McCaffrey, Brown Lead Way for 49ers' Sloppy Win over Panthers

Week 12 - Playing at home in front of the Levi's Stadium faithful for a brief 1-game stay before hitting the road again, the (7-4) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the upstart (6-5) Carolina Panthers under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. With two quarterbacks coming off big games the previous week for their respective teams, Monday night's game would be the complete opposite of that as San Francisco's Brock Purdy and Carolina's Bryce Young struggled mightily and threw for a combined five interceptions on the night. A week removed from logging a mistake-free ballgame against his hometown Arizona Cardinals in which Purdy threw for an even 200 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first game back after missing six weeks, he would have his worst outing of the season by throwing three interceptions, all in the first half and on three straight possessions which led to some unhappy fans that let their feelings be heard in the form of boo's. Luckily, Purdy wasn't the only signal-caller on the night that struggled to get much of anything going thru the air. Young who had a career game a week earlier by throwing for a Panthers franchise record 448 yards passing to go with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions, had plenty of opportunities to put his team in a position to win or at the very least put up more points with some help from his defense. 

It wasn't all bad QB play, however, as things actually got off to a great for the 49er offense that began the game in possession of the ball and embarked on their longest opening-drive of the season. Controlling the ball for 8-minutes and 43-seconds and running 15-plays, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a career-high nine touches on the opening-drive for running back and former first round pick of the Panthers Christian McCaffrey. Facing his former team for the first time since being traded to San Francisco in 2022, it would be a busy night for McCaffrey who helped the 49ers march their way into the red zone where Purdy found receiver Jauan Jennings who broke a pair of tackles before making it into the end zone for the early score. Looking equally as impressive on defense, the 49ers forced a three-and-out punt on Carolina's first possession. Unfortunately, they would give the ball away just one play later on Purdy's first of three interceptions. Taking over with prime field position, the Panthers made it to the 1-yard line where they would setup shop on first and goal. Electing to pass, Young was picked off in the end zone by 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown who read the play perfectly on his way to having a career night. 

Putting together what appeared to be another promising drive, Purdy and the offense marched to the Carolina 28-yard line before he launched a deep ball into the end zone for Ricky Pearsall that was intercepted for a touchback. The 49er defense would hold the Panthers to another three and out but they would not be so lucky a third time around when Purdy became the first quarterback this season to throw three interceptions in the first half of a game. Again, on a pass intended for Pearsall, Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn jumped in front of the receiver for his second interception of the night. The third time would be a charm for the Panthers who finally turned a turnover into points as kicker Ryan Fitzgerald got Carolina on the board with a field goal. Brock Purdy would shake off the rust with a much cleaner performance the rest of the way by avoiding any more turnovers, although he escaped throwing another interception or two as he and his receivers continued to miscommunicate on several plays through either poor timing or incorrect routes throughout the night. 

Kicker Matt Gay who was signed on Thursday after being cut by the Washington Commanders last Monday, made an impressive first impression with the 49ers by going 2-for-2 in field goals, including one before the half to give San Francisco a 10-3 halftime lead. Opening the second half with another stellar drive, McCaffrey capped things off with a 12-yard receiving touchdown to make it a 17-3 ballgame. Facing a 14-point hole in the final moments in the third quarter, the Panthers put together their most successful drive of the night, scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan. But an unsuccessful two-point conversion would keep it an 8-point game. After answering with their second field goal of the night, the 49ers would increase to 11. Looking to inch closer midway thru the fourth quarter, Bryce Young would be intercepted for a second time, again by San Francisco's Ji'Ayir Brown who would play his way to NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

In a last-ditch effort to pull off the comeback, the Panthers would miss on a 57-yard field goal attempt from Fitzgerald which allowed the Niners to run the clock and secure the 20-9 victory and their 54th win on Monday Night Football in franchise history, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most all-time. Had the Panthers won on Monday, they would've moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Instead, they drop to 6-6 and fall into second place behind the (6-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Meanwhile, the 49ers keep pace in the crowded and mighty NFC Western Division by improving to 8-4 on the year. Leading the way for the 49ers once more would be Christian McCaffrey who logged his 38th career game with 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, 2nd most all-time behind only Marshall Faulk's 41, after finishing with 89 and 53, respectively. CMC also became the third running back in NFL history to have 50+ receiving yards in at least 50 career games, joining Larry Centers (55) and Faulk (50). Tight-end George Kittle would lead all receivers with 6 receptions for 78 of Brock Purdy's 193 yards. 

What got almost as much attention as the win itself was what happened after the game ended when a scuffle broke out between Jauan Jennings and Panthers safety Tre'von Moehrig. The two had to be separated when both teams met near midfield to exchange pleasantries as Jennings was seen throwing a punch at Moehrig after the game following a low blow Jennings took from Moehrig earlier in the game. Jennings would be commended by coach Shanahan for waiting until after the game to express his frustration opposed to during the game and costing his team a penalty or possible ejection. Moehrig attempted to defend his actions in a postgame interview by explaining Jennings was talking trash, but he would ultimately be fined and suspended one game by the commissioner's office for his actions. 

Week 13 Preview: Hitting the road to take on the (3-8) Cleveland Browns, the (8-4) 49ers are coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since starting the season 3-0. They'll try to make it three straight wins when they face off against rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders who is coming off his first career win on the road over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first career start. Seeking their first win in Cleveland since 1984, the 49ers will try to make Sanders' first start in front of the home crowd a rough homecoming. With San Francisco currently holding a Wild Card position as the No. 7 seed in the NFC standings, their playoff aspirations can increase drastically with another win on Sunday. With arguably the best defensive player in the league in Myles Garrett looking to make things miserable for Brock Purdy, the 49ers will need to be much sharper on offense if they plan to end their drought in "The Land." With weather conditions expected to be poor come kickoff time with wind and rain in the forecast, we may be in store for another heavy dose of run plays from running backs Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson. 

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49ers Scorch Cardinals in Purdy's Return

Week 11 - After dropping their first game against a division opponent this season a week earlier after having gone 3-0 to start, the (6-4) San Francisco 49ers would get a chance to bounce back and add another division win to their resume while paying a visit to the desert to take on the (3-6) Arizona Cardinals. After being swept by Arizona a season ago, a win on Sunday would allow the Niners to return the favor and complete a season sweep over the Cardinals. Sunday's game would also be a homecoming for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who would make his return to the starting lineup after having missed the last six games and eight out of ten overall. Purdy, the former 2017 Arizona Cardinals Highschool Football Player of the Year, wouldn't be the only Arizona native making his way back from injury for the 49ers as receiver Ricky Pearsall who was born in nearby Phoenix, also made his return to the football field for the first time since Week 4 after dealing with a lingering knee injury. 

Purdy and company would see their team jump out to an early 7-0 advantage without them having to throw a single pass after the game's opening-kickoff was nearly taken to the house on an impressive 98-yard return from Skyy Moore. The team's longest kickoff return since Ted Ginn's 102-yarder on September 11, 2011, would setup running back Christian McCaffrey who would do the rest with a walk-in touchdown from a yard out. Following an incompletion on Purdy's first pass attempt of the afternoon, he would complete consecutive passes to receivers Jauan Jennings and Demarcus Robinson for 25 and 13 yards, respectively, before connecting on a 30-yard strike down the sideline to his favorite target in tight-end George Kittle. Adding to their early lead, the 49ers would jump ahead 13-0 after kicker Eddy Pineiro had his extra-point attempt blocked. Facing an early multi-score deficit, the Cardinals would answer with a touchdown of their own in what would be one of the lone highlights for Arizona in the first half. Behind quarterback Jacoby Brissett who would make his fifth start of the season in place of the injured Kyler Murray, the Cards would get on the scoreboard with a 6-yard score from running back Bam Knight. Trailing 13-7, it would be the closest the Cardinals would get all afternoon as San Francisco led from wire-to-wire. 

Arizona had a chance to take the lead late in the first quarter after getting the ball back following a 49ers three-and-out punt, but instead were held to a field goal try that was missed from 58-yards out by 

Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland. Adding to their lead, the 49ers would get another touchdown from McCaffrey on a 9-yard reception. After exchanging field goals, the San Francisco defense would come up with only their second interception of the season when Malik Mustapha came down with an errant pass from Brissett in the final minute of the first half which led to another field goal from Pineiro. With San Francisco leading 25-10 at the half, the Cardinals nearly opened the second half with an ideal start following a 60-yard touchdown run on 4th and 1, but a penalty would nullify the big play and resulted in an Arizona punt. Completing a 10-point swing, the 49ers would add another field goal to pad their lead. With the Cardinals beginning to march, San Francisco's Deommodore Lenoir who was a late add to the Niners' injury report with a calf ailment and was a game time decision by coach Kyle Shanahan, came up with an interception to put a halt to Arizona's marching drive and nearly returned it to the house for a pick-six. A few plays later, Purdy and Kittle would connect for their second time of the afternoon as Kittle recorded his 50th career touchdown reception. 

Arizona's ensuing possession would also end in a turnover when 49ers rookie cornerback Upton Stout made a play near the goal line to strip Cardinals tight-end Elijah Higgins for a fumble. While the 49ers were unable to do anything with the football pinned back near their own end zone, they at least held the Cardinals from inching closer on the scoreboard. And while Arizona did manage to score two late garbage time touchdowns thru the air, the 49ers added a third and final touchdown from McCaffrey to give them 41-points, their highest point total of the season and the eventual 41-22 victory. While Arizona finished the game with 488 total yards of offense compared to San Francisco's 281, they also committed 17 penalties, the most in franchise history. In comparison, the 49ers committed only 1 penalty on Sunday. Despite trailing in total yards, one area the Niners did win in was the turnover battle -- 3-0. Sunday's game would also mark the first time since Week 1 that Purdy, McCaffrey, Kittle and Pearsall were all healthy and on the field together at the same time this season. 

Finishing with 121 all-scrimmage yards and a touchdown hat-trick for the 6th time in his career, tied for the third most among active players, McCaffrey helped his team log a successful afternoon on offense by scoring on 8 of their 11 possessions. With 249 scrimmage touches thru his team's first 10 games of a season, McCaffrey has the most by any player since 2019 when he tallied 258. Purdy showed no signs of rust after the long layoff and finished with an even 200 yards passing on 19-of-26 pass attempts, including a pair of touchdowns. As for his counterpart Jacoby Brissett, the Cardinals QB completed an NFL record 47 passes on 57 attempts, surpassing the previous mark of 45 held by Drew Bledsoe (1994) and Jared Goff (2019). Brissett also threw for 452 yards, the most by a Cardinal since Kurt Warner in 2008 and the 7th most passing yards in a single game in Cardinals franchise history to go along with 2 TD's and 2 interceptions. 

Week 12: Returning home to Levi's Stadium for a brief 1-game stay before hitting the road again, the (7-4) 49ers will welcome in the upstart (6-5) Carolina Panthers for a bout on Monday Night Football. Two of the bigger surprises in all of football, both the 49ers and Panthers have already surpassed their win totals from a season ago when they finished 6-11 and 5-12, respectively. With an upset win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 9 under their belt, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers know they cannot overlook this Panthers team that is also coming off a 30-27 win on the road against the division rival Atlanta Falcons in which quarterback Bryce Young threw for a career-high 448 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. With Jacoby Brissett putting up similar numbers against the Niners for Arizona, the San Francisco defense will have to turn up the heat to prevent a repeat performance as Young looks to build on his last outing. With an extra day of rest, the 49ers will have to call on a different kicker as Eddy Pineiro who has been solid since signing with San Francisco during Week 2, suffered a hamstring strain in the second half against the Cardinals. Listed as week-to-week, the 49ers will hold tryouts in hopes of finding a reliable replacement in time for Monday's game. 

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Niners drop Rematch vs Rams behind Struggling Defense

Week 10 - One of the biggest upsets in the NFL this season took place during Week 5 when the (6-3) San Francisco 49ers paid a visit to SoFi Stadium aka Levi's South to take on the (6-2) Los Angeles Rams. Despite being 8.5-point underdogs and missing several key players on both sides of the football in that game, the Niners managed to pull off the 26-23 win in what ended up being an overtime thriller. Fast forward to Sunday where the two rivals would face off again in the rematch in Santa Clara, the 49ers would put their perfect 3-0 record against the division to the test against a Rams team that hasn't lost since their Week 5 bout when these two teams last met. Winners of three straight games, the Rams have been riding hot behind quarterback and MVP-canidate Matthew Stafford who at the age of 37 is playing arguably his best football yet in his 17th professional season. After dealing with back problems that kept him on shelf for much of training camp and into the preseason, there was no telling whether Stafford would be ready by the time the regular season started. Now 10 weeks into the season, there's no telling when the Rams' QB will call it quits given his recent resurgence as he entered Sunday's game with 13 TD passes in his last three games, the most in Rams franchise history over a three-game span. 

While the Niners jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter of their Week 5 meeting, it was the Rams who looked sharp to start this one by jumping ahead 21-0 after scoring touchdowns on each of their first three possessions. Kickstarting the barrage on offense was Rams running back Kyren Williams who shouldered much of the blame for L.A.'s Week 5 loss after fumbling near the goal line, scoring his first of two touchdowns on the afternoon and giving the Rams their third consecutive game with an opening-drive touchdown. After a three and out punt by the Niners on their first possession of game, Stafford connected with receiver Puka Nacua who broke several tackles before finding the end zone to take an early 14-0 lead. San Francisco began to march on offense during their ensuing possession which made it to the Rams' 26-yard line before receiver Jauan Jennings fumbled the ball after converting the first down. The turnover would be a momentum killer for the 49ers as the Rams took advantage by adding another touchdown as Stafford found tight-end Davis Allen in the back of the end zone to make it 21-0. The touchdown pass would also be the 400th TD pass of Stafford's career, making him the 9th QB in NFL history to reach that mark. 

After what appeared to be another successful drive on offense for San Francisco, quickly went up in flames again as the Niners made their first trip into the red zone before coming up short on a 4th and 1 that resulted in a turnover on downs. Luckily, the 49ers defense would finally force a Rams punt, allowing Kyle Shanahan's team to finally get something going before the end of the first half. With Mac Jones making his sixth consecutive start at QB and his 8th start in 10 games for the 49ers this season while filling in for the injured Brock Purdy, the trusty backup helped his team finally get on the board with a touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings who was able to shake off a rough first quarter that included a dropped pass, a penalty and a fumble. Grabbing his third touchdown of the season and second in as many games, Jennings would remain the only 49ers wide-receiver with a touchdown reception so far this season. 

Trailing 21-7 to open the second half, the 49ers got off to a much better start in the third quarter as backup running back Brian Robinson continued to be a nice change of pace from Christian McCaffrey who was held in check virtually all game long on the ground. Plowing over a Rams defender, Robinson found the end zone for a second consecutive week to make it a one-score game and inch the 49ers closer, 21-14. But answering back to kill the momentum again would be Stafford and company as the Rams scored a touchdown of their own on a 2-yard touchdown reception from Davante Adams. The two teams would again answer one another with touchdowns to open the fourth quarter with Mac Jones connecting with tight-end Luke Farrell and Kyren Williams finding the end zone again on the ground for L.A.. Jones' only blemish on the afternoon would come on San Francisco's ensuing possession as a pass intended for McCaffrey was tipped and intercepted, allowing for more points off turnovers as Stafford hit tight-end Colby Parkinson for his first touchdown grab of the season. With his fourth touchdown pass of the day, Stafford would become the sixth player all-time with 4+ TD passes in three straight games in a single season and the first player in NFL history with 4+ TDs and 0 interceptions in three straight games. 

Mac Jones and the Niners would answer with a touchdown of their own, albeit in garbage time as George Kittle got in on the fun, further adding to what was already a busy afternoon for tight-ends, making a grab near the sideline and lunging into the pylon for the score. Failing to convert on the two-point conversion, the 49ers would ultimately fall in this one, 42-26. While the offense woke up a bit in the second half, the defense was unable to force any turnovers and other than one sack, was unable to force much pressure which allowed Stafford to do just about anything he wanted through the air as San Francisco's defense allowed their highest point total of the season (42). The Rams also managed to play penalty-free football for an entire game, a feat that has only been accomplished in the NFL 40 other times since the year 2000. In comparison, the 49ers were called for 7 penalties for 45 yards and perhaps none bigger than a head-scratching, "illegal motion" penalty on Kittle that wiped out a 4th down conversion just one play prior to the Jones interception during the fourth quarter. 

Both quarterbacks would put up impressive numbers as Mac Jones threw for 319 yards on 33 of 39 pass attempts, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception for a 115.7 passer rating in the loss, while Matt Stafford completed 24 of 36 passes, tallying 280 yards, 4 TDs and 0 interceptions for a 127.1 passer rating in the win. George Kittle logged his best game of the season with a game-high 9 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown to lead both teams in receiving. Kyren Williams of the Rams racked up 73 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, more than San Francisco's tandem of McCaffrey and Robinson combined (71). Despite the loss, there is a silver lining for the 49ers who for the first time this season have no new injuries to report following a game. 

Week 11 Preview: Looking to get back into the win column and keep pace in the race for the NFC Western Division, the (6-4) 49ers will turn their attention to another division rival when they visit the desert to take on the (3-6) Arizona Cardinals. With a 16-15 walk-off win against the Cardinals in Week 3 at Levi's, both teams will look very different when they toe-off for the rematch. Notably for the Cardinals who underwent a change at the quarterback position, Jacoby Brissett will be under center on Sunday instead of Kyler Murray who was placed on Injured Reserve with a mid-food sprain. Coming off a 44-22 drubbing against the Seattle Seahawks, the Cardinals found themselves in a 38-7 hole in the first half that they were unable to climb out of. With a win over Arizona on Sunday the 49ers would complete a season sweep of the Cardinals, something they'd like to achieve after being swept at the hands of Arizona a season ago. Sunday's game will also kickoff a four-game stretch of winnable games for the Niners against struggling opponents -- Cardinals, Panthers, Browns and Titans. Expected to be favorites in each, the window is open for San Francisco to add to their win total and make a push for a playoff spot before a tough stretch to closeout the season. 

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Niners Rout Giants with Win in the Big Apple

Week 9 - Traveling out east to take on the (2-6) New York Giants, the (5-3) San Francisco 49ers would attempt to get back on track in the win column following a loss last week to the Texans and with a pair of division games on the horizon. But in order to make that happen, Kyle Shanahan's team would have to be much better on defense than they were a week ago after failing to log a single sack against the quarterback and were unable to force a punt until the midway point of the fourth quarter. As for the offense, a mediocre Giants run defense would open the door for a big day by the Niners rushing attack as both Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr. looked to bounce back in a big way after being virtually shut down in Houston a week earlier. 

Making his seventh start of the season in place of a recovering Brock Purdy (toe), 49ers quarterback Mac Jones would come out on fire by completing 14-of-14 pass attempts in the first half. After the Giants began the game with a touchdown on their opening-drive, Jones helped the Niners answer with a 5-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey. Following a three-and-out punt on the Giants' next possession, Jones again led the 49ers to pay dirt, finding receiver Jauan Jennings in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. Jennings, the subject of possible trade rumors just days ahead of the November 4 trade deadline, hauled in his second touchdown reception of the season and his first since Week 2. It would also mark just the second touchdown reception by a 49ers wide receiver this season, compared to the seven TD's caught by tight-ends and the five by running backs. San Francisco would add an Eddy Pineiro field goal to make it 17-7 at the two-minute warning and had plans on adding more before an interesting series of events for both teams. 

After forcing the Giants to punt and using timeouts to preserve the clock, the 49ers would get the ball back with 49-seconds remaining in the first half. But on the first play of their ensuing possession, Mac Jones would be hit from behind, jarring the ball loose and leading to a fumble. Taking over possession in prime field position, New York was unable to move the ball and settled for a 45-yard field goal attempt by kicker Graham Gano who entered Sunday's game a perfect 8-for-8 on the season, before missing wide left to end the first half. Getting the ball back to open the second half, the 49ers would add another Pineiro field goal to give them 20 unanswered-points and a 20-7 lead. While the Giants would eventually stop the bleeding with a field goal to make it a 10-point deficit, the two teams would exchange touchdowns throughout the fourth quarter. Kickstarting the flurry of a combined four consecutive touchdown-scoring drives would be 49ers backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. who only had five carries on the afternoon but made them count, finishing with 53 yards total, including an 18-yard touchdown run that saw him steamroll a Giants defender on his way to reaching the end zone for his first touchdown as a member of the 49ers.  

Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart who was named Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, responded by carrying the ball into the end zone himself for a 6-yard score. The touchdown for Dart would be a special one as he joined former NFL QB Tim Tebow as the only other quarterback in NFL history to record at least one passing and one rushing touchdown in four straight games, and the first rookie to ever accomplish the feat. Also making history on Sunday would be Christian McCaffrey. With a receiving touchdown earlier in the game, CMC added a 3-yard rushing touchdown, marking his 16th career game with a rushing and receiving touchdown, the most all-time, passing Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk. Dart and the Giants would score one final touchdown in garbage time as receiver Gunner Olszewski came up with just his second career receiving touchdown and first reception since 2023, a 24-yard score to make it a 34-24 game. With the Giants unable to recover the onside-kick, the 49ers converted a game-sealing first down to close out the win, handing New York a third straight loss. 

Quarterback Mac Jones finished with another strong outing by throwing for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with a passer rating of 135.2. Meanwhile, Jaxson Dart threw for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns for a passer rating of 107.01, while also rushing for 56 yards and a touchdown to lead all Giants on the ground. McCaffrey again led the offense for San Francisco, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown and adding another 67 yards and a score through the air. McCaffrey has now amassed over 500 rushing and 500 receiving yards for the season, becoming just the second player in the past 10 years to do that within the first nine games of a season, joining Saquon Barkley (2018). He also becomes just the second 49er to do it, joining Roger Craig in 1985. Unfortunately, the Niners were unable to avoid making it out of Sunday's game without an injury as rookie first-round pick Mykel Williams went down in the final minutes of regulation with a knee injury. Although he was able to walk to the sideline under his own power, he was later seen walking to the locker room in frustration as team officials fear he might've suffered a season-ending ACL injury. 

Week 10 Preview: Returning home to Levi's Stadium, the (6-3) 49ers will play host to the rival (6-2) Los Angeles Rams. Winners of three straight games since their upset loss at home to the Niners on Thursday Night Football, the Rams will face a very different 49ers team in the rematch as San Francisco will be without several key players that helped them pull off the upset in overtime, most notably linebacker and leader Fred Warner who helped make some key plays in that win. Having already matched their season total in wins from a season ago with their sixth win on Sunday, the Niners will look to add to that mark while eying a season sweep of the Rams much like they accomplished against San Francisco last year. But with Rams QB Matthew Stafford having appeared to turn back the clock so far this season with what could be an MVP season, the Rams will not be going down without a fight when these two teams meet in the rematch. With the 49ers yet to have their Bye week, they currently trail both the Rams and Seahawks in the division at 6-2 on the year. 

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49ers Speared by Texans Defense in Road Loss

Week 8 - Entering Sunday's meeting between the visiting (5-2) San Francisco 49ers and (2-4) Houston Texans, both teams were coming off completely different games than one another. For San Francisco, a 20-10 win at home against the Falcons in which the 49ers were in control virtually all game long and had their way on the ground. As for Houston, a 27-19 loss on the road in Seattle where they were held in check all night long on the ground and were just 2 of 13 on third down. Fast-forward to Sunday and you'd have a total reversal of roles as the Texans began 3-for-5 on third down to start before finishing 9-for-16 despite being without one of their best players in receiver Nico Collins who sat out with a concussion. After totaling a season-high 174 yards of rushing just a week earlier, the 49ers failed to tally 50 yards on the ground against Houston and didn't convert a single first down until the final minute of the first half. In what would be just the sixth matchup all-time between these two franchises, the rare head-to-head meeting would allow 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to face off against his former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans for the first time since Ryans was hired to coach the Texans back in 2023 after spending six seasons on Shanahan's 49ers staff. 

Opening the game on defense, the 49ers struggled to get off the field as Houston embarked on a 16-play drive that lasted 9-minutes and 39-seconds, their most plays and longest drive of the season. Although the Texans would be held to a field goal, it would be the first points allowed on an opening-drive by the San Francisco defense this season. Making matters worse, the Niners were held to a three and out punt on each of their first three possessions which did no favors for San Francisco's tiring defense. With a minute remaining in the first half, the 49ers found themselves trailing 16-0 before they received a spark from one of the most unlikeliest of sources. While special-teams usually costs the 49ers on a nearly weekly basis, on Sunday, it would help them ignite a rally to close out the first half. With backup running back Brian Robinson Jr. back to return kicks, his 46-yard kick return to midfield would breathe life into the Niners. After tacking on a 15-yard facemask penalty during the return, the 49ers would be in business. A few plays later they would strike pay dirt. With the NFL celebrating National Tight-Ends Day on Sunday, the founding father of the unofficial holiday would put his stamp on the game as George Kittle hauled in a circus catch in the end zone between two Houston defenders to put his team on the board. 

With Houston electing to pass the ball instead of running the clock in the final 17-seconds of the first half, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud launched a ball down field into the hands of 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir who hauled in the first interception of the season for the San Francisco defense. The interception would end the first half and more importantly halted the Niners' drought of 14 consecutive games without an interception, the longest such drought in NFL history. Lenoir's interception would be a microcosm of how the rest of the half went for the 49er defense as the Texans had piled up 299 yards of total offense by halftime, more yards than they had in total in four of their first six games. Even then, San Francisco wouldn't be completely out of the game just yet. Receiving the second half kickoff, the Niners would have a chance to inch even closer on the scoreboard, but another three and out punt would put an end to any momentum San Francisco had captured. Adding insult to injury, Stroud and the Texans marched 94-yards down the field on their ensuing possession before a 30-yard touchdown reception from receiver Xavier Hutchinson. 

The Niners' second possession of the second half would go much better than their first as a 17-play, 76-yard drive that took over 7-minutes in gametime ended with another touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones to a 49ers tight-end, this time Jake Tonges the recipient. With a successful two-point conversion to receiver Demarcus Robinson, the 49ers climbed back into the game trailing by only eight. Unfortunately, the 49er defense would not force a single Texans punt until the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. And with Houston adding a field goal to open the fourth, things would become a bit more difficult as the 49ers attempted to stage a late game comeback while now trailing by two-scores. With Jones marching his team down the field again, a deep shot into the end zone intended for Jauan Jennings would be intercepted, spoiling a last-ditch effort by San Francisco. 

After rushing for a season-high 129 yards a week earlier, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey who was coming off NFC Ground Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Atlanta Falcons, was held to just 25 yards rushing on 8 attempts and ended the first half with a career-low 8 yards. Equally as disappointing was San Francisco's defensive-line which failed to record a single sack on Sunday. With defensive-end Bryce Huff ruled out for the game with a hamstring injury and expected to miss a few weeks, the Niners' laundry-list of injuries showed its ill-effects more than ever in the loss. Poor tackling and an inability to force punts proved to be costly for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh who did what he could with the skeleton crew of players he had at his disposal. The 26-15 final would be Houston's first win over the 49ers since Week 7 of the 2009 season and only their second win against San Francisco in six tries. Finishing with 193 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception on the day, 49ers QB Mac Jones was bested by his Houston counterpart C.J. Stroud who threw for a season-high 318 yards and 2 touchdowns, with his only blemish being the one interception just before halftime. A week after failing to record a single reception, 49ers tight-end George Kittle got back on track with 4 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown, trailing Jauan Jennings (4 receptions, 45 yards) and Kendrick Bourne (3 receptions, 44 yards) in receiving. 

Week 9 Preview: While the (5-3) 49ers are clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the league in the injury department, the (2-6) New York Giants have also had a rough go within the last few weeks as they watched two of their best players and two of the game's brightest young talents going down for the season due to injury in receiver Malik Nabers (knee) and running back Cam Skattebo (ankle, leg). Coupled with a young talented rookie quarterback in Jaxson Dart, the Giants appeared to be headed in the right direction before being snakebitten by the injury bug. But that won't stop the 25th overall pick in last April's Draft from attempting to pull off the upset at home over the visiting Niners when the two teams meet in Week 9. With the rest of the NFC Western Division on a Bye in Week 8, the 49ers lost ground in the division by falling to 5-3 on the year, as the Rams and Seahawks remain tied at 5-2. San Francisco will try to get back on track and keep pace against their division foes with a win on Sunday against a Giants team that has allowed 33+ points in back-to-back games and 26+ games in 3 of their last four. New York's defense also gave up 100+ rushing yards to not one but two Eagles running backs a week ago. San Francisco's tandem of Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson Jr. will attempt to repeat that feat on Sunday. 

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Niners Ride McCaffrey to Victory over Falcons

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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