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.  

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest

49ers March to 2-0 with Win over Saints

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

A Blockbuster Trade for Buster, Giants

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

Lakers Pull off Trade for the Ages

Very seldom does a sports trade in today's social media-crazed society both fly under the radar and stun the entire sports landscape from the players, owners and fans alike. Yet the recent blockbuster trade between the (31-19) Los Angeles Lakers and (26-25) Dallas Mavericks did just that, leaving everyone who caught wind of the deal in utter disbelief even to this day now a week later. Just hours after the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 128-112 at the famed Madison Square Garden, the Lakers and Mavs agreed to a deal that sent Luka Doncic to L.A. for Anthony Davis. The trade initially surfaced on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, and was immediately assumed to be fake with initial reactions assuming someone had hacked ESPN's account. Once league sources confirmed the trade was in fact legit, the deal sent shockwaves that were unprecedented and unlike anything the NBA or any other major North American sports league has ever seen, marking the first time in NBA history that two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other in the middle of the season. The trade was so big and so out of left field that it would even steal the spotlight as the talk of the town in the week leading up to the NFL's Super Bowl.

Once the smoke began to clear and we learned more about the trade details, things only got weirder as it was learned that the Lakers were the only team approached by the Mavericks regarding a trade for the 25-year-old Doncic. Dallas GM Nico Harrison says the conversation started weeks ago over coffee between him and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka before materializing and becoming a reality. This would come off as quite the surprise given Harrison who has been made out to be a complete fool, could've possibly gotten a bigger package in return elsewhere, or at the very least gotten other teams involved to create a bidding war to up the ante. It's also hard to believe that there would be a single team in the league that wouldn't at least kick the tires on acquiring a generational talent in the middle of his prime like Doncic. Instead, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka made out like a bandit in the night. Also included in the trade were the Utah Jazz. With power forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris also landing in L.A., the Lakers shipped guard Max Christie and their 2029 1st-Round Draft pick to Dallas. Meanwhile, Utah received guard Jalen Hood-Schifino from the Lakers as well as 2025 2nd-Round picks from the Mavs and Los Angeles Clippers. The deal was so clandestine that Jazz GM and former Celtics legend Danny Ainge had no idea he was helping a former rival acquire Luka and by the time he got wind of it, it was too late. Who knows whether or not he might've pulled the plug on his team's involvement if he was aware of the trade details and the Lakers reaping the benefits. 

While the Lakers appear to have gotten away with highway robbery in the trade by making out with a player as young and as talented as Doncic, the Mavericks who are just a season removed from winning the West and making an NBA Finals appearance, do stack up very well on paper with the addition of Anthony Davis who now joins a lineup that also includes Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford and Quentin Grimes. In acquiring Davis, Mavs GM Nico Harrison had this to say: "I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future." However, Mavs fans aren't buying it. Having held boycotts all week outside of the team's arena since the day the trade took place and demanding Harrison to be fired, the Mavericks have begun offering refunds to fans who cancelled their season ticket packages following the trade of their favorite player. But it doesn't end there. The team has had to beef up security for their front office staff due to death threats made by fans. The fact that the Mavs would ship out their best player has left many executives around the league puzzled. But Luka's conditioning or lack thereof is rumored to be one of the main reasons Dallas was willing to move on from him as the team was not exactly sold on committing a super max contact extension worth $345 Million due to his weight, lack of defense and his continuous head-butting with officials. 

Blindsided by the trade, Luka says he heard nothing from the Mavericks ownership or the coaches regarding a potential trade and thought that he would spend his entire NBA career with the franchise that drafted him 3rd overall in 2018. Luka admitted to crying when he got the news and was not the only one taken by surprise as his new teammate and idol LeBron James was out at dinner with his family in New York City when the news came across. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis was getting ready to watch a movie with his wife when the news broke. Mavs head coach Jason Kidd also admitted to being unaware of the situation until the trade was already agreed upon. Former Mavs majority owner Mark Cuban shared a similar sentiment and said he was "confused" about the trade. Luka's father also criticized the Mavs organization for the way they went about the trade that will cost his family a few pretty pennies. Another heartbreaking aspect is the $15 Million mansion that Luka reportedly purchased in Dallas just days before being sent to Hollywood. While he can still sign a 5-year contract extension with the Lakers in the summer, Luka will miss out on $117 Million after the trade as he is no longer eligible for the $345 Million super max extension. 

Elsewhere, Laker fans won't have to think too hard into what life might look like after LeBron James decides to hang 'em up as they now have their new young superstar and a face of the franchise that they can build around. Anthony Davis was expected to be that guy, but with an lengthy injury history and six years older at the age of 31, it's safe to say Lakers GM Rob Pelinka made the right move. NBA's reigning scoring champion from a season ago (33.9 PPG), Luka has made five All-Star Games and has been named to the All-NBA First Team five times already in his young career. In comparison, Davis who is a 10-time All-Star has been named to the All-NBA First Team only four times despite being in the league nearly twice as long as the younger Doncic. The Slovenian-born superstar will be at the forefront of the Lakers' future plans in the franchise's changing of the guard with only two players on the roster over the age of 27 at the time of the trade. Ranked third all-time averaging 28.6 points-per-game throughout his career, Luka is averaging 28.1 PPG on the season and will now be coached by his former Dallas teammate JJ Redick who is in his first year at the helm in L.A. and spent his final NBA season alongside Doncic in 2020-21. Doncic was quick to win over the hearts of fans in L.A. after the Luka Doncic Foundation, which was launched in December, donated $500K to the wildfire relief efforts that devastated much of the area just last month. 

As for Davis who is averaging 25.7 PPG and 12.0 rebounds, his departure from the Lakers will be bittersweet as the often-injured big man had entered the season coming off his best year yet in terms of games played with 76 starts a year ago. A perennial All-Star, Davis was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Team 5-times and was consistently named a finalist for the league's Defensive Player of the Year Award despite never taking home the hardware. AD helped the Lakers capture the NBA title during the Covid-plagued 2019-20 season in his first year with the team after coming over from the New Orleans Pelicans via trade. As shocking as the news was for Davis, he did waive his $5.9 Million trade kicker as part of the deal, giving his new club some flexibility. Unfortunately, Davis did have to leave the game early when making his Mavericks debut after suffering an abductor strain that will keep him sidelined for multiple weeks and might even require surgery. Prior to leaving the court, Davis was off to an impressive start with his new team, scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in 31 minutes. After the trade and before Davis's injury, the Mavericks saw their playoff chances drop to 57.2 percent according to ESPN analytics. Meanwhile, the chances of the Lakers making the playoffs jumped to 96.5 percent. Adding insult to injury, the final grades given by ESPN for each team's involvement in the trade included an F for the Mavs, a B for the Jazz and an A for the Lakers. 

While time will tell who the ultimate winner of the trade will be, all early signs are pointing to the Lakers who have once again relied on acquiring superstar talent via the trade market. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant are just a few names that come to mind who have landed with the Lakers via trade over the course of history and have made quite the impact. Luka is the latest player who will have a shot at cementing his legacy and forever etching his name into Laker lore. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Fall to Cards in Season-Finale

Week 18 - With the (6-10) San Francisco 49ers closing out their 2024-25 season on the road against the division rival (8-9) Arizona Cardinals, both teams would take the field Sunday on the outside looking in having missed the playoffs. With little to nothing to play for from either team, all fans could hope for in the season-finale would be an entertaining game with nobody getting injured. And while the game did provide a good amount of back-and-forth entertainment through the first three quarters, the 49ers would learn early on that they would not be able to avoid the injury bug that has plagued them all season long. 

Opening the game with possession of the ball, the 49ers' hopes of playing injury-free football on Sunday lasted all but four plays as rookie running back Isaac Guerendo saw his third career start end rather quickly as he would need to be carted off the field after suffering an injury to his left leg. Initial reactions and fears had indicated that Guerendo might've suffered a torn MCL and perhaps a broken ankle as he was ruled out for the rest of the game immediately. Thankfully, results after the game revealed that the speedy running back had only suffered sprains to both his MCL and ankle which is a huge sigh of relief considering you could hear Guerendo screaming on live television as the injury took place. Settling for a 51-yard Jake Moody field goal on the drive, the Niners would take an early 3-0 lead. But just when you thought Moody had regained his confidence, he missed a 47-yard field goal attempt one possession later. With the game tied at 3 after a made field goal by Arizona's Chad Ryland, the 49ers would throw an interception which the Cardinals capitalized on. 

Making his first start of the season for San Francisco, backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs would face his former team whom he started 8 games with a season ago. And while Dobbs would throw for a career-high in passing yards on Sunday and showed flashes, he would have his fair share of miscues as well including an interception near the end of the first quarter. Turning the turnover into points, Cardinals QB Kyler Murray connected on a 23-yard touchdown to receiver Greg Dortch who would later record his first career multi-touchdown game. Dobbs would make up for his mistake a few possessions later, tying the game with a 1-yard touchdown run thanks to the help of his trusty fullback Kyle Juszczyk who gave Dobbs an extra push that catapulted him over the goal line and into the end zone for the score. With the Cardinals again jumping ahead via a Murray touchdown thru the air to tight-end Trey McBride, the 49ers again answered with a touchdown of their own as Dobbs drove the team into the red zone where he would find rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall. Playing in his home state of Arizona for the first time as a pro, Pearsall's homecoming would be a memorable one as he hauled in a 6-yard touchdown, tying the game just before the half. Unfortunately, with 16-seconds still remaining in the half, the 49er defense would be unable to keep the Arizona offense at bay as they marched 39-yards on three plays to setup a 49-yard Ryland field goal. 

After throwing for a season-high in passing yards a week ago against the Rams, Arizona QB Kyler Murray would log a season-high in passing touchdowns on Sunday with 4, including another to Greg Dortch to open the scoring in the second half. Dobbs and company would keep pace with a 36-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Juszczyk who dashed along the sideline before leaping into the end zone for the score to make it a 26-24 game. Unfortunately, that would be as close as San Francisco would get as they were skunked in scoring in the fourth quarter, 21-0. What was once a 2-point game with less than 5-minutes remaining in the third quarter, quickly turned into a 23-point blowout as San Francisco's next three possessions ended on a fumble, interception and turnover on downs, leading to a 47-24 loss. Dobbs finished with a career-high 326 passing yards, the most by a 49ers quarterback making his first start with the franchise. Dobbs also logged 2 passing touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdown, but also threw 2 interceptions and a fumble lost. His counterpart Kyler Murray threw for 242 yards, 4 touchdowns and no turnovers. 49ers backup running back Patrick Taylor had a solid game playing in relief of the injured Isaac Guerendo, rushing for a game-high 109 yards on 17 carries. Ricky Pearsall led all receivers with 69 yards receiving and a touchdown on 6 receptions. Another rookie that impressed on Sunday was Arizona's Marvin Harrison Jr. who caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, tying him for the most receiving TD's in a rookie season in Cardinals teams history with 8, a mark set by Anquan Boldin in 2003 and tied a season later by Larry Fitzgerald in 2004. 

But the biggest bummer of the day for San Francisco, even more so than the loss, would be the shortcoming of 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings who entered Sunday's game just 77-yards shy of his first career 1,000 yard season. Jennings had 7 catches for 52 yards in the first half alone, but that's as close as he would get as he was ejected with 6:34 remaining in the second quarter, falling 25 yards shy of the century mark. After wrestling Arizona's Sean Murphy-Bunting to the ground on a pancake block, both players would be called for offsetting unnecessary roughness penalties and would be ejected from the game, ending both Jennings' season and his bid at his first 1,000 yard season. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest 

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. 

Follow me on Twitter/X: @FraserKnowsBest