Purdy Leads 49ers in Monday Night Shootout over Colts

Week 16 - With three games remaining on the regular season schedule for the (10-4) San Francisco 49ers, the team would learn on Sunday night that their playoff ticket would be punched before even having to take the field on Monday night against the (8-6) Indianapolis Colts thanks to a loss from the Detroit Lions. And with a chance to secure the NFC's No. 1 seed by winning their final three games, first on the list would be a 44-year old quarterback in Philip Rivers. Stealing the headlines entering Monday night's game, all eyes would be on Rivers who would make his home debut for the Colts after coming out of retirement on December 10, ending a layoff of nearly five years. And after nearly returning to a victory one week earlier had it not been for some late-game heroics from Seattle Seahawks kicker Josh Myers, Rivers who played well enough to win in his season debut, would try his luck at Indy's Lucas Oil Stadium. Through nearly 3 1/2 quarters Monday night, Rivers would go toe-to-toe with 49ers QB Brock Purdy in a tit-for-tat slugfest that saw the most combined points scored in a Monday Night Football game since a 54-51 shootout between the Rams and Chiefs in 2018. 

Winning the coin-toss and electing to receive, it was Rivers and the Colts who came out guns blazing on offense to begin the game. Having lost their last four games, Rivers had the Colts offense looking much like they did earlier in the year when they jumped out to a 7-1 start to the season under quarterback Daniel Jones. Marching 82-yards in 11-plays, Rivers capped things off with the first free-play touchdown of his career, connecting on a 20-yard pass to receiver Alec Pierce inside the end zone to open up the scoring and give Indy an early 7-0 lead. Up for the challenge, Brock Purdy and the 49er offense would answer quickly with a touchdown of their own by marching 69-yards in only 6-plays before a touchdown pass to receiver Demarcus Robinson from 22-yards out, his first of the season. With a fumble on the ensuing return from the Colts' special-teams, the 49ers would take over with a short field and once again wasted little time before finding the end zone again as Purdy threw a strike to running back Christian McCaffrey for a 2-yard score, giving San Francisco their first lead of the ballgame. 

After throwing for a total of 120 yards a week earlier against Seattle, Rivers would have more passing yards in the first quarter Monday night than he had all of last week. Looking to answer and keep his team in the game, Rivers would do just that on the Colts' next drive, opening the second quarter with another touchdown pass to Pierce, marking the first time since 2012 that Rivers would have touchdown passes on his first two drives. But no matter what Rivers and the Colts offense threw at the San Francisco defense, Kyle Shanahan's offense continued to throw haymakers in return as Brock Purdy and company showed no signs of slowing down and kept firing away with successful drives of their own. By the 9:30 mark in the second quarter, Purdy would have three touchdown passes to three different targets over his team's first three possessions as George Kittle joined in on the scoring palooza with an 11-yard touchdown reception to help San Francisco regain the lead. Following a three and out punt from Indy, the 49ers added an Eddy Pineiro field goal to add to their lead. After the Colts answered with a field goal of their own, Pineiro came on for one final field goal attempt to send the game into halftime, but his 64-yard try that would've set a new career-high clanked off the crossbar, keeping the score at 24-17 in favor of San Francisco. 

After tossing three first half touchdowns for the first time in his career, Purdy picked up right where he left off to begin the third quarter, connecting on big plays to Jauan Jennings and Kittle before a touchdown pass on third down to Jennings, ending a streak of seven games without allowing a third quarter touchdown by the Colts defense, their longest streak since 2007. Both teams would exchange field goals before setting up a wild fourth quarter that began with the Colts making it a 7-point game following a 1-yard rushing touchdown from running back Jonathan Taylor. With a record of 9-0 this season when leading at the half for San Francisco, Niners running back Christian McCaffrey did his part to keep that streak alive by tallying a 24-yard run, his longest of the season to put him over 1,000 rushing yards for the season. Purdy would award his running back later in the drive with his second TD reception of the night from 9-yards out to give Purdy a career-high 5 passing touchdowns, the most by a 49ers quarterback since Steve Young in Super Bowl XXIX. As for regular season statistics, you would have to go back even further to 1990 when Joe Montana threw a franchise-record 6 passing TD's against the Atlanta Falcons. On a near perfect night for Purdy, his only blemish on the evening came on a tipped pass just out of the reach of a leaping Kendrick Bourne and into the arms of a Colts defender. 

With Rivers and Colts looking for a quick score with under 5-minutes remaining, the San Francisco defense came up with their biggest play of the night when linebacker Dee Winters made his first career interception a good one, making a house call with a 74-yard pick-six. It would be the final nail in the coffin on the night for Robert Saleh's defense that failed to play anywhere near their best ball but made a big play in the end when they needed it most. With a final score of 48-27, the 49ers captured their first win over the Colts since 2001 after dropping their last five meetings. San Francisco also improved to 11-4 on the year and increased their winning streak to an NFC-best 5 straight games, all by 10+ points, their 2nd longest streak under coach Shanahan. San Francisco's offense which is firing on all cylinders, has now gone two full games without a single punt, a feat achieved by only four other teams in the Super Bowl era: 2004 Steelers, 2021 Bills, 2024 Commanders and the 2025 Colts. With 11 touchdowns and 6 field goals over their last 20 drives, the last 49ers punt took place on November 30 against the Cleveland Browns. Having scored in 23 straight quarters, the 49ers are on their longest scoring streak since 1995. Helping spearhead that offense on Monday night was Brock Purdy who would be named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for throwing for 295 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception for a PFF grade of 96.6, setting a career-high and the highest grade of any QB in an NFL game this season. 

49ers tight-end George Kittle led all receivers with a season-high 115 yards and a touchdown before having to leave the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Christian McCaffrey added 117 yards on the ground, while scoring both of his touchdowns on the night thru the air and is now just 151 receiving yards shy of becoming the first player ever with two 1,000 yards rushing/1,000 yards receiving seasons. Kittle and McCaffrey would be two of six 49ers named to the NFC Pro Bowl team, joining Kyle Juszczyk, Trent Williams, Luke Gifford and Jon Weeks. With six representatives being named, they tie the Ravens, Broncos and Seahawks for the most players chosen from one team. For the Colts, Monday night's loss guaranteed playoff berths for the Chargers, Bills and Steelers in the AFC. With the Colts having a playoff percentage of 98% back in Week 8, those chances have now plummeted to 5% after the loss on Monday. Despite the loss, Rivers had an impressive outing by throwing for 277 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception to add to his Hall of Fame resume. 

Week 17 Preview: Setting up a primetime clash on Sunday Night Football, the (11-4) 49ers will play host to the (11-4) Chicago Bears, leaders of the NFC North. In their first year under head coach Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the Bears have gone from last to first in the division and are currently sitting in the No. 2 position in the NFC and like San Francisco, have their eyes set on the No. 1 seed. With San Francisco riding their NFC-best five game winning streak, Chicago enters Sunday's game having won 7 of their last 8. The Bears are coming off an overtime win at home over the archrival Green Bay Packers in which Chicago came back from being down 13-3 in the fourth quarter before capitalizing late and recovering a successful onside-kick. Facing a stout secondary which leads the NFL in interceptions forced with 21 and a league-best +21 turnover differential, Brock Purdy and the 49ers will attempt to keep things rolling on offense with 26+ points scored in six of their last seven games. 

With 8 passing touchdowns over his last two games, Brock Purdy is getting hot at the right time and has made receiver Jauan Jennings a top target of his with Jennings scoring touchdowns in four straight games and six of his last seven. While the Chicago defense has excelled against the pass, they've struggled to contain the opposition on the ground, allowing 5 yards per carry to running backs this season which ranks 29th in the league. That could translate to another big game on the ground from San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey who's coming off his best game in eight weeks. 

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Niners Drop to Dolphins, Eliminated from Playoffs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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49ers Ground Jets in Monday Night Opener

Week 1 - With the start of the 2024-25 NFL regular season in full-swing, football fans were given a steady diet of games all throughout the week including the season-opener on Thursday night between the Kansas City Chiefs & Balitmore Ravens, followed by a Friday matinee in Brazil between the Green Bay Packers & Philadelphia Eagles. The fun continued with a busy slate of matches on Sunday, bookended by the San Francisco 49ers hosting the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. The final match-up of the week would be one of the more intriguing games going in as no two teams are in win-now mode in their respective conferences more than the 49ers and Jets. 

But if there's one thing these two teams have in common aside from their closing championship window, it's their familiarity with heartbreak which both teams felt in two completely different ways just a season ago. On one hand, you have Kyle Shanahan's 49ers who have gotten to the Conference Championship in 4 of the last 5 seasons including 2 Super Bowl appearances but have come up short despite having arguably the best overall roster in the entire NFL. On the other hand, you have the Jets who also have a talented roster of their own on both sides of the football but have had a glaring weakness in the past at the quarterback position. Expectations were sky-high a season ago for the Jets under head coach Robert Saleh, former 49ers defensive-coordinator who served four years on Shanahan's staff, after the acquisition of one of the greatest QB's of all-time in Aaron Rodgers. Hoping the 4-time league MVP would be the answer to those problems after coming over from the Green Bay Packers via trade during the offseason, things went south rather quickly when Rodgers was injured just four plays into his season and ruled out for the year with a torn Achilles in the Monday Night-opener. Coincidentally, the Jets would find themselves playing on Monday Night to open the season for a second consecutive season, this time hoping to avoid injury to arguably their most important player. 

Taking the field without their big offseason acquisition Haasan Reddick whom quarterback Brock Purdy and the 49ers know quite well dating back to the 2023 NFC Championship game in Philadelphia against the Eagles which saw Reddick make a play that injured the Niners QB and put an end to their Super Bowl hopes, the Jets would have little to no answer for San Francisco's offense once the game started. With Reddick missing all of training camp and even demanding a trade after failing to receive a new long-term contract extension, similar to the incident that San Francisco's front-office endured with receiver Brandon Aiyuk, Reddick's presence was certainly missed in the trenches by the Jets defense, as demonstrated by a streak of eight consecutive scoring-drives which ignited the Niners to an easy win in the opener. 

Missing a key player of their own, the 49ers would announce just an hour before kickoff that 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year and starting running back Christian McCaffrey would be scratched from Monday night's game with a lingering calf injury suffered in training camp. Having led the league in scrimmage yards and touchdowns since joining San Francisco in Week 7 of the 2022 season, CMC would leave some big shoes to fill while missing only his second game in a 49ers uniform. However, filling those shoes would not be a problem for backup running back Jordan Mason who would be called upon to make his first career start. After later revealing that it wasn't until Friday night that head coach Kyle Shanahan had informed Mason that he could get the nod at running back if McCaffrey's calf didn't show any signs of improvement before kickoff, the 49ers appear to have channeled a bit of gamesmanship by possibly withholding the severity of McCaffrey's injury. The CMC news quickly spread like wildfire and took the betting landscape by storm as sportsbooks across the country either tinkered with their spreads moments before kickoff or wiped the game off their boards completely. Nevertheless, McCaffrey's absence would be a footnote by games end. 

With both teams exchanging three and out punts on their initial drives, the 49ers struck first after Rodgers' first Jets completion ended in a turnover following a heads up play by Niners All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who forced a fumble on New York running back Breece Hall. San Francisco would turn Hall's fumble, just the second lost fumble of his career, into a Jake Moody field goal to give them an early 3-0 lead. The lead would not last long, however, as Rodgers and company embarked on their longest drive of the night with a 14-play, 70-yard drive that spanned over 7-minutes and ended in redemption for Breece Hall who rushed into the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown to put the Jets ahead. Adding a second Jake Moody field goal on their ensuing drive, the 49ers would make it a 7-6 ballgame before taking a 13-7 lead midway through the second quarter and never looking back. The Niners' first offensive touchdown of the new year would come from Deebo Samuel who also helped fill in for running back Christian McCaffrey, with a 2-yard rushing touchdown. By this time, the 49ers were off and running on what would be eight straight scoring-drives. 

Leading 16-7 at the half, Jordan Mason added the only other 49ers touchdown thanks to a 5-yard score up the middle to open the second half. The rest of the game in terms of scoring for San Francisco would turn into the Jake Moody show as the second-year 49ers kicker would add four more field goals on the night to give him a total of 6-for-6 on his way to being named NFC Special-teams Player of the Week in Week 1. The 49er defense did a good job stymying Rodgers, especially on the Jets' first possession of the second half when he was intercepted on a deflected pass intended for receiver Garrett Wilson. Niners cornerback Deommodore Lenoir broke up the pass, allowing for an easy tip-drill interception by teammate Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. One of the few mishaps on the night by the 49er defense came on New York's following possession when Rodgers took advantage of a free-play on an off-sides penalty by the newest member of the Niners Leonard Floyd, and chucked a 36-yard pass to receiver Allen Lazard for his lone touchdown pass of the night. After his NFL-leading 18th career free-play touchdown pass, Rodgers would sit out for most of the fourth quarter with the game out of reach after his final drive ended in a turnover on downs.

The Jets would add a garbage time touchdown with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor under center, who connected on a 2-yard pass with Lazard for his second touchdown reception on the night, before falling by a final score of 32-19, the first time ever a game ended with that score and handing the Jets their 13th loss in their last 14 games played in primetime. Lazard would lead all receivers with 6 receptions for 89 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. In his first game back since tearing his Achilles in the season-opener a year ago, Rodgers finished the contest with career-lows in an opener in both completions and pass attempts, tossing for 167 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception on 13 of 21 passes. His counterpart Brock Purdy would finish with a quietly productive night, throwing for 231 yards passing on 19 of 29 attempts, but helped his team play a turnover-free game on offense. But the star of the night for either team would be backup running back Jordan Mason who had himself a career night by logging the fourth best game in 49ers opening-game history. 

Mason's 147 rushing yards were the 4th-most rush yards in a season-opener in 49ers franchise history, behind only Garrison Hearst's 187 yards in 1998 which also came at the hands of the Jets, Carlos Hyde's 168 yard performance in 2015 against Minnesota, and Christian McCaffrey who rushed for 152 yards just a season ago in Pittsburgh. Mason's 147 yards were also the most rushing yards in a season-opener by an undrafted player since Arian Foster's 231 rush yards in 2010 with the Houston Texans. By halftime, Mason had amassed 74 first half rushing yards which were the most total yards of his career in a full game. But perhaps the biggest stat of all is the 28 rushing attempts by Mason, the most in his football career since his 2016 Gallatin High School season in Tennessee, as well as the most carries of any 49ers player in a game under coach Shanahan. Prior to Monday night, the most touches Mason had in an NFL game was 11.  

With their 32-19 win, San Francisco won consecutive openers for the first time since 2011-16 and their first time in the Shanahan era. It was a night filled with firsts as they faced Jets head coach Robert Saleh for the first time since he left San Francisco's defensive coordinator position to coach the Jets back in 2021. It would also mark the first game with newly hired defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson, marking the team's fourth defensive coordinator in five years. When San Francisco went on their scoring spree of eight straight scoring possessions (6 field goals, 2 touchdowns), it was their longest streak in 45 years. Monday's game would not only be the first win on Monday Night Football in three career tries for Niners QB Brock Purdy, it would also be the first game for him as a starter without Christian McCaffrey in the backfield. And finally, Monday night's game was the first game without allowing a pressure since Week 3 of the 2022 season for 49ers left-tackle Trent Williams who had missed all of his team's training camp while holding out in a contract dispute. 

Noteworthy: The 49ers are the only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to get a 200-yard passing game (Purdy), a 125-yard rushing game (Mason), a 50-yard receiving game (Jennings) and an interception (Flannigan-Fowles) from 4 players who were drafted 200th or later or weren't drafted at all. 

Week 2 Preview: Hitting the road for the first time this season, the 49ers will make the trip to the land of ten thousand lakes where they haven't won on the road since 1992 when they take on the (1-0) Minnesota Vikings. Facing off against former 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold who spent last season as the backup in San Francisco and started in the regular season-finale, the 49er defense will try to keep Darnold from having the same amount of success as he had in Week 1. Coming off a 28-6 drubbing of the New York Giants on the road, Darnold tossed for 208 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in the win. Darnold was brought in to provide a veteran presence and potentially even compete with Vikings first round draft pick J.J. McCarthy who was selected 10th overall out of Michigan, before the former Wolverine was injured in Minnesota's first preseason game. Requiring surgery to repair a torn meniscus, the injury would put McCarthy on the shelf for his entire rookie campaign, allowing the starting job to fall right into Darnold's lap. 

Early reports have 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey listed as questionable while still nursing his calf injury, but he is expected to practice ahead of Sunday's game according to coach Shanahan. If he is unable to go, we could be in store for another heavy workload from Jordan Mason. 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga could also make his return in Week 2 after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 11 last year that required surgery. The return of Hufanga would be a welcomed one for a 49ers secondary that figures to have their hands full with the very dangerous Justin Jefferson on the opposite side of the ball. San Francisco fell to Minnesota on Monday Night Football during Week 7 a season ago, losing 22-17 behind a Kirk Cousins-led Vikings team.  

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49ers Continue regular-season Domination of rival Rams

Week 4 - Returning home in hopes of shaking off the ugly loss in Week 3 to the Denver Broncos, the (1-2) San Francisco 49ers would have a chance to redeem themselves under the spotlight and on the national stage in a Monday night meeting with the division rival and defending Super Bowl champion (2-1) Los Angeles Rams. Vying for their seventh straight regular-season victory over the Rams, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would put his perfect 6-0 record against L.A. on the line, hoping to continue his success against the Niners' long-standing rival, while also rebounding from a tough outing the week before. After a dismal showing on offense a week earlier on the road in Denver, the 49ers offense found their rhythm right out of the gates on Monday night, scoring a touchdown with ease on their opening-drive. 

Marching 75-yards on 10-plays, Niners running back Jeff Wilson started things off by dashing to the end zone for a 32-yard score to give San Francisco a 7-3 advantage and a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the evening. Boasting one of the league's best defenses thru the first month of the NFL season, the 49ers struggled to slow the Rams down during their game-opening drive which lasted 16-plays, before eventually holding L.A. to a field goal. That bend but don't break mentality would hold true throughout the entirety of the game. Both teams would exchange a pair of punts before the Rams got on the scoreboard again with another Matt Gay field goal to make it a 7-6 game. Both times the Rams scored with a field goal, the Niners answered with a touchdown. Approaching midfield, the 49ers would turn a near-disaster into one of the top highlight plays of the season thus far as receiver Deebo Samuel logged the longest play of the season for San Francisco. 

On a pass from Garoppolo that was nearly intercepted, Deebo leaped into the air and came down with the reception before taking it 57-yards to the house, turning on the jets and breaking several tackles before finding the end zone. It would be Deebo's first receiving touchdown of the season and his sixth career touchdown against L.A. With San Francisco leading 14-6 at the half, both teams would exchange field goals before an interesting turn of events highlighted the fourth quarter. Leading by 8-points with under 9-minutes remaining in regulation, the 49ers would give kicker Robbie Gould a chance to make it a two-score game, but his 42-yard field goal try would soar wide left, giving the Rams new life and a chance to tie the game late. Just when L.A. appeared to be turning the tide and gaining some momentum, one of the youngest players on the 49ers' star-studded defense and one of their biggest standouts through the first three weeks of the season stepped up with yet another big play to seal the victory. 

Second-year safety Talanoa Hufanga who has already made a name for himself in the San Francisco secondary as a ballhawk and tackle machine, read a play perfectly when he jumped a screen and intercepted Matt Stafford's pass intended for receiver Cooper Kupp. Hufanga juggled the ball before making the catch and racing his way to the end zone untouched for the game-sealing pick-six. Oddly enough, the masterful play by Hufanga would give San Francisco their fourth pick-six against the Rams in as many years as they've returned one to the house in four consecutive seasons against L.A. dating back to the 2019 season. The interception would also put Stafford in dubious company as it marked his 28th career pick-six, tying him with Hall of Famer Joe Namath for the third-most since 1950. The game would also mark the second consecutive game in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass, the first time he's done so in consecutive weeks since Weeks 15 and 16 of the 2016 season. 

Adding insult to injury, the San Francisco defense would also force a late fumble on a quarterback sack by former Ram Samson Ebukam. Facing a banged up Rams offensive-line, San Francisco's defensive front had a field day with QB Matt Stafford, bringing him down for seven sacks on the evening, including two each from Nick Bosa and the aforementioned Ebukam. Meanwhile, the 49ers were able to keep Garoppolo on his feet all night long despite o-line issues of their own and being without All-Pro left-tackle Trent Williams who is expected to be out for 4 to 6 weeks while nursing a high-ankle sprain. Unfortunately, they would also lose Williams' replacement in Colton McKivitz who suffered an MCL sprain in this one, that will likely keep him out for up to two months. 

Unlike the NFC title game when the Rams rallied late from being down 10-points in the fourth quarter to top the Niners, L.A. had no answer late on Monday and has now been outscored 44-3 in the fourth quarter this season. Improving his perfect record to 7-0 in his regular-season career against the Rams, 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo now trails only Tom Brady's flawless 9-0 mark against the Falcons and Patrick Mahomes unblemished 9-0 record against the Broncos for the best record for an active QB vs a single opponent. As for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, he now owns the longest active win streak vs a single head coach with 7-straight victories in the regular season over Rams head coach Sean McVay. Finishing with 239 yards passing and 1 touchdown for Jimmy G, 115 of those yards would come from Deebo Samuel who logged his 10th career game with over 100 yards receiving. Jeff Wilson led all rushers with 74 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, while the San Francisco defense shutdown L.A.'s run game entirely as no Ram rushed for more than 27 yards. Matt Stafford threw for 254 yards and an interception, but had a hard time feeding anyone not named Cooper Kupp or Tyler Higbee as the two finished with 122 and 73 yards, respectively. 

Week 5 Preview: Hitting the road again for their first of two consecutive games against NFC South opponents, the 49ers will look to record their first winning-streak of the season when they pay a visit to Carolina to face the 1-3 Panthers. Under first-year quarterback Baker Mayfield, things have not been good for the Panthers who were greeted with boos from the home crowd and are coming off a 26-16 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals. Having had success against stopping the run so far this season, the San Francisco defense will try to keep things rolling against the versatile Christian McCaffrey who is coming off his third straight game with over 100 total yards of offense. 

With all four NFC Western Division foes at 2-2 on the year, the 49ers are the only team in the division with both of their wins coming against NFC West foes. While winning within the division is always nice, logging that first win against a team outside the division will be a nice start for San Francisco who has a tough stretch of games down the line on their schedule, and Carolina is a team the 49ers should certainly take advantage of and beat. 

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49ers Run away from Rams in Dominant Monday Night Win

Week 10 - With the San Francisco 49ers (3-5) playing host in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football and seeking their first home win of the season, a meeting with the rival Los Angeles Rams (7-2) would be a welcome sight for Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan who has prevailed in four straight meetings against his friend and former colleague Sean McVay. Looking to shake off an embarrassing loss at home to a short-handed Cardinals team, what better way to bounce back than to take it to another division foe in what would be the 144th all-time meeting between the Rams and 49ers. The match-up would also feature two of the brightest young stars at the receiver position as Los Angeles' Cooper Kupp and San Francisco's Deebo Samuel entered the meeting as the league's No.'s 1 and 2 leading receivers, marking the 18th time in NFL history that the league's top two receivers in receiving yards faced off in a season in Week 10 or later since 1970. 

All the buzz leading into the marquee matchup between the two long standing rivals would revolve around a pair of reinforcements acquired by the Rams just days prior to gameday. After trading for outside-linebacker and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller from the Denver Broncos, the Rams made a splash by signing 3-time Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to add to their star-studded roster. But come kickoff, neither player would put their stamp on the game as both guys were virtually nonfactors in a game dominated by the home team. Though Odell would get his feet wet on the Rams' first play from scrimmage, hauling in a 5-yard reception from quarterback Matthew Stafford, he would go relatively quiet the rest of the night (2 receptions, 18 yards). Stafford would attempt a home run pass to his newest weapon just four plays into the game, but overthrew his target on a deep ball that was air-mailed and intercepted by San Francisco's Jimmie Ward. Pinned deep near their own end zone at the 7-yardline, the 49er offense would embark on an 18-play, 93-yard drive that lasted 11-minutes and 3-seconds before ultimately resulting in a touchdown pass from QB Jimmie Garoppolo to tight-end George Kittle. Utilizing a heavy diet of run plays, San Francisco had their way with the Rams, tiring them down before capitalizing with an early trip to the end zone.  

Possession number two wouldn't be much better for Stafford and the Rams as the former No. 1 overall pick was intercepted for a second time in as many drives, again by Jimmie Ward who took this one to the house for a 27-yard pick-six touchdown. With the ball bouncing off of Rams tight-end Tyler Higbee and into the Niners' lap, Jimmie Ward who hadn't recorded an interception since Week 14 of 2016, suddenly found himself with two interceptions in the game's opening quarter. As for the San Francisco defense who entered Monday's game with only two interceptions on the year, the team had doubled their output in a matter of minutes. The third time would be a charm, however, for Stafford and company, as the Rams responded with a touchdown-scoring drive of their own. Redeeming himself for the bobble that resulted in the pick-six, it was Higbee who came down with the 10-yard strike to put L.A. on the board to start the second quarter. But picking up right where they left off would be Jimmy G and the Niner offense, turning in another lengthy drive that ended in success. 

Running it right down the Rams throat once again, Deebo Samuel capped off the 15-play, 91-yard drive that ended in Deebo rushing it into the end zone from 8-yards out. With the Rams marching just before the end of the first half, L.A. would setup for 34-yard field goal, but coach McVay would try to get cute by dialing up a fake that was sniffed out perfectly by San Francisco's D.J. Jones who made the stop. Taking a 21-7 lead into the half, the 49ers would get the ball back to open the second half, but were held to their first punt of the evening. Forcing a Rams three and out on the ensuing possession, the 49ers would add to their lead with a Robbie Gould field goal from 50-yards out. With little to no fireworks from either team in the third quarter, San Francisco kicked things off with a bang to open the fourth. Electing to go for it on 4th and 6, coach Shanahan's gutsy decision paid off as Garoppolo found Deebo Samuel down the middle for a 40-yard touchdown that put the game away for good. The Rams offense would threaten on each of their next two possessions by making it into the red zone both times, but were only able to walk away with three points as a turnover on downs and a field goal was all they had to show for. 

Continuing to have success in the run game, the 49ers were able to milk the clock and cruise to a 31-10 victory. Helping hand the Rams their first road loss of the season, 49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell would lead the way with 91 yards on 27 carries, and Jeff Wilson Jr. returned to the field after missing the first eight weeks of the season due knee surgery, adding 28 yards on 10 carries. But the biggest weapon of the night for the Niners would be Deebo Samuel who logged 133 all purpose yards (97 yards receiving, 36 yards rushing) and 2 touchdowns. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for an efficient 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 15 of 19 pass attempts, being sacked only once and avoiding the costly turnovers that doomed him a week earlier. Meanwhile, Cooper Kupp shined once more for the Rams, hauling in 11 receptions for 122 yards as Matt Stafford's (243 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions) favorite target of the night. With 393 days in between Monday Night's game and their last regular season home win, also against the Rams, the Niners appeared to turn back the clock and enjoy some success similar to that of their run-dominant performance in the 2019 NFC Championship against the Packers which just so happened to be the last win at Levi's Stadium with a live crowd. Though they may trail them in the standings, for the 49ers it's their fifth straight victory over the Rams, making it safe to say that coach Shanahan has McVay's number, at least for now. 

Week 11 Preview: Hoping to build off their first home win of the season, snapping an 8-game home losing streak, the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) will hit the road to visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7). Led by the No. 1 overall pick in April's Draft -- Trevor Lawrence and first-year head coach Urban Meyer, the Jags up to this point have looked a lot like what you'd expect from a team with a rookie QB and rookie head coach, but do have one of the biggest upsets of the season under the belt after a 9-6 win over one of the AFC's heavyweights in the Buffalo Bills back in Week 9. Coming off season-highs in third down conversions and in time of possession, coach Shanahan would love to see more of the same on Sunday. Never a dull moment on the 49ers injury front, it was learned on Tuesday that rookie running back Elijah Mitchell fractured his finger and will undergo a procedure with a chance of him returning to the practice field as early as Wednesday according to coach Shanahan. His status for Sunday's game, however, remains uncertain. 

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49ers No Match for Bills on Monday Night

Week 13 - Riding high after an uplifting victory on the road against a division rival, the San Francisco 49ers (5-6) were in prime position to right the ship and improve their record to .500 on the year, while also receiving some help in the division as both the Seahawks and Cardinals suffered losses. However, what was supposed to be a home game on Monday Night Football for the 49ers at Levi's Stadium, would instead take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, home of the Arizona Cardinals. Hoping to still make themselves at home, their Week 13 opponent would be the 8-3 Buffalo Bills who had other plans. While the 49ers have yet to play at State Farm Stadium this season to take on the division rival Cardinals, the Bills would be making their second trip to the desert this season and playing in a stadium that would bring back bad memories of a heartbreaking loss that took place just three weeks earlier. Anxious to avenge that loss at the hands of Arizona which came on the final play of the game, the team that stood in front of them on Monday night did not matter as quarterback Josh Allen and company would not hesitate to take it out on a short-handed 49ers team. 

Having grown up attending 49er games at the now demolished Candlestick Park and a native of Firebaugh, California, Allen's homecoming wishes of facing the 49ers in the Bay Area for the first time, were cancelled due to the strict restrictions put in place by Santa Clara County where the 49ers' new stadium lies, which has banned the play of contact sports for at least the next few weeks. But that wouldn't stop the Bills QB from having a coming out party on primetime television. Seeking their first win on Monday Night Football since 1999, Buffalo came out guns blazing on offense as San Francisco won the coin-toss and elected to differ. Moving the ball with ease, the Bills setup shop inside the red zone before being stood up at the goal-line by the 49er defense after a gutsy decision to go for it on 4th and goal. Taking over at their own 2-yard line, the San Francisco offense would also march their way to their opponents goal-line before being denied at the doorstep and held scoreless. The Niners would be gifted a second opportunity on the very next play as a bobbled handoff exchange from Allen to his running back ended up in the hands of San Francisco's Fred Warner. Though it would take them until third down, the 49ers would finally punch it into the end zone when QB Nick Mullens found rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the 2-yard touchdown. 

If there was anything the 49ers' touchdown did other than give San Francisco the lead, it was anger Allen and the Bills offense which went on a scoring surge of their own by orchestrating six consecutive scoring drives. Highlighting a first half which saw Buffalo take a 17-7 lead into the locker room, the 49ers were left clueless when trying to find an answer for slot receiver Cole Beasley who had a career-high in receiving yards by halftime before finishing with a game-high 130 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. While the 49ers did open the second half with a field goal to make it a one-score game, Buffalo answered with a touchdown to maintain their distance. The 49er defense suffered a mental breakdown when defensive-lineman Kentavius Street was called for a roughing the passer penalty that turned a would-be 3rd & 18 into an automatic first down. Making matters worse, the Bills would find the end zone two plays later. Looking to string together consecutive scoring drives of their own, San Francisco would do no such thing as Nick Mullens had his pass intercepted as Aiyuk was unable to come up with the grab which he bobbled into the hands of a Buffalo defender. 

After another Bills field goal, the Niners finally struck pay dirt in the second half as a 49-yard reception by Aiyuk setup fullback Kyle Juszczyk who hauled in a touchdown reception from 6-yards out. A fourth and final Bills touchdown would make it a 34-17 ballgame with the 49ers in desperate need of a touchdown-scoring drive. They would march all the way to the red zone inside the 5-yardline before Mullens was intercepted for a second time on the evening when his pass was pried out of the hands of running back Jeff Wilson Jr. who collided with Buffalo's Tre'Davious White as he came away with the ball. After finally forcing a Bills punt, the 49ers were able to score with a garbage-time touchdown in the final minute when Mullens connected in the end zone with tight-end Jordan Reed. Falling by a final score of 34-24, the 49ers were unable to capitalize on the losses of several teams vying for Wild Card spots in the NFC playoff picture. As for the Bills who will accomplish back to back winning seasons for the first time since 1998-99 under the tutelage of head coach Sean McDermott, Buffalo won their first Monday Night Football game of the century behind a fabulous performance from QB Josh Allen. 

Becoming the first Bills QB to complete 80% of his passes while tossing 4 TD's in a game, Allen completed 32 of 40 pass attempts for 375 yards and 0 interceptions, meanwhile his counterpart Nick Mullens threw for 316 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions on 26 of 39 attempts. Aside from the aforementioned Cole Beasley who had a career-game receiving, wide-out Stefon Diggs also had a big night in the Buffalo receiving department, hauling in game-high 10 catches for 92 yards. Rookie Brandon Aiyuk led the way for San Francisco, catching five balls for 95 yards and a touchdown. Neither team had a monstrous game on the ground as Devin Singletary totted the rock 18 times for 61 yards for Buffalo, while both Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert shared the 49ers' workload to rush for 47 and 42 yards, respectively.  

Week 14 Preview - Continuing their stay at their home away from home in Glendale, Arizona, the 49ers (5-7) will play host to the Washington Football Team (5-7) in Week 14. Setting up a date against former 49er QB and first overall pick Alex Smith, Washington is riding high after handing the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss of the season which took place earlier on Monday before the Niners faced the Bills. In what was their first win over Pittsburgh since 1991, the Washington Football Team has been playing inspiring football as of late after long journeys by both Smith who suffered a gruesome leg injury two seasons prior which almost cost him his leg, and head coach Ron Rivera who has had his own battle with cancer. Any thought of an easy game the 49ers had against Washington several weeks ago, can now be thrown out the window as San Francisco will need to bring their a-game if they want to get back in the win column. One way they can avoid another loss, although easier said than done, is by steering clear of the turnovers as the Monday night loss saw San Francisco commit at least two turnovers for the sixth consecutive game, their longest streak since 2008. If they're unable to do that and unable to hand Washington a loss, they can all but kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. 

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49ers Suffer first Loss in Monday Night Classic

Week 10 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium for a Monday Night showdown against the division rival Seattle Seahawks (7-2), the San Francisco 49ers (8-0) would put their undefeated record to the test against the NFC's front-runner for league MVP through the first half of the season in quarterback Russell Wilson. But with tight-end George Kittle ruled out before game time with ankle and knee injuries, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would be forced to try their luck without their leading receiver and best player on offense. It would also be the team's first game without one of their emotional leaders in linebacker Kwon Alexander who was lost a week earlier to a torn pectoral muscle which ended his first season with the team. But perhaps the biggest absence would be that of kicker Robbie Gould (injured quad) as the fate of the game would come down to the foot of a free-agent kicker that was signed just four days earlier. And as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. So too would be the case for the 49ers' unbeaten mark of 8-0 as they entered the Monday Night affair as the last undefeated team in the league and gave it their all in what would go down as a Monday Night Classic.

Off to their best start since 1990 and vying for their 50th win in Monday Night Football history, the most of any team in the NFL, things were looking good early on for the Niners as they quickly jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Entering the Monday night match-up tied for the second best start in NFL history through his first 18 career starts at 16-2, San Francisco QB Jimmy Garoppolo was aided by three Seattle penalties on the opening-drive which setup the newest member of the 49ers, Chase McLaughlin, for a 43-yard field goal. Undrafted out of Illinois, McGlaughlin who had been waived or released by three different teams this season, seemed unfazed as he nailed his first kick right down the middle. San Francisco's second drive which resulted in a touchdown, was setup by big plays from receivers Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders before Jimmy G. found Kendrick Bourne in the end zone for the score. However, on the play made by Sanders, a 12-yard reception which resulted in a big hit that left Sanders without a helmet, the newcomer who has already developed into one of Garoppolo's favorite targets, would leave the game with a rib injury after showing obvious discomfort.

Forcing back to back three and outs to begin the game and punts on each of Seattle's first four possessions, the 49er defense would also open the game strong. However, it would be the Seahawks' defense that would get them on the board and swing the momentum in their favor just before the half when Garoppolo was sacked and stripped of the ball by Jarran Reed. Seattle's Jadaveon Clowney who was acquired before the start of the season from the Houston Texans, scooped up the Garoppolo fumble and returned it for the touchdown. Clowney would have a field day against a rusty 49ers offensive-line that had welcomed back a pair of starting tackles in Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey who had been out of action since Weeks 2 and 3, respectively. Seattle appeared to be on their way to taking the lead with them into the half, but a huge play would be made by Niners safety Jaquiski Tartt who helped the 49ers force a fumble recovery of their own. With San Francisco being the only remaining team in the league to hold opponents scoreless in the final two minutes of the first half, Tartt's heroics kept that streak alive when he stripped Seattle's DK Metcalf of the ball at the 2 yard-line to help stall the Seahawks' attempt to claim the lead.

The 49er defense would open the second half the same way they'd closeout the first, as K'Waun Williams and DeForest Buckner teamed up to force and recover a fumble on Seattle running back Rashaad Penny. However, San Francisco would give the ball back on three consecutive possessions which ended in turnovers by the offense. After a failed 4th and 2 attempt which resulted in a turnover on downs, Garoppolo was intercepted on a pass that went through the hands of Kendrick Bourne. And finally, a second fumble by the quarterback as Clowney once again got to Garoppolo to force the ball loose. Seattle would turn both the interception and fumble into points, capitalizing with touchdowns to put them ahead, 21-10. Trailing by double-digits for the first time this season to begin the fourth quarter, San Francisco would need to answer and stop the bleeding of 21 unanswered-points scored by Seattle. With all 21 of Seattle's points coming off turnovers, the Niner defense would finally break through with a score of their own when Russell Wilson was sacked and unable to hold onto the ball, allowing DeForst Buckner to take it into the end zone for a touchdown. Following a successful 2-point conversion cashed-in by Bourne, the Niners were once again in it, making it a 21-18 game before tying things up at 21-all following a field goal.

Seattle would recapture the lead with a 46-yard field goal from Jason Myers, leaving 1:44 remaining in regulation for the Niners to either tie or take the lead. With a series of short passes and dump-offs, Jimmy G would get his kicker in position to send the game into overtime. And from 47 yards out, McLauglin would connect to send both teams to the extended period. Winning the coin-toss and electing to receive, Russell Wilson would begin marching his team up the field and into the red zone as they had reached the San Francisco 14 yard-line, but it would be there where Wilson would throw his first career red zone interception against the Niners as rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw came up with the clutch turnover and first of his career. With the game now in sudden death as a score by either team would win the game, Shanahan once again left it up to his new kicker. With the only thing standing in their way of a perfect 9-0 record being a 47-yard field goal which McLaughlin had already made one possession earlier to force the game into overtime, the bright lights and big stage would get the best of the rookie kicker who was unemployed just a week earlier, as McLaughlin's kick was shanked wide-left.

Each team would exchange punts following a pair of three-and-outs, but San Francisco's biggest mistake would be their inability to chew up precious time as there was just enough on the clock for Wilson and company to come through in the clutch. With three straight incompletions by Garoppolo allowing the offense to eat up only 25 seconds of game-clock, Wilson used both his arm and his legs to put his kicker in position to win the game. And where McLaughlin failed to rally his team to victory, Myers answered the call as he shook off his missed extra-point and two missed field goal performance from a week ago by converting on the game-winning field goal from 42-yards out as Seattle won, 27-24. Needing overtime to hand San Francisco their first loss of the season, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson admitted after the back and forth affair that it was the craziest game he had ever been a part of. Held to only 72 yards in the first half, Wilson would finish the game with 232 yards to go along with his one touchdown and interception. As for Garoppolo who suffered his first career loss at Levi's Stadium, the Niners QB threw for 248 yards, one touchdown and one interception, despite his receivers not doing him any favors as there were a number of key drops up and down the lineup. One of the few players that did step up on offense, was 49ers rookie receiver Deebo Samuel who logged his first career 100-yard receiving game, finishing with 12 receptions for 112-yards.

After being handed the loss and seeing their run to perfection come to an end, you can bet that coach Shanahan will let this serve as a learning block for his young team as they try to make a positive out of their first loss and work on correcting their mistakes moving forward.

Week 11 Preview - San Francisco will need to put their first loss behind them rather quickly as they'll be on short-rest when they welcome the Arizona Cardinals (3-6-1) to Levi's Stadium. As evident by their close call two weeks ago when the Niners narrowly escaped the desert with a 28-25 victory on Halloween, these Cardinals are not to be taken lightly in spite of their record. Having played both Russell Wilson and Cards QB Kyler Murray in consecutive weeks, the Niner defense will once again have to be on their toes in the rematch against the speedy Murray and these Cardinals whom San Francisco struggled to put away in the previous meeting. They'll also have to be better at containing Arizona running back Kenyon Drake who had one of the best games of his career when making his Cardinals debut against this very 49ers defense. If San Francisco can steer clear of the turnovers and mistakes they committed against Seattle, they shouldn't have any problem at getting back into the win column.


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49ers Thrive in Monday Night Pummeling of Browns

Week 5 - Coming off an early BYE in Week 4, the (3-0) San Francisco 49ers entered their Week 5 Monday Night meeting with the (2-2) Cleveland Browns with plans of putting a statement on their hot start. Despite beginning the season 3-0 for the first time since 1998, many pundits around the league have questioned the legitimacy of San Francisco's early streak because of who they've gone up against. But if opening the year with back to back road wins or shaking off five turnovers in a game and still finding a way to win isn't enough, perhaps nothing is. Regardless, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team would prepare for the task at hand and welcome the challenge of facing a Browns team that entered the season with expectations of competing in the AFC and was coming off their best game yet after an impressive road win over the division rival Baltimore Ravens.

Behind quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Browns would look to remain perfect on the road and keep pace with the aforementioned Ravens for the top spot in the AFC North. Seeking their first 3-0 start on the road since 1999 and their first record over .500 since 2014, the Niners would have none of that as they were chasing a mark of their own in trying to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1990. Winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Cleveland offense showed a bit of trickery early on as receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took a handoff and passed the ball down the field to Jarvis Landry for a 20-yard gain. Appearing to catch the Niner defense off-guard, it would be one of the very few big plays for the Browns offense that then went cold and was forced to punt. With San Francisco fourth in the league in total offense and second in scoring offense, they would waste little time to flex their muscles on offense. From the first play on, the Niners would set the tone of the game as running back Matt Breida made a house call for 83-yards on his first carry, setting a career-long and making it to the end zone untouched. According to Next Gen Stats, Breida clocked in at a speed of 22.3 mph on his highlight run, the fastest speed of any player in the last two seasons and living up to his nickname of, "Breida the cheetah".

Coming up with a huge play on offense, the 49er defense would take their turn on the very first play of Cleveland's next drive as Mayfield was hurried into throwing an errant pass that was intercepted by Richard Sherman. Getting his first taste of Monday Night Football action, the game would serve as the coming out party for rookie Nick Bosa who was a constant force for a San Francisco defense that tallied four sacks on the night, but finished with a hell of a lot more QB pressures as the Browns signal caller was erratic and under duress early and often. Unable to capitalize on the stellar field position following the interception, the 49ers would make sure it wouldn't happen in consecutive possessions as a series of passes by Jimmy Garoppolo helped the offense march to the red zone before he found Matt Breida in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown reception. Giving the offense even more chances, the 49ers defensive-line would again cause Mayfield to scratch his head as the duo of DeForest Buckner and Nick Bosa teamed up to force and recover a fumble that again put the Niners in prime scoring position. Calling on the trusty Robbie Gould for his first field goal attempt on the night, it would be the start of his worst game in a Niner uniform as Gould couldn't connect on the field goal from 47-yards out.

With a field goal of their own on the ensuing possession, Cleveland would finally get on the board. Beginning to finally show life on offense, Mayfield and the Browns would hit a brick wall when making a trip into the red zone as a short pass at the goal line was tipped into the air by the intended receiver Antonio Callaway, allowing cornerback K'Waun Williams to come up with the easy interception and returning it to midfield. Cashing in on the interception, running back Tevin Coleman who in his first game back following an ankle injury suffered in Week 1, would score his first touchdown as a member of the Niners as he followed his blockers and struck pay dirt with a 19-yard run. After a Cleveland three and out, San Francisco would try to get another three points just before the half, but Robbie Gould would miss his second field goal in as many tries, this time from 52-yards out as the score remained 21-3 heading into the half.

As has been the case in all four games this season, averaging 175 rushing yards per game, it would be a busy yet productive day for the 49ers ground attack as they headed into the locker room at the half with 185 yards rushing, five yards more than the Browns would tally all game long in total offense (180). Picking up right where they left off to open the second half, Garoppolo and the Niner offense would put together their best drive yet as tight-end George Kittle hauled in a 22-yard touchdown reception to cap a nine-play, 90-yard drive that made it a 28-3 ballgame. As if the Browns' turnover-laden first half wasn't bad enough, San Francisco's defense held Cleveland to only one first down in the second half as Mayfield was eventually benched for backup Garrett Gilbert late in the fourth quarter. After having a field goal blocked from 32-yards out, Robbie Gould would miss three field goals in a game for the first time in his career. But thanks to a late miscue by the Browns special-teams, Gould would get one last chance to redeem himself.

With Odell Beckham Jr. having made a reputation of having some of his best performances on Monday Night Football (57 receptions, 916 yards, 8 TD in 9 career games), the Pro Bowl wide-out was virtually M.I.A. in this one and actually did his team more harm than good as he fumbled a punt return that setup a late 49er field goal. OBJ's best friend and former college teammate Jarvis Landry who was coming off his best game as a Brown with eight receptions for 167 yards a week ago, finished with a game-high 75-yards receiving on four receptions, but even he would be unable to find the end zone as Baker Mayfield was held touchdown-less for the first time in his career, ending a streak of 17 consecutive games with a touchdown pass to start a career, the second longest streak of its kind since 1950, behind only Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (23 starts). One stat Mayfield would rather forget is the amount of interceptions he's thrown since the start of last season as his 21 picks are the most in the league since that span. Adding insult to injury, the San Francisco defense held Mayfield to only 100 yards passing on 8 of 22 pass attempts, a pedestrian performance for a QB and offense that many thought was turning the corner following their rough start that preceded the win in Week 4.

The former Heisman Trophy winner and walk-on at the University of Oklahoma was chased down all night long by 49ers rookie Nick Bosa who greeted Mayfield rather rudely with a celebration that stemmed from the time both players spent in college as Mayfield famously staked the OU flag at midfield following a win on the road for the Sooners over Bosa's Ohio State Buckeyes. Bosa made sure to get back at Mayfield as he followed up his second of two sacks on the night with a similar gesture that mocked Mayfield's flag celebration. Earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance, Bosa finished the game with a forced fumble and fumble recovery to go along with his pair of quarterback sacks and five QB hits. As for the offense, the San Francisco rushing attack tallied 275 yards behind the tandem of Matt Breida (114 yards, 11 carries) and Tevin Coleman (97 yards, 16 carries). Because of their dominant ground game, the 49ers would wind up not needing a big game thru the air as Jimmy Garoppolo finished with 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 20 of 29 pass attempts. One of only two unbeaten teams in the NFL alongside the (5-0) New England Patriots, the 49ers are the NFC's last unbeaten team for the first time since 1984 when they went 6-0 to start the year.

Week 6 Preview - Looking ahead to Week 6, the 49ers will travel to Southern California to face their first division opponent of the season in the (3-2) Los Angeles Rams. Coming off a 30-29 loss on the road to the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams hope to right the ship and put an end to their 2-game skid. But with an upset loss in the their last home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Rams are very beatable, but will definitely be on their A-game on Sunday as they try to avoid their first three-game losing streak under head coach Sean McVay. If not for a missed 44-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter by Greg Zuerlein, it would be the Rams who would be breathing on the necks of the 49ers in the NFC Western Division standings at 4-1 instead of Seattle. The 49ers defense will look to contain Jared Goff the same way they did Baker Mayfield, as the former no. 1 overall pick out of Cal is coming off a game in which he threw 395 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Looking to put their dominant run game to the test against a defense that boasts last year's Defensive Player of the Year in Aaron Donald, the 49ers will have to try their luck without right-tackle Mike McGlinchey who will undergo knee surgery and will miss 4-6 weeks as well as Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk who was carted off the field on Monday night and was diagnosed with an MCL sprain that will also keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks. A threat in the passing game, Juszczyk has been a key cog in the Niners rushing success for his stout blocking ability and the same could be said for McGlinchey, the second-year man out of Notre Dame. Averaging a league-best 200 rushing yards per game, we'll see how the team can adjust without two of their best.


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49ers Fold in Giants' Late Comeback

Week 10 - Following their blowout win over the Bay Area rival Oakland Raiders on Thursday Night, Nick Mullens was the talk of the town among Niner fans. After becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for three touchdowns in his Niner debut, Mullens had a chance to send his team into the Week 11 BYE on a two-game winning-streak as the lowly (1-7) New York Giants came into town for a Monday Night meeting. But those aspirations would fall short as the San Francisco defense collapsed yet again in the fourth quarter. Like they've done so often this season, Kyle Shanahan's 49er team has continued to find new ways to lose games late as they've proven time and time again that they're virtually incapable of holding onto a lead and closing out a game. Aside from the 31-point beat down put on the putrid Raiders, even the Week 2 win against Detroit didn't come easy as the Niners escaped a late comeback attempt by the skin of their teeth as a 17-point fourth quarter lead quickly evaporated to a 3-point win. And then there's their attempts to hang on late against teams like the Cardinals and Packers which ended in defeat. Throw in a struggling 1-win New York Giants team and what do you get? Deja vu.

Forcing a three and out on New York's opening-drive, San Francisco would take advantage of their good field position by setting up their kicker Robbie Gould who would connect on a 53-yard field goal, his eighth straight from beyond 50-yards. Their second possession, however, wouldn't quite go as planned as the turnover bug reared its ugly head after failing to show up a week ago. Nick Mullens would suffer his first career interception as a deflected pass intended for Kendrick Bourne ended up in the hands of a defender. A costly mistake that Eli Manning would make sure to capitalize on as he found a wide-open Odell Beckham Jr. in the end zone on third & goal to give New York the lead and their first touchdown in the first half of a game in three contests. Putting the mistake behind him, Mullens would be quick to answer as he drove his team down the field before handing things off to running back Matt Breida who would cap things off with a touchdown. It would be the start of a busy night for Breida who would eclipse the century mark in the rushing department. After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants would tie things up at 10 in what would appear to be a tie at the half, but Mullens would have none of that as a trio of passes to George Kittle and Marquise Goodwin allowed Gould to strike again and give his team a 13-10 lead at halftime.

San Francisco would open the second half the same way they would finish the first, only this time the clock wouldn't be a factor as they were able to cap their 11-play drive with a touchdown. Mullens' lone touchdown pass of the night would be an 11-yarder to Matt Breida who became the first 49ers running back to score a touchdown both on the ground and thru the air in the same game since Frank Gore in Week 2 of the 2010 season. The score would give the Niners a 20-10 lead, but it would be short lived as Manning and Beckham Jr. began to pick on the poor San Francisco secondary. After a 30-yard connection from Manning to OBJ put the G-Men in enemy territory, the Giants QB tried finding his superstar receiver in the end zone on back to back plays, the second of which they would succeed on as 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon didn't stand a chance and surrendered the easy score to pull New York within a field goal. The Giants would get that field goal to tie things up on their following possession.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Mullens would be tagged with his second career interception, but didn't receive any favors from Marquise Goodwin who stopped mid-route before stutter-stepping and continuing to run, but by then Mullens had already committed to the pass which Goodwin was unable to corral, resulting in a tip-drill that the Giants would come away with at midfield. And though the Giants were unable to turn the turnover into points, it would be a sign of bad things to come. The Niners would regain the lead thanks to Gould's third made field goal of the evening, but the offense's inability to strike pay dirt would prove to be costly as it gave the opposition a chance to steal a victory. And with just under three minutes remaining in regulation, that's exactly what would happen as the lackluster 49ers secondary made the aging Eli Manning look more like his brother Peyton Manning in crunch time. A pair of big play passes to Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley, coupled with a crucial pass interference call on 2nd & 20 by Ahkello Witherpoon, would set things up for a dramatic finish as Manning hooked up with receiver Sterling Shepard for the game-winning touchdown. The 9-play, 75-yard drive would be the 36th game-winning drive of Manning's career and just the latest dagger to pierce the hearts of Niner fans who watched their team fall at home, 27-23.

With the win, the Giants snapped their five-game losing streak and improved to 2-7 on the season, meanwhile, the 49ers fell to 2-8 and will have to dwell on being letdown for an extra week as they go into the BYE. Manning who finished with 188 yards passing and 3 touchdowns, moved into a tie with the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger for 7th place on the NFL's all-time passing touchdowns list with 350 TD's. As for his counterpart, Mullens tallied 250 passing yards and 1 touchdown in the loss. Matt Breida rushed 17 times for a game-high 101-yards and scored both touchdowns for the Niners, out-rushing Barkley who was held to 67-yards on 20 carries, but netted another 33-yards in receiving to give him 100 total yards on the night, his 8th game of 100+ scrimmage yards in 9 career games. Pounding the rock to his tight-end, Mullens and George Kittle connected 9 times for 83-yards, giving the 49ers standout tight-end 775 receiving yards on the season. Most impressive regarding the second-year tight-end's stout 2018 season has been his ability to eat up yardage after the catch as his 16.9 YAC leads all tight-ends, and his 535 total YAC is over 150-yards higher than the next closest player at that position (Travis Kelce -- 362 YAC). Not to mention he's accumulated 31% of the team's receiving yardage this season, the highest in the league.

Week 12 Preview - After the much needed BYE in Week 11, San Francisco's season will continue in Week 12 when they pay a visit to Tampa Bay to take on the (3-6) Buccaneers who will get their crack at the Giants in Week 11. Coming off a 500-yard performance on offense against the Redskins in which Tampa Bay only scratched 3-points across the board at home, the Niners will also look to hand the Bucs a loss while allowing far less yardage. One way to prevent that will be getting to the quarterback, something the Niners were able to do very little of in the loss to the Giants as they recorded only one sack compared to the Giants' zero. As it stands before the Bucs and Giants meet, Tampa is currently riding a 3-game skid, this after opening the season with a surprising win on the road over the Saints in Week 1. Since then, it's been a roller coaster for head coach Dirk Koetter and his last place Bucs team as they've bounced back and forth at the quarterback position between Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick.


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