thanksgiving. Rallying around the gridiron together instead of the dinner table, there would be no such thing as sharing between these two bitter foes come kickoff. Looking to distance themselves from Seattle in the NFC Western Division standings, San Francisco, donning their throwback white uniforms, would try to make it four straight wins over Pete Carroll's Seahawks following a sweep in all three meetings a season ago, including a playoff win in the NFC's Wild Card round. 

Things would get off to a great start for quarterback Brock Purdy, the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 11 performance against Tampa Bay, and the 49ers who opened the game with the ball and marched it 71-yards on 11-plays, ending in a 2-yard touchdown run by Deebo Samuel. Although the Seahawks would answer on their ensuing possession with a field goal thanks to a 64-yard kick return by D'Wayne Eskridge, the Seattle offense was virtually shutout by the 49er defense throughout the first half. San Francisco jumped out to a 14-3 lead to start the second quarter when running back and scoring machine Christian McCaffrey punched in a 1-yard rushing touchdown, kickstarting a busy night for the all-time record holder for the most consecutive games with a touchdown. The San Francisco defense would put their first stamp on the game by forcing the first turnover of the night when cornerback Ambry Thomas jumped in front of Geno Smith's pass intended for receiver Tyler Lockett. The 49ers would not be able to do anything with the takeaway and were instead held to a three and out punt, but they would redeem themselves one possession later. 

McCaffrey would continue to make history and etch his name into the record books, this time setting a 49ers franchise single-season record with his 11th rushing touchdown on the season after an 8-yard score. Previously, six players shared the team record of 10 rushing touchdowns in a season: Frank Gore (2009), Derek Loville (1995), Ricky Waters (1993), Billy Kilmer (1961), J.D. Smith (1959) and Joe Perry (1953). McCaffrey's second touchdown of the night would also give him 16 total TD's on the year, the most by a running back in a single season in franchise history. The 49ers would add to their lead again with a Jake Moody field goal thanks to another Seattle turnover, this time forced by San Francisco's special-teams unit, capitalizing on a muffed punt that resulted in a fumble recovery by the Niners and special-teams stud Oren Burks. Unfortunately, Burks who would be injured on the play with what was later confirmed to be a torn biceps that will require surgery and likely cause him to miss the rest of the season. Seattle would attempt to inch closer before the end of the half with a 53-yard field goal attempt by kicker Jason Myers who missed wide right as time expired. 

In no way did the 49ers play a perfect game in any facet, but the defense came pretty darn close as Seattle's offense was held out of the end zone all night long. The Seahawks did receive a sliver of hope early in the second half when their defense forced a turnover. Following a punt by Seattle on the opening-drive to start the second half, Purdy and the 49ers found themselves pinned deep inside their own territory at the 4 yard line. After an incomplete pass on first down, Purdy was picked off for his first career pick-six after an errant pass skipped off the hands of McCaffrey and into a defender as linebacker Jordyn Brooks recorded his first career interception and took it in for an easy score. Appearing to take their foot off the gas pedal, the 49ers were forced to punt on each of their next two possessions, but Seattle would only manage a field goal out of it, cutting San Francisco's lead to 24-13. Allowing Seattle to hang around until midway into the fourth quarter, the 49ers would end any chance of a rally by the Seahawks as Purdy barreled down and put the game out of reach with an absolute dime of a touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Aiyuk who made the grab in between four defenders for the 28-yard score. 

Trailing 31-13 with under 8-minutes remaining, Seattle's last-ditch effort at a comeback would end on a turnover on downs as the Niners shutdown the Seahawks offense on three consecutive plays when they needed only 1-yard. From there, San Francisco was able to milk the clock on a pair of big first down plays by backup running back Elijah Mitchell and receiver Ray-Ray McCloud who sealed the win with a dagger 23-yard reception on 3rd and 3 after the two-minute warning, as the 49ers celebrated at midfield with a Thanksgiving feast supplied by the NBC crew. San Francisco's defense tallied a season-high six sacks on the night, creating pressure virtually all night long and making things difficult for Seattle QB Geno Smith who was questionable throughout the week to even start in Thursday's game with a bruised triceps suffered in the Seahawks' Week 11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams a week earlier. 49ers QB Brock Purdy won't be taking home NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for a second consecutive week, but he did manage to record a solid road outing under the bright lights in a hostile environment, completing 21 of 30 passes for 209 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, compared to Geno Smith's 180 yards passing, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception on 18 of 27 passes. 

Niners running back Christian McCaffrey was once again the team's bell cow on offense, rushing for 114 yards and 2 TD's on 19 carries to go along with another 25 yards receiving on 5 receptions. Deebo Samuel led all receivers with 7 receptions for a game-high 79 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown. Right behind him was Brandon Aiyuk who hauled in two receptions for 50 yards and a score, giving him 5 touchdowns on the season, making him the first 49ers receiver to achieve 5+ TDs in each of his first four NFL seasons. Aiyuk joined Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens as the only 49ers wide receivers in the past 40 seasons to have five or more receiving TDs in four straight seasons. Back to the defense, defensive-end Nick Bosa recorded another pair of sacks in the win, giving him three straight games with 1.5+ sacks, the longest streak for a 49er since 2012 (Aldon Smith, 4). Enjoying their latest acquisition, the San Francisco defense has now feasted on the opposing quarterbacks to the tune of 15 sacks in their last 3 games since acquiring defensive-end Chase Young at the trade deadline from Washington. The 49ers have now won four straight against their rivals from up north dating back to last season, outscoring them by a combined score of 120-56. 

Week 13 Preview: Pulling 2 full games ahead of Seattle in the division standings and into the NFC's No. 2 spot after their win coupled with a Detroit loss earlier on Thanksgiving morning to open the busy slate of games, the 49ers will have a chance to pull closer to the NFC's top seed in their next bout. With a few extra days of rest following the Thursday night game and the holiday, the (8-3) 49ers will now direct their attention to the (10-1) Philadelphia Eagles in one of the most highly anticipated match-ups on the NFL's 2023 calendar. In what will be a rematch of last year's NFC Championship, the meeting will signify a chance at redemption for one Brock Purdy, as the 49ers QB suffered a complete tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm on San Francisco's first drive, kicking him out of the game and into a six month recovery that required surgery. The 49ers eventually lost 31-7 to the Eagles who punched their ticket to the Super Bowl where they would go on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs, 38-35. Proving to be a force again this year and likely to be in the thick of it again come playoff time, the Eagles exacted revenge against the Chiefs just a week ago on the road at Arrowhead, and are coming off a thrilling 37-34 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills at home in the rain. Philly QB Jalen Hurts threw for 200 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in the win, adding another 65 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, including the walk-off score in OT. Hopefully both the football and weather gods are on the side of San Francisco this time around in what should be a tough blow for blow match-up between NFC heavyweights. 

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Skid continues for Niners who drop third straight

Week 8 - After never enduring a single loss during the regular season a year ago after taking over the reigns of the Niners' starting quarterback position in Week 14, Brock Purdy entered Sunday's Week 8 tilt versus a rejuvenated Cincinnati Bengals team that had won back to back games after getting off to a slow 2-3 start. With their own week 9 bye on the horizon, the sluggish 49ers who are limping to the break, faced a team coming off the bye week for a second consecutive week. With an extra week to prepare for their opponent, Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense looked the part and came out guns blazing, leaving much to desire from the San Francisco defense that hasn't looked like their normal self in each of the last two weeks after dominating their opponents through the first five weeks of the season. Despite their recent struggles and two-game skid, Brock Purdy who was cleared to play on Saturday after being in the league's concussion protocol as recent as Wednesday, still entered Sunday's game with a perfect record of 8-0 at home in his career. His perfect track record at home would be in jeopardy on Sunday, as was San Francisco's 11-game home winning streak which dates back to their last loss at home over a year ago on October 23, 2022 versus Kansas City. 

Winning the coin-toss and electing to defer, the Cincinnati defense sniffed out a rush attempt by the 49ers fullback on 3rd and 1, forcing a three and out punt on San Francisco's opening-drive. Equally as impressive was the Bengals offense which marched 80-yards on 12-plays before finding the end zone for an early lead, marking their third consecutive game with an opening-drive touchdown for the first time since 2016. Answering quickly with a score of their own, Purdy connected on a 31-yard pass to receiver Brandon Aiyuk before running back Christian McCaffrey tied the game at 7-all with a 2-yard rushing touchdown. With his 17th consecutive game with a touchdown (including playoffs), McCaffrey tied Baltimore Colts Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the longest touchdown streak in NFL history. Cincy's Joe Burrow would tally an impressive streak of his own by opening the game with a career-best 18 consecutive completions, including a pass on the final play of the 1st quarter for a 2-yard touchdown to rookie receiver Andrei Iosivas. The Bengals would look to add a field goal to their lead one possession later, but kicker Evan McPherson missed wide-right from 50-yards out, keeping it a one-score game. 

On the other end, the 49ers inched closer with a field goal from Jake Moody on San Francisco's ensuing possession. The 49er defense would get an even bigger break during Cincinnati's next drive which spanned 10-plays for 71-yards and appeared destined for the end zone before going up in flames on a fumble inside the 5-yard line by tight-end Irv Smith as Clelin Ferrell forced the turnover. San Francisco would try to get within field goal range before the half, but with 31-seconds on the clock and no timeouts to work with, they would run out of time to try to clock the ball in hopes of giving their kicker a chance. The Bengals would add a field goal to open the second half thanks to the legs of quarterback Joe Burrow who finished Sunday's game with more rushing yards against San Francisco (43) than he had in the team's first six games this season combined, showing that his once injured calf is doing just fine. Purdy would also have a strong day on the ground, finishing with a career-high 57 rushing yards on 6 carries, besting McCaffrey by 3-yards. After a 12-yard run got the 49ers inside the red zone, San Francisco looked like they were going to tie the game before a nonchalant pass intended for backup running back Elijah Mitchell was picked off. 

Unable to do anything with the turnover, the Bengals were held to a punt. San Francisco would not be so fortunate on their next possession, however, as Purdy was intercepted again on his very next pass attempt, giving him two interceptions in as many passes and his first career game at home with multiple interceptions. Burrow and company would capitalize, needing only one play as the Bengals signal-caller hit Ja'Marr Chase for a 17-yard touchdown reception. Purdy and the Niners would answer with a touchdown of their own as Christian McCaffrey added a 4-yard receiving touchdown to his productive day, giving him 14 career games with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game, 2nd all-time to Marshall Faulk's record of 15 such games. Trailing by a touchdown and in need of stop, the 49er defense was unable to contain Bengals running back Joe Mixon who added a devastating 9-yard touchdown run to put the 49ers out of their misery. One final last-ditch effort by Purdy would go sideways when he was sacked and stripped of the ball to put the final nail in the coffin as the Niners fell 31-17 for their third straight loss. 

Joe Burrow who entered Sunday 3-0 against the NFC West this season, completed the sweep of the division by throwing for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns. Brock Purdy tallied 365 yards and 1 touchdown, but his fumble and two interceptions would prove to be costly. Christian McCaffrey added a pair of touchdowns to give him 22 scrimmage TD's since joining San Francisco via trade last season, and had over 100 total yards (54 rushing, 64 receiving), while tight-end George Kittle and receiver Brandon Aiyuk both eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards with 149 and 109, respectively. Ja'Marr Chase of the Bengals led all receivers with 10 receptions and finished with an even 100 yards receiving and 1 TD. 

Week 10 Preview: When the (5-3) 49ers return from the BYE Week, they'll be headed to Duval County to face the (6-2) Jacksonville Jaguars and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Winners of five straight games, the Jags and Niners are two teams that appear to be going in completely opposite directions as Jacksonville got off to a slow start but has been on a tear as of late, whereas San Francisco seemed unbeatable out of the gates and now resembles a reeling team in desperate need of righting the course. The bye comes at a pivotal time for Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers who since losing receiver and Swiss Army knife Deebo Samuel to injury in Week 6, have been playing like a team with an identity crisis as they seem lost and unable to find their rhythm without one of their key cogs. Although rough at times, the defense has also taken a step back from their dominant start to the season, but hopes to get back on track with a little help thanks to a big move made by GM John Lynch who had already made a move a few weeks earlier with the addition of Randy Gregory. 

Just before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, the 49ers went out and made a splash by acquiring defensive-end Chase Young from the Washington Commanders in exchange for a third-round pick. Young, at 24 years old, is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year Award winner and former teammate of Nick Bosa as the tandem spent two seasons together at Ohio State where they tallied a combined total of 33 sacks as teammates from 2017-18. Both players were drafted with the No. 2 overall pick one year apart by their respective teams and will now reunite in hopes of helping provide a boost to San Francisco's pass rush. Young is slated to be a free-agent at the conclusion of the 2023 season after the Commanders declined to pick up his fifth-year option during the offseason due to his injury history. After his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2020 which also included a trip to the Pro Bowl, an ACL tear limited Young to only 3 games last season. However, Young has enjoyed a bounce back season up to this point and joins SF with 5 sacks thru 7 games this season after leading Washington in the category. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Upended by Vikes in Monday Night Upset

Week 7 - The lingering taste of defeat for the first time this season would last an extra day longer for the (5-1) San Francisco 49ers who after suffering a loss against the Browns in Cleveland, had to wait until Monday Night Football to clear their pallet in hopes of redeeming themselves as they paid a visit to Minnesota to face the (2-4) Vikings. While the 49ers offense can be described as a cocktail made up of all of the finest top-shelf ingredients when healthy, receiver Deebo Samuel could be thought of as the straw that stirs the drink. That straw would be missing as Kyle Shanahan's offense would be without Samuel who is currently sidelined for at least three weeks with a hairline fracture in his shoulder. Appearing lost at times on offense in last week's loss to the Browns after Samuel left the game following the team's opening-drive, the 49ers went on to put up their fewest amount of total yards under coach Shanahan with just 215. The 49er offense would struggle again under the bright lights of Monday Night Football without one of their biggest playmakers. Seeking their first win in Minnesota since 1992, San Francisco's dominant defense was anything but on Monday night. 

Things looked promising to start the game for the Niners before enduring a series of mistakes that would prove to be costly. Vikings running back Alexander Mattison ripped off a 19-yard carry on Minnesota's first play from scrimmage for his longest rush of the season. But two plays later, the 49ers would have the opposition right where they wanted them as cornerback Charvarius Ward came up with an interception after winning a fight for the ball from Vikings rookie receiver Jordan Addison. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy would come out guns blazing for the San Francisco offense, distributing the ball to a variety of targets by tossing completions of 10, 11 and 9 yards to George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, respectively, before the struggles ensued. Niners running back Christian McCaffrey who was questionable to appear in Monday's game not only got the start, but scored two touchdowns. Before finding the end zone later on, McCaffrey would cough up a fumble that cost his team valuable points inside the red zone. Capitalizing on the turnover, the Vikings would march 89-yards down the field to score the game's first points with a touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins. 

With Cousins the subject of trade rumors, the Vikings signal-caller would increase his stock drastically despite entering the game with an all-time record of 2-10 on Monday Night Football. In spite of his poor numbers in primetime throughout his career, Cousins would register one of his best games yet considering his opponent. Even without his best target in wideout Justin Jefferson who is on Injured Reserve due to a hamstring injury, Cousins shined against one of his biggest fans and former offensive coordinators in 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan as the two spent two seasons in Washington together during their time with the Redskins. Sparking his stellar performance was the early touchdown to Addison who would go on to have a career night of his own. The touchdown would mark the first 1st quarter touchdown of the season by the Minnesota offense as well as the first 1st quarter touchdown surrendered by the 49er defense all season. San Francisco would find themselves in rare territory, marking the first time this season that the opposition scored first in a game against them. 

Looking to answer, the 49er offense got within field goal range on their ensuing possession, but rookie kicker Jake Moody who missed two field goals in last week's loss including a potential game-winner in the final seconds, missed another field goal in the first quarter from 40-yards out. With Minnesota adding a field goal of their own one possession later to take a 10-0 lead, San Francisco appeared to be headed into the locker room at the half with some momentum following a 3-yard rushing touchdown from McCaffrey with just over a minute remaining before halftime. Instead, Cousins and the Vikings offense dealt a blow to any sort of momentum shift in favor of the 49ers as the Minnesota QB connected on another touchdown to the aforementioned Addison. Redeeming himself from having the ball pried away from his hands on the Vikings' first possession, Addison was able to fight off Ward and outwrestle him for the ball before springing loose for the 60-yard score with just seconds to spare before the half. 

Instead of receiving the ball at the half and trailing by only a field goal, Brock Purdy and the 49er offense suddenly found themselves in a 9-point hole that would only get worse before it got better. After opening the second half with a punt on offense by the 49ers, the Vikings would add another field goal to increase their lead to 19-7, San Francisco's largest deficit of the season. Making quick work of their next possession, however, Purdy and company needed only three plays from scrimmage to strike back with McCaffrey finding the end zone for his second time of the night. After a rushing touchdown earlier in the first half, McCaffrey added a 35-yard receiving touchdown to make it a one-score game. It would also be McCaffrey's 16th consecutive game with a scrimmage touchdown (including playoffs), setting a new NFL record. With the Vikings adding another field goal to their lead before the end of the third quarter, the 49ers entered the fourth trailing, 22-14. In need of all the points they could get, San Francisco added a field goal from Moody who redeemed himself a bit with a booming 55-yarder to inch his team closer. 

In desperate need of a stop on defense, San Francisco forced the first Vikings punt of the game in the fourth quarter. A week after giving his team a chance to kick a walk-off field goal before things went south, Purdy was given another chance pull off a comeback victory in the fourth quarter. Things were looking up as the Niners made their way to midfield, but that's as far as they would get on the drive as an errant pass sailed on Juaun Jennings for an interception. After a missed field goal attempt by Vikings kicker Greg Joseph kept it a 22-17 lead, Purdy would get one final chance with 1:11 remaining in regulation. After making it into enemy territory with a pair of strikes to receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, Purdy overthrew a ball to McCloud that was also intercepted, sealing the upset win for Minnesota and giving Purdy his first career multi-interception game. While the 49er offense was far from great, the loss was attributed to the San Francisco defense's inability to get off the field on third downs as they were carved alive by Cousins virtually all night long on third down and were unsuccessful in getting to the quarterback, failing to log a single sack. 

Cousins completed 35 of 45 passes and threw for 378 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in the win. Meanwhile, his counterpart Brock Purdy threw for 272 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, completing 21 of 30 pass attempts. Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison logged a career-high 123 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns to lead all players. 

Week 8 Preview: Suddenly the bye week can't some soon enough for the (5-2) 49ers who appear to be limping their way to finish line. Having lost two straight after a 5-0 start to the season, Brock Purdy and company will look to get back in the win column as they return home to face Joe Burrow and the (3-3) Cincinnati Bengals. Coming off a bye of their own, the Bengals who have won two straight after a disappointing 1-3 start, will look to add to San Francisco's misery as they've had a full week to prepare for them. With a lingering calf injury to blame for Burrow's slow start, the former Heisman Trophy winner has looked a little better as the season's progressed, but he's still been a far cry from the Burrow we've grown accustomed to seeing playing at a Pro Bowl level. The San Francisco defense will look to get back on track with a bounce back performance in front of the Faithful at Levi's Stadium. As for the offense, they might be without Brock Purdy who's been in the league's concussion protocol that has limited his practice time all week. If he doesn't progress, expect to see backup Sam Darnold under center for the first time as the 49ers starter. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Fall to Browns on Missed Field Goal

Week 6 - A week after facing the NFL's top-scoring defense and hanging 42-points on them in route to a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, the (5-0) San Francisco 49ers took to the road to face the (2-2) Cleveland Browns who own the league's No. 1 defense in terms of yardage. What was expected to be an all out brawl between two of football's best defenses, started with a bit of fisticuffs even before kickoff as players from both teams nearly came to blows and needed to be separated at midfield. But by the time the game had started, it would be the officiating crew that both teams would've preferred getting their hands on as the two teams combined for 25 penalties and over 200 penalty yards, the most in the NFL this season in both categories. While the refs made a number of bad calls for both teams all afternoon long, none would be worse or come at a more pivotal time than a phantom "unnecessary roughness" call that happened late in the fourth quarter, helping fuel an upset victory for the home team. 

For whatever reason, the San Francisco 49ers have had a rough time when playing on the road in Cleveland, somewhere they haven't won since 1984. Albeit they rarely play there, the Niners entered Sunday's game 0-3 in their last three visits to Cleveland. And while those struggles would continue again on Sunday, not before the Niners got off to a blazing start on offense, needing only 6-plays to capitalize on the game's opening-drive with a touchdown from one of San Francisco's usual suspects. Benefitting from two big penalties by the Cleveland defense who clearly had it in mind to rough up Niners running back Christian McCaffrey with an unnecessary roughness call for a late hit out of bounds and a face mask call two plays apart, McCaffrey made them pay by taking a Brock Purdy shovel pass 13-yards to the end zone. It would be McCaffrey's 15th straight game with a touchdown (including postseason), tying him for the second-longest streak in league history. But as good as the Niners looked on offense on their opening-drive, they would struggle to produce another drive like it the rest of the way. 

With Browns first-string quarterback Deshaun Watson scratched for a second consecutive game due to a shoulder injury, Cleveland would call on PJ Walker, making him their third starting QB in their last three games. Making things difficult for Walker on his first drive would be the Niner defense who got off to an impressive start of their own as linebacker Fred Warner made a nice play to jump the route and come up with an interception he nearly took to the house. Unfortunately, Brock Purdy and the offense would go backwards as they lost yards on back to back plays and were forced to settle for a field goal try that rookie kicker Jake Moody missed on from 54-yards out. Moody's miss would spark what would ultimately be a bizarre day for both team's kickers as Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yarder on Cleveland's ensuing possession. Moody would redeem himself two possessions later by knocking down a 25-yard attempt to give the Niners a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but the Browns would bite into that lead to make it a one-score game before the half. Receiver Amari Cooper would be quite the security blanket for Browns quarterback PJ Walker who caught only four passes on the day, but tallied 108 yards receiving, including 58 on a reception that helped setup Cleveland's lone touchdown of the afternoon: a 16-yard scamper from running back Kareem Hunt. 

The Niners who had managed to stay healthy for the most part and avoid the injury bug thru the first 5 weeks of the season, would not be able to say the same on Sunday as a number of key players would be lost on offense, including a trio of Pro Bowlers in receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Christian McCaffrey and left-tackle Trent Williams. Though Williams (ankle) would eventually reenter the game, Samuel (shoulder) would not see the field after the opening-drive and McCaffrey (oblique) would be ruled out in the second half. Missing two of their best weapons, the holes created by their absence were very visible down the stretch as Purdy and the San Francisco offense struggled for the first time this season. While the emergence of Purdy has been a saving grace for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, last year's Mr. Irrelevant finally had the type of game that we all knew was bound to take place, only it would take him 12 regular season games to have it. The 49ers QB was off the mark virtually all afternoon long for the first time in his career, missing on passes we've grown accustomed to him making and even showing signs of panic when he was hurried in the pocket. Purdy would throw his first interception of 2023 and his 72 yards in the first half would be his fewest in a first half this season.

Even then, Purdy would be given a chance to silence the critics late in the fourth quarter as the Niners would find themselves trailing in the second half for the first time this season after a pair of third quarter field goals by Cleveland. It would be rare territory for San Francisco who entered Sunday's game having trailed at any point of a game for only 1-minute and 45-seconds this season. They would see that mark climb to 7-minutes and 1-second in Sunday's game alone. The 49ers would recapture the lead in the fourth quarter after the defense came up with a second interception thanks to cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, setting up backup running back Jordan Mason who scored one play later with an 8-yard rushing touchdown. Cleveland would answer with field goals on consecutive drives, the second of which would come with some help of the officials. After benefiting from an incomplete pass that should've been a PJ Walker fumble late in the second quarter, the Niners would be hosed again by more poor officiating. 

Facing a huge 3rd down and 10, Walker rifled an incomplete pass to his receiver Elijah Moore who was hit by 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson. Although Gipson made a clean hit by definition and did not make contact with the head or neck area of the receiver, he was penalized for, "unnecessary roughness," giving Cleveland a key first down and new life instead of what would've been a 4th and 10 pinned back at their own 26 yard line. The Browns would be held to a field goal, but the damage would be done as Cleveland retook a 19-17 lead with under two-minutes remaining. Purdy and the 49er offense would convert three first downs on their next drive and march 45-yards in a minute and a half, setting up Jake Moody for a potential game-winning field goal. With his family in attendance, Moody would have plenty of distance on the kick, but failed to split the uprights as he missed wide-right to secure Cleveland's upset victory and hand the 49ers their first loss of the season. It would mark San Francisco's first loss in their last 16 regular season games, snapping the longest winning streak in team history. With only 215 yards of total offense for the Niners, it would be their lowest amount under coach Shanahan who took the head coaching job in 2017, and has struggled in his nine career matchups against Browns defensive-coordinator Jim Schwartz' defense, who is now 8-1 lifetime when opposing Shanahan's offense. 

Week 7 Preview: Continuing their latest road trip, the (5-1) 49ers will pay a visit to Minnesota on Monday Night Football to face the (2-4) Vikings who are coming off a 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears. With Vikes quarterback Kirk Cousins the topic of trade talks, the QB once sought after by coach Shanahan, will be without his favorite target and arguably the best receiver in football as Justin Jefferson is on the Injured Reserve list with a hamstring injury. Cousins proved he can still lead a team to victory without his young receiver, but he'll be facing a more daunting task on Monday Night against an angry 49er defense that is looking to avenge their first loss of the season. With Deebo Samuel (shoulder) and Trent Williams (ankle) both listed as day to day, the extent of Christian McCaffrey's injury is still unknown, which might mean backups Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell carry the load for San Francisco's rushing attack in Week 7. I'd expect a bounce back performance from 49ers tight-end George Kittle who after his three touchdown performance against Dallas a week earlier, finished with only one reception for 1-yard on Sunday. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Rope Cowboys for 32-point Beatdown

Week 5 - What was supposed to be a heavyweight slugfest between the hosting (4-0) San Francisco 49ers and the visiting (3-1) Dallas Cowboys, was anything but as the game quickly turned into a one-sided beatdown in favor of the home team. From the opening kickoff, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys looked completely outmatched as the Niners showcased a number of weapons on both sides of the ball and proved just how lethal they can be when fully healthy and clicking on all cylinders. A week after riding their Pro-Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey to a four touchdown performance against Arizona which earned him FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week honors for Week 4, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan went to his bag of tricks and dialed things up for a member of the 49er offense who had been quiet on the season prior to Sunday. A day before his 30th birthday, tight-end George Kittle had a night to remember by logging his first career 3 touchdown performance. 

Before the blowout ensued, the matchup had everything a football fan could want from a statistical standpoint as Dallas entered the game touting the best scoring defense in the league allowing just 10.3 points per game compared to San Francisco's 14.5 which ranked 2nd. Two of the best offenses would also be represented as the Niners entered the game ranked 3rd with 31.3 points per game, versus Dallas' 31.0 points per game which ranks 4th. In fact, it would be just the 4th game in NFL history between teams averaging 30+ points per game and fewer than 15 points per game allowed. With 19-wins apiece in the all-time series matchup, plenty would be at stake for these two teams who have met in the playoffs in back to back years, stoking the flames and writing a new chapter in what was once the best rivalry in all of football. And while the rivalry isn't as heated as it once was, things appear to be headed in that direction once again. 

Putting his 9-0 career regular season record on the line would be 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who entered Sunday night's game with a league-best QB Rating of 115.1. Leading the NFL with 24-points scored on opening-drives through the first four weeks, the San Francisco offense continued their torrid pace and added to that mark with an opening-drive touchdown from Purdy to Kittle as the two connected on a 19-yard dart that found the 49ers tight-end all alone in the end zone. After both teams each exchanged a pair of punts, the Niners appeared to be in business when a heads up play was made by 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who punched the ball free from Cowboys running back Tony Pollard. On the doorstep of another touchdown, McCaffrey would take a handoff to the 2-yard line before being stripped of the ball on his way down as he landed on a defender who jarred the ball loose and recovered the fumble near the goal-line. Unable to do anything with the turnover, Prescott and company were stopped in their tracks thanks to another highlight play from Fred Warner who came up with the sack on third down to force a punt. Needing only one play to do what they failed to do one possession earlier, Purdy executed on a flea-flicker to find Kittle streaking to the end zone again for another score. 

Trailing 14-0, Dallas would finally put together a successful drive of their own after failing to convert a first down on their first four drives for the first time in a game since November 30, 2017 vs Washington. Highlighting a 13-play, 78-yard drive was Prescott who aired the ball out to KaVontae Turpin who found the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. Looking to add to their lead and make it a two-score game heading into the half, the 49ers would string together a 12-play, 60-yard drive of their own, capitalizing on a 1-yard touchdown by Christian McCaffrey. With his parents in attendance watching from a suite, McCaffrey made history by tying an NFL record since the Super Bowl era, held by Cowboys great Emmitt Smith with 14 consecutive games with a touchdown. Trailing 21-7 at the half, Dallas opened the third quarter with the football and in dire need of a score. After failing to register a first down on 6 of 7 drives in the first half, the Cowboys offense appeared to be headed for a much better half as they added a field goal, but it would be the closest they'd get as San Francisco found the end zone on each of their next three possessions, while also intercepting Prescott on each of Dallas' next three ensuing drives. 

The first of three straight 49er touchdowns would go to George Kittle who made the most of all three of his receptions, finding the end zone for a third time on the night to tie Vernon Davis for the most touchdowns in a game by a 49ers tight-end. Completing the trifecta and celebrating his 30th birthday a day early, Kittle would endure somewhat of a renaissance as he failed to find the end zone in each of the team's first four games this season. The next 49ers touchdown would come from their Pro-Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk who hauled in the easy 1-yard score. Putting a nightcap on their busy night of scoring would be backup running back Jordan Mason who scored for the first time this season and for only the second time of his career. The second-year back darted thru a gaping hole and thrusted his way to the end zone for a 26-yard score, putting the game out of reach as the Niners took a commanding 42-10 lead in the fourth quarter. Coming up with the trio of Prescott interceptions would be Tashaun Gipson, Fred Warner, and Oren Burks. As for Warner, the 49ers' All-Pro linebacker became the first 49ers player to record a sack, interception and forced fumble in a game since NaVorro Bowman in 2013. 

The 32-point loss would be the Cowboys' worst loss versus the 49ers in the history of the rivalry, which led Prescott to admit after the game, "this might be the most humbling game I've ever been a part of". Making matters worse, San Francisco outgained Dallas in total yards, 421 to 197 and also dominated in the time of possession battle: 37 minutes to Dallas' 23. The Dallas QB would throw for 153 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions in the loss. As for his counterpart, Niners QB Brock Purdy is now a perfect 10-0 in his career during the regular season. Last year's Mr. Irrelevant, Purdy now holds the 4th longest win-streak to start a career at quarterback and has to at least be among the top candidates for early MVP consideration. Finishing with 252 yards passing and a career-high 4 touchdown passes, Purdy continued to shine on Sunday against what was the league's Number 1 defense entering the game. The game got so out of hand at one point that 49er fans began chanting, "We want Trey" in reference to quarterback and former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance who the Niners traded to the Cowboys just days before the start of the season. Although Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy would empty out his bench, he would elect to go with backup QB Cooper Rush instead. Purdy and Lance were seen at midfield during warmups and shared a moment together before both teams suited up for battle. 

Week 6 Preview: The (5-0) 49ers will look to continue to roll as they hit the road to face the (2-2) Cleveland Browns in Week 6. Coming off a BYE, the Browns were held to just a field goal at home the week prior versus rival Baltimore. Struggling to find consistency in the offense, the Browns will need to make a laundry list of adjustments if they plan on turning things around against a stingy San Francisco team. Hitting the field without their Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb who suffered a serious knee injury in Week 2, backup running back Jerome Ford and quarterback Deshaun Watson will hope to catch the 49ers off guard and hand them a loss. Watson who missed Cleveland's last game as a surprise scratch with a shoulder injury, might be sidelined again if he isn't cleared in time for kickoff. As for the Niners, don't chalk this one up as a cake walk as San Francisco has had a rough go throughout their history when playing in Cleveland. While these two teams don't play each other very often, the 49ers have not won at Cleveland since 1984, having lost in each of their last three visits. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Continue to Roll, Upend rival Cardinals

Week 4 - Looking to continue their red-hot start and keep their undefeated streak alive, the (3-0) San Francisco 49ers welcomed in the division rival (1-2) Arizona Cardinals who were coming off their first win of the season after an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys. A week after earning his first career win as a starter against a formidable Dallas defense, Arizona quarterback Joshua Dobbs would face another tough task in the daunting 49er defense. And although Dobbs would hold his own and finish with a solid outing overall, it wouldn't be enough as Niners QB Brock Purdy had a near perfect afternoon of his own, completing all but one pass in a game where San Francisco's playmakers on offense proved to be too much for a rebuilding Cardinals team. 

Having won 13 consecutive regular season games entering Sunday's match-up between NFC Western Division foes, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers got things rolling right out of the gates on both sides of the ball. After the San Francisco defense forced a three and out punt on the Cardinals' opening-drive, the offense sparked a 10-play, 55-yard touchdown-scoring drive thanks to their star running back. As good as Purdy was on Sunday, his performance would be overshadowed by one of his key weapons on offense and early MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey who became the first player in 49ers franchise history to score a touchdown in 13 consecutive games, breaking a record held by the great Jerry Rice. Even after surpassing the mark of an all-time great, McCaffrey's busy day would be far from over as the game would soon turn into the Christian McCaffrey Show for much of the afternoon. With Arizona having not allowed an opening-drive score thru the first three weeks of the season, they would witness that streak come to an end as McCaffrey scored on San Francisco's first three possessions to start the game. With two touchdowns on the ground and one through the air, McCaffrey would have his fourth career 3-touchdown performance (first since 2019) and first in a 49ers uniform. 

Trailing at the half for the first time this season, down 21-10, the Cardinals did manage to make things interesting with a trip to the end zone on their first possession of the second half, pulling within 5-points after a failed two-point try. Pinned back at their own goal-line, Arizona marched down the field for their first 99-yard touchdown-scoring drive since December 11, 2016 against the Dolphins in Miami. As for the Niner defense, it would be their first touchdown drive of 99-yards allowed since September 15, 2002 versus the Denver Broncos. Looking to answer, San Francisco did just that, starting off the fourth quarter with another McCaffrey touchdown, his fourth of the game, allowing the 49ers to add to their lead before pulling away at the end. Before giving way and letting someone else have some fun by finding the end zone for San Francisco, McCaffrey added another rushing touchdown to become the first 49er all-time to score the team's first four touchdowns of a game, while also tying three others for the second most touchdowns scored in a single game by a 49er. Brock Purdy would cap the afternoon by scoring on a 1-yard run up the middle, following a deep pass to one of his favorite targets of the game in receiver Brandon Aiyuk. 

After sitting out of last week's game against the New York Giants, Aiyuk returned in a big way on Sunday by hauling in six receptions for a career-high 148 yards receiving. Registering a perfect 10 for 10 on passes in the first half, Purdy finished 20 for 21 with 283 yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown and a QB Rating of 134.6. At one point, Purdy had completed his first 18 consecutive pass attempts, tying the longest streak by a 49ers QB since Steve Young in 1996. As for the man of the hour, running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns on 20 carries, adding another 71 yards in receiving to go with 1 receiving touchdown on 7 receptions, becoming the first player in franchise history with 100+ scrimmage yards and 1+ TD in each of the first 4 games of a season. CMC would also join some elite company by becoming one of only six players to rack up 115+ scrimmage yards & 1 TD in each of the first 4 games of a season since 1950; DeMarco Murray (2014), Emmitt Smith (1995), Billy Sims (1981), O.J. Simpson (1975), and Jim Brown (1958) the others. 

Improving to 4-0 on the season, San Francisco has now scored 30+ points in each of their first four games this season for the first time in 49ers franchise history and the first team to do so since the 2021 Arizona Cardinals. Even after the final whistle blew, the fireworks didn't stop when the game came to an end as tempers flared between Talanoa Hufanga of the 49ers and the Cardinals' James Conner. The game was well over and the television feed had already switched over to coverage of the lopsided Dallas-New England game, but the cameras were still rolling when the two were caught in a verbal exchange between the two players before an altercation. Donning his helmet and taking a swipe at the Hufanga was Conner who took exception and appeared to put his hand in the Niners safeties' mouth. The two had to be separated as tight-end George Kittle came to his teammate's aid to defuse the situation. It'll be interested to see how things play out the next time these two teams meet at Arizona in Week 15. 

Week 5 Preview: Slated for a heavyweight match-up on Sunday Night Football, the (4-0) San Francisco 49ers will play host to the (3-1) Dallas Cowboys in a rematch of last year's NFC Divisional Round Playoffs. Having eliminated Dallas from the postseason in consecutive seasons, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys will take the field with revenge on their minds as San Francisco eyes a bit of history, having won 14 consecutive regular season games, just 1 shy of tying a franchise record in 1989-90. Aside from their upset loss in Week 3 to the Cardinals, the Cowboys have been one of the more dominant teams in the league thus far and are coming off a blowout win over the New England Patriots, handing Bill Belichick the biggest loss of his coaching career: 38-3. Entering Week 5 as one of only two teams with a better +point margin than the Niners' +67, Dallas comes in ranked second behind the Dolphins with a +83 point margin. One of only two remaining unbeatens in the league (Philadelphia the other), the 49ers will look to continue that mark with a win on Sunday to closeout their current three-game homestand. 

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