49ers outdueled in Monday Night Shootout to Lions

Week 17 - Playing in front of the Faithful for the final time this season, the (6-9) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the visiting (14-2) Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium on Monday Night Football. In a rematch of last season's NFC Championship which saw Kyle Shanahan's Niners pull off a 17-point second half comeback win over Dan Campbell's Lions, the 49ers would head into the Monday Night tilt looking to play the role of spoilers and give the home crowd one last win before kissing the 2024-25 season goodbye. Meanwhile, for the Lions who have already punched their playoff ticket and entered the week having already set a franchise record in wins with 13 on the season, coach Campbell noted he would not sit any of his players in the meeting with the Niners and expressed that it was revenge the team had in mind for the brutal loss that still haunts him which his team suffered in the NFC title game a season ago. Football fans around the world were sure to tune in as Lions vs 49ers delivered some big time TV ratings to the tune of 22.2 million viewers, making it the No. 1 most-watched Monday Night Football broadcast this season and a top-5 most-watched MNF broadcast since ESPN took over the program in 2006.

Having won 14 straight home games against the Lions (including postseason) entering their Monday night bout, the 49ers looked to continue a streak that dates back to 1975, while also looking to put an end to Detroit's perfect road record of 7-0 with the Lions' only losses on the season coming at home. With both teams on completely different spectrums this season with the Lions contending for the NFC's top seed and San Francisco in the cellar of last place in their division, both teams would come out guns blazing on offense. Despite the large disparity between the two teams this season, it was the 49ers who jumped ahead early and led for a majority of Monday's game to the surprise of many considering their makeshift offensive-line that was missing several starters. With a combined five touchdowns scored in the first half alone, including on each of the first five possessions of the game, both teams were off and running on offense as the defense was nowhere to be found until the final minutes of the first half. In a game highlighted by offensive firepower, it would come down to who would blink first and force the big mistake. Detroit would manage to do that not once but twice, coming up with a pair of key interceptions from Niners quarterback Brock Purdy. 

In what's been a rollercoaster year for 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall who was famously shot in an attempted robbery back in August less than two weeks before the start of the NFL's regular season, the first-round pick in April's Draft would have his coming out party on Monday night with his best game yet. Kicking off a career night for the former Florida Gator, Pearsall capped off an impressive opening-drive by San Francisco with a 3-yard touchdown reception to give his team an early 7-0 lead. With 10 opening-drive touchdowns scored by San Francisco a season ago, Monday night would mark only the third such drive by the Niners this season. Hauling in just the second touchdown reception of his career, Pearsall entered Week 17 with only 190 receiving yards on the season and would nearly match that mark on Monday night alone before finishing with a personal-best and game-high 141 yards receiving on 8 receptions. Pearsall's trip to the end zone on the game's opening-drive would spark three consecutive touchdown-scoring drives for San Francisco for the first time this season. Unfortunately, Detroit would answer two of those drives with touchdowns of their own.

49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk and QB Brock Purdy would add touchdowns in the first half to make it a 21-13 lead following a blocked extra-point by defensive-tackle Jordan Elliott on Detroit's opening-drive touchdown. The first blemish of the game by either team would come on the Lions' third possession of the game. Looking to match San Francisco's red-hot start of three consecutive touchdown-scoring drives to open the game, Detroit marched their way into the red zone but were stopped on a 4th down attempt from the 8-yard line when Lions QB Jared Goff had his pass to tight-end Sam LaPorta broken up inside the end zone by Niners rookie Renardo Green to force the turnover on downs. Looking to add to their lead just before the end of the half, San Francisco got a big gain two plays later on deep pass hauled in by running back Isaac Guerendo for 40-yards. Getting themselves in field goal range, the 49ers would attempt a field goal from 51-yards out, but kicker Jake Moody was unable to connect as his kick soared wide right. With the 49ers leading 21-13 at the half, the 8-point deficit would mark the second largest halftime deficit this season for the Lions after storming back and winning a game in which they trailed by 16-points at the half to the Houston Texans back in Week 9. 

With Detroit opening the second half with the ball, the Lions would tie the game on a touchdown and successful two-point conversion. Looking to open the second half with a similar spark of their own, Brock Purdy would connect on deep passes on back-to-back plays to Ricky Pearsall and tight-end George Kittle, helping setup a 5-yard touchdown reception from Deebo Samuel. After a season-high in scrimmage yards a week ago (121) and logging just his third touchdown of the season, Deebo made it two straight games with a score, putting his team back on top, 28-21. After the Lions added a field goal to bring them without four, Purdy made the first crucial mistake of the evening as he was intercepted on a pass airmailed over the head of Pearsall and into the hands of a waiting Kerby Joseph. Taking advantage of the first Niners turnover, Goff found his receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the end zone for the go-ahead score. Now trailing the Lions 31-28, the 49ers would begin the 4th quarter with an attempt to tie the game, but Jake Moody pushed a 58-yard field goal try wide-left for his second miss in as many attempts. 

Adding salt to the Niners' wound, Lions kicker Jake Bates would connect on a 42-yard field goal on the other end of Detroit's ensuing possession. Now trailing 34-28 but well within striking distance, the next 49ers possession would again go up in flames on another Purdy interception, again picked off by Joseph who added to his total with an NFL-leading 9th interception. And just like they did on the first interception, Detroit made it count with a touchdown as running back Jahmyr Gibbs made his stamp on the game with a big 30-yard score. Although the Niners did answer with a touchdown as backup QB Josh Dobbs came in for an injured Brock Purdy who would leave with an elbow injury earlier in the drive after taking a sack, taking it in himself from 7-yards out, San Francisco was unable to recover the on-side kick as time expired. With a missed extra-point by Moody, the 49ers ultimately fell, 40-34 in an entertaining shootout. Both QB's put up big numbers in the game, with Purdy throwing for a career-high 377 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, and Goff who had plenty of friends and family in attendance, with 303 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs led all rushers with 117 yards and a touchdown. 

Needing only 33-yards entering Monday night's game to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the season, 49ers tight-end George Kittle notched another stellar performance with 8 receptions for 112 yards, helping him eclipse the 1,000 yard mark. His fourth season with 1,000 receiving yards, Kittle is tied for the second most by a tight-end in NFL history and the only tight-end in 49ers franchise history with four such seasons. However, he remains the only tight-end in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving on less than 100 targets and he has now done it in back-to-back seasons. As for Ricky Pearsall, the rookie receiver logged the third most yards in a game by a Niners rookie (141) behind only Jerry Rice (231 yards in 1985) and Dave Park (146 yards in 1964), earning him a nomination for the NFL's Pepsi Rookie of the Week. 

Week 18 Preview: Taking the field for the final time this season, the (6-10) 49ers will pay a visit to the desert to take on the rival (7-9) Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season finale. With Arizona also already eliminated from the postseason, there won't be a ton to play for from a team standpoint from either squad on Sunday, with the exception of San Francisco attempting to avenge their 24-23 Week 5 loss to the Cardinals where the 49ers squandered a 10-point 4th quarter lead after kicker Jake Moody left just before halftime with an injury which ignited the team's ups and downs at the kicker position. As for the players, one 49er in particular who will be playing for a little more on Sunday is receiver Jauan Jennings who has already had a career year this season, leading all receivers in touchdowns (6) and receiving yards (923), just 77 yards shy of his first career 1,000-yard season. With Purdy ruled out for the season-finale with a sore elbow, suiting up at the quarterback position for the 49ers will be former Cardinal Josh Dobbs who played the first half of last season in Arizona before being traded to Minnesota. 

Expect Dobbs to look Jennings' way early and often come gameday. On the four passing plays that Dobbs filled in for on Monday night, the 49ers backup QB threw in Jennings' direction on three of those plays. With coach Shanahan well aware of how close Jennings is to the milestone, expect him to dial up a bevy of plays for Jennings, much like he did for Deebo in the Miami game in Week 16. Another match-up worth watching will be between both team's tight-ends in San Francisco's George Kittle and Arizona Trey McBride. Unlike Jennings, both Kittle and McBride have eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark this season with McBride having the slight edge with 1,081 yards to Kittle's nearly identical 1,079 yards, but Kittle has the edge in touchdowns with 8 compared to McBride's 1. The most surprising stat of all is that Kittle has nearly the same amount of receiving yards with only 76 receptions, nearly 30 fewer than McBride's 104 catches. Regardless, Kittle vs McBride is the perfect example of two of the best tight-ends in the league both new and old. 

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Niners Drop to Dolphins, Eliminated from Playoffs

Week 16 - Entering Sunday's game, the (6-8) San Francisco 49ers held less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs after their disappointing loss to the Rams a week earlier on a rain-soaked Levi's Stadium field. But just moments before kickoff against the (6-8) Miami Dolphins, the Niners would learn that those playoff hopes would come to an end following the Washington Commanders' dramatic comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles which meant San Francisco was mathematically eliminated from punching their playoff ticket. With head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad missing the postseason for the first time since 2020, there was little to play for as San Francisco would not be given a chance to defend their NFC title. Making their first visit Miami, Florida since their loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 54 nearly five years ago, the 49ers would duel with a familiar face in Miami head coach Mike McDaniel who served five seasons under coach Shanahan in San Francisco as the run game coordinator and offensive coordinator before landing the Dolphins' head coaching gig in 2022. 

As for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who would be facing the team he grew up rooting for while idolizing Dolphins great Dan Marino, he would also face the team he recorded his first career win against in 2022 when stepping in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo. Having come a long way since making NFL history in that contest when Purdy became the first Mr. Irrelevant to throw a touchdown pass in a regular season game, Sunday would unfortunately end on a much somber note than the game that catapulted Brock Purdy's name on a national scale just two years earlier. Taking over duties in the backfield behind Purdy would be yet another running back in Patrick Taylor who in his fifth pro season would make his first career start in place of injured rookie Isaac Guerendo. Unfortunately, it would be a quiet day for Taylor, the team's fifth-string running back behind a laundry list of injured backs in Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason and Guerendo. One 49er who would not have a disappointing game in what's been a disappointing season is Deebo Samuel. After dropping a potential game-winning touchdown a week earlier, Deebo would have one of his best games of the season on Sunday. 

After the Dolphins jumped ahead in the first quarter with a Jason Sanders field goal, the 49ers answered to start the second quarter with a Deebo Samuel touchdown. His third TD of the season and first since Week 6, Deebo rumbled and tumbled his way into the end zone with an impressive show of strength, fighting off tackles to strike paydirt. Inching closer with another field goal by Sanders, the Dolphins would take the lead one possession later with a touchdown pass from Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa to receiver Tyreek Hill. After suffering a few dropped passes earlier in the game, Hill made up for it, hauling in the 100th career touchdown pass by Tua who became just the fourth Dolphins QB to reach the century mark. The 49ers would answer with a Jake Moody field goal but went into the locker room trailing 13-10 at the half. Picking up right where they left off, Miami converted on more field goals as Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders added to his busy day by adding another pair of field goals to open the second half. Sandwiched between those made field goals was a missed field goal by San Francisco's Jake Moody. 

Trailing 16-10, Moody's kick from 41-yards would sail wide-left, much to the chagrin of coach Shanahan who was seen fuming on the sideline after the missed field goal. Making matters worse, the 49ers had a 16-yard Deebo Samuel reception that would've given them a first and goal from the 2-yard line negated a few plays earlier due to an illegal-formation penalty on rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall who was flagged twice on the same drive for illegal-formation. The back-breaking penalties followed by the missed field goal would only add to the frustration felt by the 49ers virtually all season long as the self-inflicted miscues have reared their ugly head far too often for San Francisco this year. After another made field goal by Miami that pushed their lead to 19-10, the 49ers marched their way to the end zone to open the fourth quarter, capping the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight-end who hauled in his first touchdown reception as a 49er and only the third TD of his 7-year career. Another tight-end that would make his presence felt on Sunday was San Francisco's George Kittle who notched his 20th career 100-yard receiving game after his 106-yard performance, making him the 4th tight-end with 20 such games in his first 8 seasons in NFL history. Kittle's 7,241 receiving yards passed Rob Gronkowski for the 2nd most by an NFL tight-end in his first 8 seasons in NFL history, trailing only Travis Kelce of the Chiefs. 

Pulling within 2 points, the 49ers had Miami right where they wanted them after forcing a punt on the Dolphins ensuing possession. But after having to punt themselves after nothing doing, Miami would add another field goal to add to their lead, the fifth of the game from kicker Jason Sanders. Still within striking distance trailing by 5, Brock Purdy would be pressured into hurrying a pass that was intercepted by the Miami defense. A few plays later, running back De'Von Achane would break for a 50-yard touchdown, putting the game out of reach and sealing the Dolphins' 29-17 win. With his touchdown run that served as the dagger, Achane recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, logging 120 rush yards in total. Although Brock Purdy threw for 313 yards and a pair of touchdowns, his costly interception came at a pivotal time and was unable to rally his team to victory when playing from behind. The Niners' disappointing run game was outgained 166 to 81 as both Purdy (26) and Samuel (25) finished with more rushing yards than starting running back Patrick Taylor (24). Tua played turnover-free football and threw for 215 yards and a touchdown for Miami. 

Noteworthy: Playing in just his second game since returning from a torn Achilles, 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw would have to again leave Sunday's game early, this time with a calf injury that will likely lead to Shanahan and company shutting him down for the remainder of the season as a precaution. 

Week 17 Preview: Playing in their final home game of the season, the (6-9) 49ers will return to Levi's Stadium where they will play host to the (13-2) Detroit Lions on the last Monday Night Football of 2024 in what will be a rematch of last season's NFC Championship game. With the Lions currently sitting in the driver's seat as the NFC's No. 1 seed, Detroit will look to avenge their heartbreaking loss to the 49ers which saw San Francisco storm back from a 17-point deficit. With the rival Vikings on Detroit's heels and also sitting at 13-2 on the year, expect quarterback Jared Goff and the Lions to not pull any punches and give it everything they have on Monday night as explained by head coach Dan Campbell, despite having suffered a few major injuries to the roster down the stretch. 

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is hoping running back Isaac Guerendo will be one of the players back in time for gameday as he nurses a hamstring and foot injury. With 967 receiving yards on the season, Niners tight-end George Kittle is another name that expects to go full throttle on Monday night as he looks to surpass the 1,000 yard mark for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in his career. Kittle also leads the team in touchdowns with 8, the second-most he's scored in a single season. As for San Francisco's offensive-line, quarterback Brock Purdy may be in for a world of hurt as he's expected to be without left-tackle Trent Williams, left-guard Aaron Banks, right-tackle Spencer Burford, and possibly right-tackle Colton McKivitz who is questionable with a knee injury. 

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Right to Bear Arms - Niners Pummel Chicago

Week 14 - Looking to shake off their nightmarish two-game road trip and three-game skid, the (5-7) San Francisco 49ers returned home to Levi's Stadium in hopes of a rebound as they continue to play catchup in a crowded NFC West. Despite looking up at the rest of the division in the standings and sitting in last place, the Niners still have a scenario in play where they can make the playoffs, but they can ill afford losing more games to teams they should easily beat. A meeting with the visiting (4-8) Chicago Bears, losers of six straight entering Sunday, would allow them an opportunity to get back on track and into the win column. With the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus on black Friday, a day after the debacle that took place during their Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions, it was uncertain what the Chicago Bears would look like on Sunday under interim head coach Thomas Brown who took the sideline for the first time at the helm after starting the season as the team's passing game coordinator. And with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy coming off career-lows as a starter a week earlier in snowy Buffalo, the Niners signal-caller would come out with a chip on his shoulder as the offense began Sunday's contest firing on all cylinders right out the gates. 

Thanks to big gains on back-to-back plays by rookie running back Isaac Guerendo and tight-end George Kittle who picked up 23 and 33 yards respectively, the Niners were off to the races and found the end zone on Purdy's 7-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jauan Jennings. The quartet of Purdy, Guerendo, Kittle and Jennings would all be in line for big games, including Guerendo who would see his first career start at running back in the absence of fellow running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason. Jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead, San Francisco would score only their second opening-drive touchdown of the season, marching 70-yards in just 7-plays. With the 49er defense welcoming back safety Talanoa Hufanga after a 7-game stint on the Injured Reserve, San Francisco would be just as stout on the defensive side of the ball as the Chicago Bears were held scoreless in the first half and limited to only 4 yards of total offense through the first two quarters. With a rushing touchdown by Guerendo and a second touchdown grab by Jauan Jennings, the 49ers went into the locker room at the half with a resounding 24-0 lead. 

Whatever peptalk interim head coach Thomas Brown gave his team at the half, seemed to work as the Bears put together their most successful drive yet, marching 70-yards on 18-plays before finding the end zone on a 4-yard touchdown pass from QB Caleb Williams to receiver Rome Odunze for the rookie-to-rookie connection. In spite of the successful drive, the Bears ate up over 9-minutes of game time on their touchdown-scoring drive. After forcing a quick 49ers punt on San Francisco's ensuing possession, the Bears were suddenly marching down the field on offense and made it across midfield before being dealt a blow on a Caleb Williams fumble on a backwards pass that was recovered by the defense. Stopping the Bears in their tracks, the 49ers capitalized on the Chicago turnover with Isaac Guerendo's second rushing touchdown of the afternoon from 4-yards out. Setup by a 39-yard reception from Jauan Jennings, the 49ers had plenty of big plays under their sleeve on Sunday. After only eight plays of 20+ yards in their last three games combined, Kyle Shanahan's offense would match that mark in the first half of Sunday's game alone before surpassing that total with more big plays in the second half. 

With only one receiving touchdown on the season entering Sunday, Bears rookie receiver Rome Odunze would haul in his second touchdown reception of the afternoon with a 14-yard grab, making it a 31-13 game. Answering Chicago's touchdown with a scoring drive of their own, the 49ers run game would put the final nail in the coffin following a 3-yard rushing touchdown up the middle by running back Patrick Taylor who put the game well out of reach. After losing their previous three games by a combined 7-points, the Bears were shellacked on Sunday by a final score of 38-13. Thanks to an overall solid performance in all facets by the 49ers, there was very little if anything at all to complain about as the Niners got back into the win column. Outgaining the Bears by nearly 300 yards in total offense, the 49ers racked up 452 yards to Chicago's 162. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy answered the call after setting career-lows the week earlier, throwing for 325 yards and 2 passing touchdowns, completing 20 of 25 passes. In contrast, Bears QB Caleb Williams also connected on a pair of touchdown passes, but threw for only 134 yards and was sacked seven times on Sunday, adding to his NFL lead as the most sacked quarterback in the league this season with 56, 15 more than the next closest quarterback (C.J. Stroud, sacked 41 times).

49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo answered the call in his first career start, rushing for 78-yards and 2 touchdowns and adding another 50-yards receiving on 2 receptions to give him 128-yards of total offense, resulting in a nomination for the NFL's Pepsi Rookie of the Week. Tight-end George Kittle had just six receptions on Sunday but made the most of them and finished with a game-high 151-yards receiving on his way to becoming just the third tight-end in NFL history with 500 receptions and 7,000 receiving yards. Leading all receivers with 7 receptions, Jauan Jennings continued his stellar 2024 campaign with 90-yards and 2 touchdown grabs in the win. Hampered by injury which has caused him to miss all but seven games this season, defensive-end Yetur Gross-Matos who was the team's big offseason signing on defense, led the 49ers in sacks on Sunday with 3, tripling his season output as he entered Sunday with only 1 sack on the year. 

Week 15 Preview: With a quick turnaround in store as the (6-7) 49ers play host to the rival (7-6) Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, San Francisco will look to win their second straight and avenge a tough Week 3 loss that saw the 49ers spoil a 10-point fourth quarter lead. In that game, the 49ers were without many of their playmakers on offense including George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, both of whom will be on the field on Thursday looking to make up for their absence in the previous bout. However, receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were also missing in action in that Week 3 meeting for the Rams and will look to prevent the 49ers from gaining any ground within the NFC Western Division. L.A. QB Matthew Stafford is also playing his best football of the season while riding a streak of 10 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions over the last four games for the Rams offense. After losing nine straight regular season games to the Niners, the Rams enter Levi's Stadium having won the last two matchups against San Francisco including last year's regular season finale in a battle of two backup QB's. 

Sunday's game will have a bit more significance than that playoff tune-up from a season ago with the Niners hoping to start a new streak against their rivals and inch back into the playoff picture with only four regular season games remaining on the schedule and plenty of ground to make up. One key reinforcement could be headed San Francisco's way in time for kickoff in the form of linebacker Dre Greenlaw who's been out all season after tearing his Achilles on the sideline in February's Super Bowl. With Thursday's game the targeted date for a possible season debut for the Niners' talented linebacker barring any setbacks during this week's practice, a healthy Greenlaw back on the field could be the perfect jolt needed for the 49ers looking to make a last-ditch run for a playoff spot. 

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Shorthanded Niners no match for Pack

Week 12 - With only a handful of games remaining on the NFL's regular season schedule, things are getting dire for the (5-5) San Francisco 49ers who are toeing the line of must-win territory as they trail the Cardinals and sit tied with the Rams and Seahawks in a crowded NFC Western Division. However, the timing of these must-win games would be rather unfortunate for the Niners who took to the road on Sunday to kickoff the first leg of a tough two-game road trip against the (7-3) Green Bay Packers and (8-2) Buffalo Bills, two of the better teams in all of football. Making matters worse, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would be without several key players including four Pro Bowlers in defensive-end Nick Bosa, left-tackle Trent Williams, cornerback Charvarius Ward and quarterback Brock Purdy. With Purdy missing practice during the week due to a sore shoulder, coach Shanahan announced backup QB Brandon Allen would be next in line to start, something he hadn't done since 2021 as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Making his first start in three years, Niner fans had a feeling Sunday's game would not be a pretty sight while going up against a hungry Green Bay team looking to avenge their playoff loss suffered at the hands of San Francisco a season ago. But nothing would prepare them for the lopsided struggle that ensued on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. As bad as the Niners were on offense, their defense was even worse as they committed 10 missed tackles in the first quarter alone, and 15 in the first half, both the most by any team in the NFL this season. That number would climb to 19 missed tackles in total by the end of the game. It would be a forgetful day in all facets for the 49er defense as they saw their streak of 55 consecutive games without allowing a 100+ yard rusher come to an end, snapping the longest streak in the NFL since 1955. Green Bay's offense opened the game with a 15-play, 77-yard drive that ate up nearly seven and a half minutes, ending in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Packers QB Jordan Love to tight-end Tucker Kraft. Meanwhile, the 49ers punted on each of their first two drives and didn't convert a first down until midway thru the second quarter. 

San Francisco also struggled with penalties on Sunday, committing nine penalties in total, including three first half penalties by rookie Dominic Puni who had committed only one penalty all season long entering Sunday. Trailing 17-0, the 49ers would finally piece together their first successful drive on offense, capped off by a 3-yard receiving touchdown by tight-end George Kittle. After missing last week's game with a hamstring injury, Kittle returned to the field picking up right where he left off by hauling in his league-leading 15th red zone reception and his eighth red zone touchdown on the season, the most in the NFL. The touchdown grab would also move Kittle into No. 3 on the franchise's all-time receptions list, giving him 507 career receptions, trailing only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. After a penalty-riddled first half, the 49ers received the ball to open the third quarter and appeared to have stolen some momentum after an 87-yard kick return by Deebo Samuel. But low and behold, a holding penalty would negate the potential game-shifting return. Instead of setting up shop at Green Bay's 8-yard line, San Francisco would be called back to their own 21-yard line and eventually turned the ball over on downs. 

The 49er offense would cross midfield on their next possession, but a high pass into traffic intended for Samuel went over his head and into the hands of a Packers defender. Any chance of a fourth quarter comeback like the one they pulled off against Green Bay in the playoffs last season, went down the drain after fumbles on consecutive drives by the San Francisco offense. A strip-sack fumble on Brandon Allen and a rare miscue by running back Christian McCaffrey would result in a pair of touchdowns by the Packer offense which cashed in 21-points off San Francisco turnovers in total. As for the 49er defense, defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen's unit was unable to force any turnovers on Sunday with the exception of a late turnover on downs with just over a minute remaining in regulation. Packers QB Jordan Love entered Sunday's game having thrown at least one interception in every game this season, but steered clear against the Niners despite two near mistakes on dropped picks by San Francisco's Renardo Green and Ji'Ayir Brown.

While San Francisco's struggles inside the red zone are well documented this season, Green Bay has been equally as bad this year and ranked 27th in red zone percentage entering Sunday. However, they converted 4-for-4 in red zone trips against the Niners, including three rushing touchdowns by running back Josh Jacobs, his third career 3 touchdown game. Jacobs entered Sunday's meeting red-hot with 90+ scrimmage yards in six straight games, tied for the longest active streak in the NFL and third in the league in rushing with 838 yards. He kept that streak alive with a busy 106-yard performance, helping Green Bay score a season-high 38-points as the 49ers lost, 38-10. In the rivalry which spans 74 games between the two teams, the 28-point loss for San Francisco would mark their largest loss in the series' history. 49ers QB Brandon Allen did outproduce Jordan Love in passing yards: 199 to 163 but tallied only 1 touchdown and two turnovers compared to Love's 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. George Kittle led all receivers with 82 yards and a receiving touchdown on a game-high six receptions. 

Unfortunately for San Francisco, the loss would result in a dramatic drop in their playoff probability, dropping their playoff hopes from 46% had they won on Sunday, compared to just 15% with the loss. The 31% differential in win from loss is the largest in the NFL this week.  

Week 13 Preview - After falling to 5-6 on the season, the 49ers will have another tough one on Sunday when they take a trip to the northeast for a date with the (9-2) Buffalo Bills. With snow expected in the forecast and the elements likely to play a factor, the Niners will need a much better performance on the ground from Christian McCaffrey and company, especially after San Francisco was outgained 169 to 44 in rushing yards in Week 12 against the Packers. They'll also need a much cleaner game on defense against Bills quarterback Josh Allen who is currently in the MVP discussion as Buffalo trails only the (10-1) Kansas City Chiefs who they recently defeated for the top seed in the AFC. San Francisco's playoff hopes are fading fast, but if anything can catapult them back into the discussion it would be a road win against a stout Bills team that has won six straight and is undefeated at home this season (5-0). It's not exactly clear whether or not Brock Purdy will return on Sunday as he continues to battle shoulder soreness which has kept him limited at practice up to this point. If not, another tough day at the office could be in store for backup Brandon Allen. 

The 49ers did receive some good news on the injury front as linebacker Dre Greenlaw who's been out all season with a torn Achilles suffered on the sideline during February's Super Bowl, is expected to join team practices this week in a limited role before returning to game action in the coming weeks. San Francisco's defense has been nowhere near as dominant as they were a season ago and a lot of that can be attributed to the absence of Greenlaw who when healthy, provides arguably the best 1-2 punch at linebacker in all of football with Fred Warner. 

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49ers Shake off Special-teams Woes to Win in Tampa

Week 10 - After a week off coming out of the Bye week, the (4-4) San Francisco 49ers would prepare to head into their matchup with the (4-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers while welcoming back a number of reinforcements on offense from injury including the trio of running back Christian McCaffrey, receiver Jauan Jennings and kicker Jake Moody. All three would put their stamp on the game one way or another in what would be a knock-down-drag-out war between two NFC foes looking to keep pace while trailing in their respective divisions. For 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Sunday would be an opportunity to prove once again that his San Francisco team is a force to be reckon with in the second half of the season as his teams have combined for a record of 43-18 after the Bye week, 3rd best in the NFL, compared to the 25-37 clip prior to the Bye. 

With the return of Christian McCaffrey, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year would make his long-awaited season debut for the 49ers, as coach Shanahan and company are hoping CMC will help solve their ongoing red zone woes that have plagued them in several of their early season losses. With 18 red zone touchdowns by McCaffrey a season ago which helped his team finish 1st in red zone touchdown percentage (67%), the Niners have stumbled to 28th in that same category to start this year (45%). Another department that McCaffrey figures to bolster is Yards After Catch as 49er running backs have combined for just 117 YAC this season, the fewest in the NFL. Despite missing over two months with Achilles tendinitis, any thought of a pitch count for McCaffrey would go right out the window as the dynamic running back saw the field for 88% of San Francisco's offensive snaps on Sunday. 

Sunday's game in Tampa Bay which featured temperatures in the upper-80's, would also be somewhat of a homecoming for 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall as the receiver was drafted in the first round out of the University of Florida in nearby Gainsville. Playing in just his third game of the season, Pearsall has made steady improvements in each game and had his best game yet on Sunday less than 3 months removed from being rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound following a robbery attempt. With both teams exchanging punts to start the game, it was the 49ers who struck first when quarterback Brock Purdy hit a wide-open Pearsall in the middle of the field who was able to reach the ball over the goal line for a 46-yard touchdown, the first of his career. According to analytics, Pearsall had just a 19.1% chance of scoring before he turned on the jets and made it happen with his team there to celebrate. San Francisco would add to their lead one possession later, but again failed to convert in the red zone and were forced to rely on kicker Jake Moody who returned to action after missing the last three games by splitting the uprights from 28-yards out. 

While the 49ers have struggled to put up touchdowns when making it inside the red zone, Tampa Bay on the other hand entered Sunday riding the longest active streak in the NFL with touchdowns scored on their last 9 trips to the red zone. That streak would come to an end in the second quarter when Bucs QB Baker Mayfield helped lead his team inside the San Francisco 10-yard line but were held to a field goal. Clinging onto a 10-3 lead, the Niners had looked to add to their lead before heading into the half when Purdy connected on a 30-yard reception to Jauan Jennings which setup a 49-yard field goal try that Moody missed wide left. With Tampa opening the second half with possession of the football, the 49er defense forced a quick three and out to set themselves up with an early opportunity. But as bad as San Francisco's problems have been inside the red zone this season, their issues on special-teams have been even worse. With rookie receiver Jacob Cowing back to return the punt, the 49ers would see shades of Super Bowl LVIII when second-year player Darrell Luter Jr. ran into his teammate which led to a muffed punt fumble. 

Luter famously caused a fumble for his own team in February's Super Bowl against the Chiefs when he failed to get out of the way on a punt that struck his foot which led to a go-ahead touchdown one play later for Kansas City. And just like in that game, the Bucs would capitalize with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to running back Rachaad White, tying the game at 10-all. The 49ers would retake the lead one possession later with another field goal from Moody, but the Bucs who suddenly found their offense firing on all cylinders, answered right back with a go-ahead touchdown. On their most successful possession yet, the 49ers had no answer for Bucs rookie running back Bucky Irving who followed up two nice runs with a 12-yarder that ended in paydirt. One play into their next drive, Brock Purdy hit his tight-end George Kittle who broke a tackle and turned a would-be short gain into a 33-yard reception. The offense would stall out there before coach Shanahan called on Moody for another field goal attempt which was missed from 50-yards. 

The duo of Purdy and Kittle would connect again on their next possession after a 30-yard reception to Christian McCaffrey who made a basket catch Willie Mays style on a dime ball from Purdy who floated a pass along the sideline while he had a defender barrowing down on him. Several plays later, with nobody initially open, Purdy would dance around the pocket before escaping to his left and throwing a dart into the corner of the end zone where he found Kittle who was able to get his feet down for the highlight reel touchdown to pull his team back ahead. The 49ers would look to add to their lead one possession later but kicker Jake Moody would miss his third field goal of the game, shanking one to the right from 44-yards out. With San Francisco stuck on a 3-point lead, Tampa Bay would have one final chance to potentially win the game with a touchdown-scoring drive or a field goal to tie it. 

For a moment it would appear that the 49er defense would seal the game when defensive-end Nick Bosa got ahold of Baker Mayfield's left arm on 4th and 7, but Mayfield was able to fight off the sack at least for the time being and stay on his feet long enough to sling the ball with his right arm to find Rachaad White for an 8-yard completion to convert the first down and keep both the drive and Tampa's hopes alive. Then came a frenzy of penalties committed by the San Francisco defense who were called for fouls on 4 of the next 6 plays. Despite being flagged for a defensive holding, face mask, roughing the passer and illegal use of hands, the 49ers were able to keep Mayfield and company out of the end zone as Tampa Bay threatened by making it to the 5-yard line before having to settle for a game-tying field goal with less than a minute remaining in regulation. With 41-seconds left on the clock, Purdy would come in to orchestrate a game-winning drive. With no timeouts remaining, Purdy connected on 4-of-4 passes to Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings, including a 13-yarder to Jennings in which he elected not to go out of bounds and instead fought for a few additional yards that came up huge as Purdy spiked the ball to setup his kicker for a shot at redemption. 

After missing three field goals earlier in the day in his first game back off the injured reserve list, Moody stepped up one final time to nail what would be the game-winning field goal from 44-yards out. Escaping Tampa Bay with the 23-20 victory, the 49ers converted their fourth consecutive win over the Buccaneers. Moody showed great resilience by kicking the game-winner after being at the center of a scuffle that occurred after his third and final missed field goal attempt when receiver and teammate Deebo Samuel made a comment telling Moody to lock in in what was a game that the 49ers should've easily been leading by double-digits if not for their own self-inflicted errors. Long-snapper Taybor Pepper stepped in to defend Moody which Deebo took exception to, shoving him along the sideline which of course was caught on camera. The incident which happened in the heat of the moment in a very intense game has since been squashed according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. 

49ers QB Brock Purdy would throw for a season-high 353 yards passing to go along with 2 touchdowns in the win. Jauan Jennings led all receivers with a game-high in both receptions (7) and receiving yards (93), while Christian McCaffrey logged 107 yards of total offense with 68 yards receiving on 6 catches and 39 yards rushing on 13 carries. Meanwhile, Tampa QB Baker Mayfield who entered Sunday's game leading the league in both passing touchdowns (23) and 300+ yard games (4), the 49er defense held him to only 116 yards passing and 1 touchdown. Bucs rookie running back Bucky Irving led all rushers with 73 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Purdy spoke postgame with Tom Brady who helped call the game on FOX and was named Tom's LFG Player of the Game for his stellar performance and game-winning drive. If you can recall, Purdy made his first career start against the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers in 2022. Sunday's game seemed like a must-win for San Francisco as Tampa Bay was without not one but two playmakers in their top-2 receivers -- Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. 

Week 11 Preview - Returning to Levi's Stadium after the brief stop in Tampa, the (5-4) 49ers will look to improve on their first winning streak of the season to three games when they play host to the rival (4-5) Seattle Seahawks. For whatever reason, San Francisco will face yet another opponent coming off the Bye week, marking the third time in four games that the 49ers will face a team with a week off and more than a week to prepare for coach Kyle Shanahan's squad. After getting off to a quick 3-0 start to begin the season, the Geno Smith-led Seahawks have lost five of their last six games under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald and are currently tied with the L.A. Rams for last place in the NFC West. 

The 49ers handed the Seahawks a 36-24 loss on Thursday Night Football in Seattle back in Week 6, highlighted by 228 yards rushing by the 49ers, led by the duo of San Francisco's Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo. Receiver Deebo Samuel also had a big day against the Seahawks in the receiving department like he does so often versus Seattle, putting up 102 yards receiving and a touchdown on just 3 receptions. The 49ers will look to keep it rolling against the Seahawks whom San Francisco has beaten in six straight meetings entering their Week 11 matchup. Given the surprisingly busy workload for McCaffrey in the Week 10 win, it'll be worth keeping an eye on his status in the week leading up to Sunday's game versus Seattle and if his Achilles tendinitis flares up at all. As a precaution, coach Shanahan will likely make CMC a limited participant during the week's practices. 

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Niners Rope Cowboys, Head into the Bye with Win

Week 8 - Hoping to head into the Bye week on a high note with a win to even their record and keep pace with a neck and neck NFC Western Division, the (3-4) San Francisco 49ers would host an up and down (3-3) Dallas Cowboys team that entered Sunday undefeated on the road with a perfect record of 3-0 away from home. Looking to spoil that unblemished road record for the Cowboys, the 49ers would try to get back on track at Levi's Stadium where they've split the first four games in their home stadium, dropping each of the last two after starting off 2-0. With Dallas coming off their own Bye week, it would mark the second consecutive week that the 49ers would have the misfortune of facing a team well rested with a week off following their meeting with the Chiefs. And just like their game against Kansas City, it would be the 49ers who would strike first. 

After forcing a punt on Dallas' opening-possession, the 49ers would cross midfield on a deep pass on third and long from quarterback Brock Purdy to receiver Deebo Samuel for 47-yards. With Deebo missing several practices during the week after being treated for pneumonia which required a few nights stay at a nearby hospital, his playing status entering the weekend remained in question before he was finally able to return to the practice field on Friday. Making plays almost instantly, coach Kyle Shanahan and company were more than happy to have their guy back after having to leave only four plays into the game a week earlier. Unfortunately, a holding penalty a few plays later would derail San Francisco's plans of reaching the end zone as they were held to a field goal. Splitting the uprights from 50-yards out, kicker Anders Carlson put the Niners on top early as the 49ers remained the only team in the NFL with 3+ kickers to make a field goal this season. On Dallas' ensuing possession, quarterback Dak Prescott would attempt a deep pass of his own but was picked off by San Francisco safety Ji'Ayir Brown. 

With the Niners unable to do anything with the early turnover, the Cowboys got things going on their next possession, converting on several third and longs before running back Ezekiel Elliott punched into the end zone from a yard out to give Dallas a 7-3 lead. The 49ers answered almost instantly with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Deebo, but another costly offensive holding call spoiled the scoring play for San Francisco. The two would try to reconnect a few plays later on a fourth and 3 attempt, but an errant pass by Purdy behind his receiver would result in a turnover on downs near midfield. Both teams would add field goals before exchanging punts as the first half came to a close with Dallas clinging onto a 10-6 halftime lead. In need of a jolt to start the second half, whatever was said in the locker room during halftime not only resonated but also woke up a sleeping giant within the team as the 49ers came out guns blazing to open the third quarter. Scoring touchdowns on three consecutive scoring drives to open the half, the 49ers offense pulled off a 21-skunk with a pair of rushing touchdowns by rookie running back Isaac Guerendo and quarterback Brock Purdy, as well as a receiving touchdown from tight-end George Kittle. 

Guerendo would see his busiest day as a pro yet, toting the ball for 14 carries after running back Jordan Mason reinjured his shoulder that began to hinder him in Week 6 vs Seattle. The rookie would answer the call with 85 rushing yards and a 4-yard touchdown, the first of his career. Guerendo would eclipse the 100-yard mark by adding another 17-yards receiving on 3 receptions. Kittle would put his own stamp on the game like only he can, as the founding father of National Tight-End Day, a makeshift holiday created by the 49ers tight-end to be celebrated on the final Sunday of every October, Kittle reached several milestones while hauling in a 2-yard touchdown grab. With the reception, Kittle moved to third place on the 49ers' all-time receiving list by passing Dwight Clark. With 6,777 receiving yards throughout his career, Kittle trails only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens on that list, two Hall of Famers. Kittle also reached his 500th career reception, becoming only the fifth player in franchise history to reach that feat and moving closer to Clark's 506 mark and Roger Craig's 508, as only Owens (592) and Rice (1,281) have more in a 49ers uniform. Purdy would cap off the busy third quarter by plowing forward for a 2-yard score near the goal line. Not only would the 49ers outscore Dallas in the third quarter by a score of 21-0, they would put up more points scored in the quarter than the Cowboys had yards (16). 

Even with a dominant third quarter that allowed the 49ers to take a 27-10 lead entering the fourth, the 49ers almost let another double-digit lead in a game slip away. They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but it has for the 49ers and it nearly struck the same place for a third time this season. The Cowboys would suddenly find themselves back in a game they had no business being in when trailing by 17-points with just over 8-minutes remaining in regulation. Leaving the most dangerous weapon on the Cowboys' roster wide-open, Dak found receiver Ceedee Lamb all alone for an easy score to make it a 10-point game. Though the 49ers would add a 41-yard field goal by Carlson on their ensuing drive, Dak would find Lamb again wide-open for a touchdown when a pair of 49er defenders collided in the secondary with 3:36 left to play. What was once a 17-point lead just moments earlier, quickly evaporated into a 30-24 nail-biter which got even scarier when the 49ers were forced to punt after Purdy was brought down for a sack and was only able to shed 27-seconds off the clock throughout the possession. Taking over with 3:05 remaining, the Cowboys' attempt to pull off the comeback would fall short when Dak Prescott failed to complete a pass and turned the ball over on downs as the San Francisco defense stood tall and held down the fort when they needed it the most. 

Guerendo would put the final nail in the coffin with a 14-yard run that the rookie could've taken to the house before sliding just shy of the goal line to allow for the clock to run out. Converting the game-sealing first down on a 3rd and 2 attempt with 1:16 remaining, the 49ers were able to celebrate their fourth consecutive win over Dallas, handing them their first road loss of the season. Niners QB Brock Purdy finished the game 260 yards passing and a touchdown, while also rushing for another 56 yards and a rushing touchdown. Purdy's 56 yards on the ground would match the total amount of rushing yards by the Cowboys' running back tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook who were held in check virtually all game long. Dak Prescott threw for 243, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the loss for Dallas. Prescott's favorite receiver CeeDee Lamb would have his best game of the season, hauling in a game-high 13 receptions and leading both teams with 146 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. As for George Kittle, the 49ers tight-end just knows how to turn it up a notch on National Tight-End Day as he caught 6 passes for 128-yards and a touchdown to lead his team. Kittle averages nearly 30 yards more per game on the unofficial holiday and would be nominated for the FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week for his performance in the win. On top of that, tight-ends throughout the league were able to collectively team up for 177 receptions on Sunday, the most in a single day in NFL history. 

Week 10 Preview - Coming out of the Week 9 Bye week, the 49ers will return on the road with a pit stop in Tampa Bay, Florida to face the (4-5) Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is coming off an overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Despite being without several playmakers including wide-receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs had the Chiefs on the brink of defeat and nearly handed K.C. their first loss of the season before falling, 30-24. Quarterback Baker Mayfield orchestrated a game-tying touchdown-drive with 30-seconds remaining in the fourth quarter before succumbing to Patrick Mahomes and company after Tampa lost the coin toss to head into overtime and never got a chance to possess the ball. 

The 49ers will look to keep pace in the NFC Western Division as they currently sit in a second-place tie with the (4-4) L.A. Rams, trailing the (5-4) Arizona Cardinals for first place. A win in Week 10 would be a good start to do just that, and they are expected to get a few reinforcements on the offensive side of the ball. Returning to practice on Monday for the Niners was running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles), receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) and kicker Jake Moody (ankle). The trio are aiming to return to action on Sunday with McCaffrey vying to make his long-awaited season debut. 49ers GM John Lynch also made a few moves near the November 5 trade deadline, acquiring defensive tackle Khalil Davis via trade from the Houston Texans for a 2026 7th round pick. The addition of Davis will add depth to a defensive line that can use all the help they can get after losing Javon Hargrave to injury earlier in the season. San Francisco also brought back veteran safety Tashaun Gipson to the practice squad on Tuesday, just hours after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Gipson played the last two seasons in SF before signing with the Jags in the offseason. 

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49ers Drop Game to Chiefs, Lose Aiyuk to Injury

Week 7 - In one of the more highly anticipated matchups on the 2024-25 NFL regular season schedule, the (3-3) San Francisco 49ers played host to the (5-0) Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last season's Super Bowl. With both teams decimated by injuries, the game that actually took place on the field would be a far cry from the entertaining back and forth duel that we saw in the big game back in February. And after a sluggish start on offense by both teams, it was the defense that took centerstage for most of this one. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted in the days leading up to the rematch that he had avoided watching film on Super Bowl 58 for about a month following his team's heartbreaking loss. While not as crushing a defeat as the one his team suffered in overtime in the big game, Shanahan will be just as furious when he watches the tape from Sunday's bout. 

As if they needed any additional ammunition heading into the game, the Chiefs were well rested and coming off a Bye week. And in case you were wondering, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid came into Sunday's game owning a career record of 21-4 coming off the Bye in his 25 years at the helm. Those numbers would not bode well for Shanahan and company who have gotten off to a slow start to the season and are in need of any break they can get. Unfortunately, they wouldn't get any in this one and were instead dealt another blow to their playmakers. Calling on an already thin receiving corps that would be without Jauan Jennings who leads the team in receiving and was missed all week in practice while nursing a hip injury suffered in the Week 6 win in Seattle, things would go from bad to worse as another pair of receivers would be lost in the first half. Deebo Samuel who was expected to play a big role for Kyle Shanahan's offense in Sunday's game was seen heading back and forth from the field to the locker room during pregame warmups with what appeared to be flulike symptoms. And while Samuel would still suit up in time for kickoff, it was very apparent that he was feeling under the weather as he would last only six snaps before having to be pulled and sidelined for the rest of the game. It would later be revealed that Samuel was taken to a nearby hospital where he would spend the next two nights after nurses found he had fluid in his lungs and had to be treated for pneumonia. 

But even after all of that, the worst was still yet to come. With San Francisco opening the game on offense, a holing penalty on the second play from scrimmage would eventually result in a three and out punt by the 49ers. It would be only the sixth three and out all season for San Francisco who has the fewest in the league. Meanwhile, Andy Reid's Chiefs would showcase an aggressive approach out the gates with a fake punt attempt that was sniffed out by the 49ers' special-teams. The stop would be a rare win for San Francisco's special-teams unit that has cost them already on more than one occasion this season. However, the jubilation would be cut short on the very next play as 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had his pass intended for his tight-end George Kittle intercepted. A few plays later with the Chiefs threatening on offense, the 49er defense would come up with an interception of their own. Playing in only his second game of the season and just the fifth of his career after two injury-plagued seasons, defensive-tackle Kalia Davis would make a big play to stop the Kansas City offense in its tracks when he got a paw on a pass from Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes at the line and came down with the interception. After a pair of 49er rookies came up with their first career interceptions in last week's win over the Seahawks, Davis joined the club by recording his first career interception as well. 

Following a pair of punts, the 49ers would strike first with a 55-yard field goal by the recently signed Anders Carlson who made a good first impression as the Niners' third kicker in as many weeks. As soon as the first quarter came to a close, it was almost as if the Chiefs offense flipped a switch and got going. Capitalizing on a number of penalties by the San Francisco defense, Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt made the opposition pay with touchdown runs on back-to-back drives with only punts to show for by the Niners. Finally beginning to show signs of life, the 49ers offense began to move the ball as Purdy connected on a 41-yard pass to George Kittle. Purdy would hit receiver Brandon Aiyuk with a 15-yard reception two plays later, but it was there where the Niners were dealt another crushing blow in the injury department. Tackled from behind on an inside route, a second Chiefs defender came flying in while Aiyuk was falling down and crashed into his right knee which forced Aiyuk to leave the game. While he was able to walk off the field on his own, he would require a cart that would take him to the locker room with what team doctors feared would be a torn ACL. Those results would come back worse as Aiyuk was later revealed to have town both his ACL and MCL which will require season-ending surgery. 

Now down three of their starting receivers, the 49er offense would march all the way to the 5-yard line, but were unable to punch into the end zone and were forced to settle for another field goal to make it a 14-6 game just before the half. The game wouldn't be all bad news, however, as their first round pick in April's Draft -- receiver Ricky Pearsall was able to make his NFL debut just 50 days removed from being shot in the chest in an armed robbery attempt. Entering the game to a standing ovation, the rookie Pearsall would haul in a 6-yard catch for his first career NFL reception. San Francisco would open the second half strong on both sides of the ball, first intercepting a pass from Patrick Mahomes as Deommodore Lenoir took advantage of the Chiefs' Xavier Worthy who tripped on the play which allowed for the easy pick. Purdy and company would capitalize as the 49ers QB took it in himself from 1-yard out. Cutting the deficit to just two, Carlson would fail to make the extra-point attempt, keeping it a 14-12 Kansas City lead. Just when the San Francisco was gearing towards taking a lead after forcing the Chiefs to punt on their ensuing drive, Purdy threw his second pick of the afternoon after he and receiver Ronnie Bell failed to get on the same page. 

Midway through the game, both QB's had struggled with quarterback ratings below 50. By this point Mahomes was 12 for 22 with 108 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions for a QBR of 30.1. Purdy was not much better having connected on 9 of 18 passes for 122 yards and 2 interceptions for a 48.8 QBR. Not great for a former 2-time MVP winner (Mahomes) and last year's MVP runner-up (Purdy). It would turn out Mahomes would get the last laugh as he normally does, cashing in on the Purdy interception with a touchdown run of his own on fourth down from the 1-yard line. Several plays earlier, Mahomes recorded the longest rush of his career with the help of the NFL's over-policing of today's quarterbacks on a play that probably shouldn't have happened. What should've been an 8-yard gain, turned into a 33-yard scamper as Mahomes had appeared to be headed to the sideline as he slowed down while being chased, but with several 49er defenders slowing down with him assuming the QB was going to step out of bounds and to avoid a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Mahomes instead turned on the jets and began running down the sideline for a big gain. No way should the defense have assumed Mahomes was giving himself up on the play, but it was clearly a loophole the Chiefs QB exposed and got a way with and if the officials aren't going to do anything about it, why not? 

San Francisco would threaten on their ensuing drive after a big reception from 49ers rookie receiver Jacob Cowing who hauled in a 41-yard reception, the longest of his career, setting his team up inside the red zone. Closing in on the end zone, Purdy was pressured and knocked off-balance which led to an errant pass intended for George Kittle that was picked off in the end zone. The Chiefs would add another touchdown to make it a 28-12 game on an 18-yard run by Mecole Hardman, his first TD since hauling in the game-winner in the Super Bowl, before a garbage time touchdown ran in from a yard out by Purdy, his second of the game. With San Francisco unable to recover a last ditch onside-kick attempt, the Chiefs hung on to the 28-18 win, their fifth straight win over the Niners, including a pair of Super Bowls. Both QB's struggled to put up the numbers they did, as Brock Purdy led the way with 212 yards passing, 2 rushing touchdowns and 3 interceptions, while Patrick Mahomes finished with 154 yards passing, 1 rushing touchdown and 2 interceptions. K.C. running back Kareem Hunt led all rushers with 78 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, followed by Jordan Mason who still rushed for 58 yards on 14 carries for the Niners despite playing with a bum shoulder. San Francisco tight-end George Kittle finished with a game-high 92-yards receiving on six receptions. 

If there was a positive to point out in the disappointing loss for the Niners, it would be the return of rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall who caught three passes for 21 yards and fellow rookie receiver Jacob Cowing who got his first real action after the injury to Brandon Aiyuk, hauling in a pair of receptions for 50 yards. 

Week 8 Preview: For the second straight week, the (3-4) 49ers will be facing a team coming off the Bye week when they host the (3-3) Dallas Cowboys. With both teams playing catchup within their respective division standings, this matchup will almost serve as close to a must win game as it can get this early in the year, despite more than a full half of the NFL regular season schedule remaining. While the 49ers have had the Cowboys' number as of late with wins in three straight including playoff victories in back-to-back postseasons in 2022 and 2023, San Francisco also handed Dallas the most lopsided loss in the long-standing rivalry between these two historic franchises just a season ago with a 42-10 drubbing. This up and down 49ers team will try to mimic that dominant win from last season when tight-end George Kittle hauled in a career-high 3 touchdown receptions. Sunday night would be a perfect night to repeat that feat as Week 8 will unofficially serve as National Tight-End Day, a mock holiday created by Kittle back in 2019 to be celebrated during the last weekend of October. 

Kittle should be in store for another productive game with receiver Jauan Jennings expected to miss his second straight game due to a lingering hip injury and Brandon Aiyuk placed on the season-ending Injured Reserve list. Meanwhile, receiver Deebo Samuel who was back at practice on Friday after missing the previous two practices during the week with pneumonia, is listed as questionable and may come down to a game-time decision. The Cowboys will also be without one of their own key players in edge rusher Micah Parsons who will be out for a third straight game with an ankle injury. Like San Francisco, Dallas has plenty to prove and are coming off a 47-9 loss at home to the Detroit Lions, their worst home loss since 1988. To their credit, the Cowboys are oddly enough undefeated on the road as they enter Sunday with a 3-0 record away from home. 

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49ers Run Wild in Seattle, Take 1st Place out West

Week 6 - With a gut-punch loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 in which the (2-3) San Francisco 49ers blew a double-digit lead in the second half for the second time this season, coach Kyle Shanahan's team had little time to sulk in the loss with the quick turnaround before their next game. Hitting the road for a visit to the pacific northwest, the 49ers would renew rivalries with the first place (3-2) Seattle Seahawks. Seeking their first division win of the season after an 0-2 start against the NFC West, coach Shanahan and the 49ers avoided another scare on Thursday Night Football when their commanding 23-3 lead quickly evaporated after yet another special-teams blunder on a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown that breathed new life into the Seattle offense after much of Lumen Field went quiet following San Francisco's hot start. 

In what would be an all-time great uniform match-up as both teams donned their classic uniforms from the 1980's and 90's, San Francisco came into the game riding a 5-game winning streak over Seattle (including playoffs), having outscored them by 76-points in that span. At the helm of those victories would be 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who entered the meeting with a perfect record of 5-0 against Seattle and an average margin of victory of 12.5 points in those games. Looking to shake off the stench of his costly two interception performance just four days earlier and an abysmal 1-for-6 in red zone trips, the 49er offense would have plenty of opportunities to flip the script in the red zone in this one. But after starting the night 0-for-2 and having to settle for a pair of field goals, it looked like more of the same for San Francisco. The second half, however, would bring much better results as they closed out the game with three consecutive successful red zone trips to finish 3-for-5 on the night. 

Celebrating his 34th birthday on Thursday, Seahawks QB Geno Smith would not get any freebies from the San Francisco defense and instead was greeted rather rudely as he was intercepted on Seattle's opening-drive. Several plays after a 30-yard pass to receiver D.K. Metcalf helped convert on a third and long, Smith was picked off by San Francisco's rookie safety Malik Mustapha who came up with his first career interception. Playing without their top cornerback in Charvarius Ward who was ruled out just moments before kickoff with a knee injury, the 49er secondary received major contributions from Mustapha and fellow rookie Renardo Green who also recorded his first career interception. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir also had himself a night by containing Metcalf to just 48 yards receiving on the night on 3 receptions. Following Smith's first interception, the 49ers got on the board with a made field goal from the newest member of the Niners -- kicker Mathew Wright who was signed one day earlier to fill in for the injured Jake Moody. Wright would have an impressive night before suffering an injury of his own late in the second half. 

After exchanging punts, the 49ers offense struck paydirt with a big play on a 76-yard touchdown pass to receiver Deebo Samuel who was off to the races and has made a career out of torturing the Seahawks defense. Leading 10-0, the 49ers would be gifted another field goal after a fumble on the ensuing kickoff by Seattle's Laviska Shenault. Shenault would redeem himself later on with a play that nearly turned the tide for the Seahawks. With San Francisco ahead 16-0, Seattle would scratch the scoreboard with a Jason Myers field goal as time expired to end the first half, but not before a strong defensive stand by the 49er defense that kept Smith and company out of the end zone despite having three tries from the 2-yard line. Opening the second half with the ball, the 49ers finally got over the hump in the red zone after a 10-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to tight-end George Kittle who celebrated his 31st birthday just one day earlier. With San Francisco leading 23-3, it appeared the route was on, but that was until a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown by Shenault on the ensuing kickoff. 

The kick return touchdown would give the Seahawks a much-needed spark as the Seattle crowd had grown silent after falling behind by 20-points just moments earlier. That spark would translate onto the field as the Seahawks defense forced a 49er punt before finding the end zone with a 94-yard touchdown drive capped off by running back Kenneth Walker III who scored from 1-yard out. With San Francisco's lead cut to just 6-points, Seattle had not one but two chances to take a lead of their own before succumbing to a punt and an interception. Purdy would turn the latter into another score as he connected for his third touchdown pass of the evening and his second to George Kittle. Doing everything they could to stay alive, Smith rallied the Seahawks to a late touchdown pass to receiver Tyler Lockett on 4th and goal to make it a 5-point game before another 49ers rookie helped seal the deal. Helping takeover for the injured Jordan Mason who left late in the first half with an upper body injury, was rookie running back Isaac Guerendo who broke for a 76-yard run on the very first play of the next drive. With just over a minute and a half remaining in regulation and all three timeouts for Seattle, Guerendo had the wherewithal and selflessness to go down just shy of the end zone at the 5-yard line to allow San Francisco to milk more clock. They would score just two plays later on a touchdown by fullback Kyle Juszczyk to put the game out of reach with a 36-24 final. 

Leading the league in passing entering Thursday, Geno Smith had another 312 yards passing in the loss but threw for only 1 touchdown and was intercepted twice. Averaging 40 passes per game coming in, Smith threw another 52 passes on Thursday. Making things difficult for the birthday boy was San Francisco's Nick Bosa who generated 14 pressures against the Seahawks, tied for the most pressures by a pass rusher in a game over the last four seasons. Bosa was also the last to do it when he tallied 14 pressures in Week 4 of the 2022 season against the Rams. He now has 7 games with 10+ pressures since entering the NFL in 2019. Meanwhile, no other player has more than 4 such games over that span. Winning the turnover battle has been key in San Francisco's recent success over Seattle, having a 10 to 3 advantage in that department entering the meeting, which continued again on Thursday as the Niners forced 3 turnovers to Seattle's 0. 49ers QB Brock Purdy who threw for 255 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win, improved his record to 6-0 against the rival Seahawks, helping the 49ers secure what is now the longest win streak versus Seattle in team history. 

Continuing his impressive stretch since taking over the starting quarterback job nearly two full seasons ago, Brock Purdy tied former Seahawks QB Russell Wilson's record for the most games with a passer rating of 120.0 or higher in their first three seasons. He'll have plenty of time to break that record as there's still more than half a season to go. Purdy also logged his 8th career game with 3 passing TD and 0 interceptions, the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2022. Buffalo's Josh Allen and Detroit's Jared Goff are the next closest, each with six. Running back Jordan Mason who left the game in the second quarter due to injury, increased his league-leading rushing total with 73 yards on 9 carries, giving him 609 rushing yards in total, the most in 49ers franchise history thru six games, matching Charlie Garner's mark from the 2000 season. Rookie Isaac Guerendo added 99 yards on 10 carries as San Francisco outgained Seattle on the ground: 228 to 52, even without All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. Deebo Samuel led all receivers with 102 yards on just 3 receptions, including 1 for a house-call touchdown. With another stellar performance on Thursday, Deebo has now racked up 878 yards and 8 touchdowns in 8 career games versus Seattle in his career. The 49ers also entered into the record books on Thursday by becoming the only team in NFL history with a 75+ yard reception and a 75+ yard rush by two different players in the same game (Deebo & Guerendo). 

Week 7 Preview: Hoping to string together their first winning streak of the season, the (3-3) 49ers will return home to face the (5-0) Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch. Unfortunately for San Francisco, the Chiefs will be well rested and likely well prepared while coming off a Bye week. Adding insult to injury, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid owns a record of 21-4 all-time off the Bye. With a few extra days off of their own before gameday, coach Kyle Shanahan is hoping running back Jordan Mason and kicker Matthew Wright can join them in time for kickoff as both players dodged a bullet with their injury prognosis. Tests on Friday revealed a sprained AC joint suffered by Mason who is considered day-to-day, meanwhile, Wright suffered a slight dislocation in his shoulder, but an MRI returned negative and should allow him to play next week with the extra rest. Finally, the 49ers received some good news regarding rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall who will have his practice window open on Monday following a shooting incident which took place just days before the start of the regular season. 

Thanks to an Arizona Cardinals' loss on the road to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, dropping them to a 2-4 record on the year, the 49ers remained at the top of the NFC West standings and in first place with the win over Seattle. They'll need to bring their A-game against an undefeated Chiefs team that is vying to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. While the 49ers would love to crash that party, they'll maintain their focus on handing the Chiefs their first loss of the season for now when the two teams meet on Sunday afternoon for what will be slated as FOX's Game of the Week. While K.C. remains unbeaten, they haven't exactly wowed anybody this season, but have simply gotten the job done by doing things the right way. Sunday in Santa Clara will be their biggest test yet on the road, and the same could be said for the 49ers who outside of Minnesota, the only other unbeaten in the league, the Niners have yet to face anybody of note since their Week 1 Monday Night meeting against the Jets. 

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