Rams Prevail over Niners in Battle of the Benches

Week 18 - Other than a minor tune-up heading into the NFL playoffs, Sunday's game between the (12-4) San Francisco 49ers and (9-7) Los Angeles Rams served little significance with both teams having already clinched playoff spots. But for L.A. who was vying for better playoff seeding with a win and a few rookie records for one of their star receivers, the Rams had a little more to play for in Sunday's regular-season finale. In a rivalry that dates back to 1950, coach Kyle Shanahan and the Niners have had the number of their southern California counterparts, having won nine straight regular-season meetings over the Rams. While that streak was bound to end sooner or later, it probably ended a little sooner than it would have had both teams gone with their starters. Instead, the Rams would prevail in the battle of the backups, logging their first regular-season win over San Francisco in 5 1/2 years. 

With both teams electing to sit their starting quarterbacks among a lengthy list of other notable players, the game would be a match-up between two backup QB's who were thought to be franchise-altering players, now looking to show their worth after being drafted near the top of their respective draft boards in San Francisco's Sam Darnold and L.A.'s Carson Wentz. Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick for the New York Jets in 2018 who had 55 career starts under his belt, would make his first in a 49ers uniform on Sunday. Meanwhile, Wentz who was passed on with the No. 1 overall pick by the Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft before sliding to the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 2 pick, would also make his first start of the season in his first game action since Week 17 of the 2022 regular-season. Entering Sunday with a career record of 3-0 against SF, Wentz would snap the Niners' streak of 12 consecutive wins against NFC West opponents, while also improving his own streak against them. 

Darnold and the Niners offense would get off to a strong start on the game's opening-drive as the former USC Trojan went 5-for-5 on passes for 49-yards, before running back Elijah Mitchell rushed up the middle for a 1-yard score to give San Francisco an early 7-0 advantage. For the 49ers, the opening-drive touchdown would be their 10th of the season, the most in the NFL. Los Angeles rookie receiver Puka Nacua who has dazzled in his first year as a pro and has been a pleasant surprise during his first campaign in the Rams offense, would have a chance to break not one but two rookie receiving records for the most receptions and the most receiving yards in a rookie season. Needing one play less than the Niners' 14-play, 75-yard opening-drive, the Rams offense answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive of their own, capped off by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to Nacua. Orchestrating the longest drive of the first half, Darnold and the 49er offense would answer by retaking the lead on a 20-play, 82-yard drive that lasted just shy of 10-minutes, as the running back tandem of Mitchell and Jordan Mason got the Niners to the doorstep before Darnold was able to charge ahead for his 14th career rushing touchdown. 

Following up what was the longest drive of the first half, Wentz and the Rams would have the shortest drive as the L.A. QB would be intercepted on the first play of their ensuing possession when receiver Tutu Atwell had a pass skip off of his hands and into the air, allowing for a diving grab by a 49er making his season-debut as Tayler Hawkins made the play just days after being elevated from the team's practice squad. However, the turnover would not prove to be costly by the Rams as the 49ers attempted to add to their lead with a Jake Moody field goal before the rookie kicker missed from 38-yards out by doinking the ball off the right upright for his first missed kick of the season inside 40-yards. The 49ers would manage to add to their lead just before halftime as Darnold connected with receiver Chris Conley on the longest play of the game with a 48-yard pass, setting up a 5-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Ronnie Bell just a few plays later. With another miss from Jake Moody, this time on an extra-point for the first time this season, the 49ers took a 20-7 lead at the break. 

Sean McVay's Rams opened the second half with an impressive 20-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 10-minutes and 15-seconds and ended in the end zone with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Wentz to receiver Tyler Johnson for his first score of the season. Like Moody, Rams kicker Brett Maher would also miss on the extra-point attempt, keeping it an 8-point game. After a promising first half on offense, Darnold and the 49ers were shutout in the second half while compiling a measly 26 yards of total offense and were held to just two first downs. San Francisco's 20-13 lead lasted until the 5-minute mark when L.A. benefited from a 48-yard pass-interference penalty. After a few short runs, Wentz took it in himself by plowing forward from 12-yards out for his 11th career rushing touchdown. With momentum suddenly on their side, the Rams would go for the two-point conversion and cashing in on a successful pass from Wentz to Tutu Atwell to take their first lead of the day. 

San Francisco would have one last chance to pull off a comeback following both teams exchanging punts. Taking over possession with no timeouts remaining and just under a minute to go, Darnold connected on an 18-yard pass to Chris Conley for a first down that put them near midfield. Only needing to get into field goal range to give kicker Jake Moody a shot at redemption with a walk-off field goal, Darnold stepped up in the pocket and looked to have a sprinting Jordan Mason all alone for a big gain, but the Niners QB was caught from behind, jarring the ball loose as the Rams came up with the fumble recovery to seal the 21-20 victory for L.A. In the loss, Darnold threw for 189 yards and 1 touchdown and rushed for another score on 7 carries for 19 yards, but was haunted by the game-ending fumble. Wentz also did damage with his legs, leading all rushers with 56 yards and a touchdown on a game-high 17 carries, while throwing for 163 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception in the win. 

Playoff Preview: While the No. 1 seeded 49ers sit back and enjoy their extended rest with the first-round Bye, San Francisco whom owns homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, will await the outcomes of the NFC's Wild Card Round before playing host to the lowest-seeded winner. This weekend's match-ups include: Green Bay @ Dallas, Los Angeles @ Detroit, and Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay. When 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy retakes the field in the NFC's Divisional Round, he'll try to improve the record of starting QB's that have sat out of the final regular season game since 2005 as rested QB's own a record of 10-16 for a winning percentage of .385 in their first playoff game. In comparison, QB's that played in the regular season finale own a record of 112-84 in their first playoff game during that span, a winning percentage of .571. Looking to throw that nonsense out the same window that he has used to throw out all the criticisms he's received this season for being a "game manager", a "system QB" and for being a long shot to even be considered in the NFL's MVP race, Brock Purdy was named to the Pro Bowl earlier in the week, becoming the first 49ers QB selected since Jeff Garcia in 2002. Purdy also surpassed Garcia's franchise-record for the most passing yards in a season by a Niners QB just a week earlier. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Right Ship vs Washington, Lock up Top Seed

Week 17 - Looking to bounce back from a blowout loss at home on Christmas night to the Baltimore Ravens, Brock Purdy and the (11-4) San Francisco 49ers set their sights on the (4-11) Washington Commanders in hopes of finishing 2023 by getting back on track with a win. Heading to the nation's capital to face a struggling Commanders team on New Years Eve, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers would aim to make Sunday's game their last of the season as members of the road team as a win coupled with a loss from the Philadelphia Eagles would lock up the NFC's No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But before San Francisco could look ahead to the postseason, the meeting against Washington would be especially important for two current members of the 49ers in left-tackle Trent Williams and defensive-end Chase Young, both of whom are former Washington players. Facing off against their former team, Sunday's bout with Washington marked the first time for Williams at FedEx Field as a visitor and Young for the first time of his career at home or away. 

For others, most notably Niners quarterback Brock Purdy, the game would serve as a chance to bounce back as many around the league have written off San Francisco's signal-caller after his putrid 4-interception performance less than a week earlier on Christmas night. By game's end, Purdy would indeed bounce back in a big way with a 124.7 passer rating, on his way to recording the most passing yards in a single season by a 49ers quarterback with 4,280 in just his first year as the starting QB, eclipsing the previous mark of 4,278 passing yards set in 2000 by Jeff Garcia. With Purdy in a three-way race for the league's MVP Award alongside Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and teammate Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers QB would also witness history being made by McCaffrey and a few other of his teammates on Sunday. 

Opening the game on offense, the 49ers were able to march into Washington territory with a busy first drive from McCaffrey who entered the game leading the league in rushing. Making their way to the red zone rather easily, it was there where the Niner offense fizzled out and was forced to settle for a Jake Moody field goal, giving San Francisco an early 3-0 lead. Forcing a three and out at the other end on defense as Washington held the ball for less than a minute in time of possession, the 49ers had a much more successful drive on their second possession. With more touches to McCaffrey, Purdy was able to distribute the ball to both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, as the tandem of receivers helped the offense setup shop at the 2-yard line where Purdy flipped a pass to Deebo who was able to score with a walk-in touchdown. Taking a 10-0 first quarter lead, Washington would flip the script as soon as they started quarter no. 2, answering back with a Joey Slye field goal and a 3-yard touchdown pass to receiver Terry McLaurin. Commanders quarterback Sam Howell who was benched earlier in the week by head coach Ron Rivera for backup QB Jacoby Brissett, suddenly found himself at the forefront of a tie game against the NFC's No. 1 team after being reinserted as the starter with Brissett ruled out a day earlier due to a hamstring injury suffered in Thursday's practice. 

Looking to stave off a late season upset against one of the NFC's worst teams, the 49ers were able to march to Washington's goal-line where they struggled to find the end zone on three straight plays from the 1-yard line. Settling for a field goal, San Francisco took a 13-10 lead into the half with work to do. Making the needed adjustments at halftime, the 49ers defense forced a Washington three and out to open the third quarter. Adding to their lead, Brock Purdy and company put together the longest drive of the afternoon for either team with a 14-play, 68-yard drive that chewed up over 7-minutes of clock. Backup running back Elijah Mitchell who has had a roller coaster season with nagging knee injuries, recorded his best game of the season after filling in for McCaffrey who would leave early in the third quarter with a lower leg injury that was later described as a mild calf strain. Toting the rock for seven carries on the drive, Mitchell punched in his first touchdown of the season with a 2-yard score. 

Putting their clamps down on defense, San Francisco forced back-to-back turnovers with interceptions from Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir on consecutive drives. Turning one of those turnovers into points, Purdy was able to find Aiyuk with a pair of big plays, including a 38-yard connection that put the Niners inside the red zone. Several plays later, Purdy would work a bit of his magic by scrambling out of the pocket to avoid a sack and slinging the ball across the field to find Aiyuk all alone on the left side of the end zone. San Francisco would again make their way to the goal-line, but were unable to punch thru on fourth and goal as Elijah Mitchell was denied a second touchdown on the day. After exchanging punts, the 49ers forced a turnover on downs of their own to seal the 27-10 victory. Making their way to the locker room, several members of the 49ers joined members of the media to catch the ending of the Philadelphia Eagles-Arizona Cardinals game where they witnessed a remarkable comeback win by their division rivals which helped lock up the NFC's top seed for San Francisco. 

In the win, Brock Purdy threw for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also avoiding the turnover bug that plagued him a week earlier. His counterpart Sam Howell was held to just 169 yards passing, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Elijah Mitchell led all rushers with 80 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, followed by 64 yards on 14 carries by McCaffrey before the injury. McCaffrey also added 27 yards on 4 receptions, becoming the first 49ers player with 2,000+ scrimmage yards since 2006 (Frank Gore), while also posting a new career-high in rushing yards with 1,459. Receiver Brandon Aiyuk had another big day at the office, recording his 6th game of the season with over 100 receiving yards, tallying 114 and a receiving touchdown on 7 receptions. Tight-end George Kittle had only 3 receptions for 29 yards receiving in the win, but did surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the third time in his career as the 49ers became the first team in NFL history with a running back, two wide receivers and a tight-end to each have 1,000-plus scrimmage yards in the same season (McCaffrey, Aiyuk, Deebo and Kittle). They're also just the 4th team in NFL history with a 4,000+ yard passer and 4 players with 1,000+ yards from scrimmage in a season. With the 17-point win, the Niners added to their dominance over the NFC Eastern Division, increasing their point differential to +90, the highest of any team versus an opposing division this season. 

Week 18 Preview: Having already clinched the NFC's top seed, (12-4) San Francisco's regular season dominance over the rival (9-4) L.A. Rams could very well finally come to an end in the team's regular-season finale as head coach Kyle Shanahan will likely sit a majority of his starters in a game with little significance. With nine straight regular season wins over Sean McVay and the Rams, the 49ers are on the cusp of hitting double-digits in consecutive wins against their southern California rivals. Other than a slight tune-up leading up to the 49ers' Playoffs Bye Week in the first round of next week's Wild Card round, I'd be very surprised to see San Francisco's starters out on the field longer than the opening quarter, if at all. The Rams who have also clinched a playoff spot as a Wild Card team after a close call on the road against the Giants, coming off a 26-25 win, are also expected to sit a number of starters. Among those sitting out for L.A. will be QB Matthew Stafford who will be benched in favor of Carson Wentz who will face off against Niners backup Sam Darnold. Sunday's game won't be completely meaningless for the Rams who can seal the NFC's No. 6 seed with a win over the Niners, or they could fall to the 7 seed with a loss and a Green Bay Packers win over the Chicago Bears. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners, Purdy Struggle in Christmas Bout vs Ravens

Week 16 - In a match-up between the top two teams in their respective conferences at 11-3 on the season, the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens met on Christmas evening for a heavyweight showdown on Monday Night Football, showcasing the NFC's best ranked offense versus the AFC's best ranked defense. After the Christmas feast concluded and all gifts were opened, all eyes were set on the star-studded meeting that also featured a trio of MVP candidates in San Francisco's Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson. While McCaffrey had another solid performance and continued to make his case for an award that has been none too kind for any position outside of quarterback, one QB improved his candidacy in the NFL's MVP race while the other witnessed his stock take a hit. With both teams struggling early on while on offense, it was the defense that took centerstage through the game's opening quarter. 

After the 49er defense forced a three and out punt on Baltimore's opening-drive, the offense got rolling with a big play on third down as QB Brock Purdy hit tight-end George Kittle for a 58-yard gain. Able to cross midfield and threatening to score, the 49ers found themselves in the red zone before disaster struck when Purdy thought he had a wide-open Deebo Samuel in the end zone before Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton flashed in front of the intended target to make the interception. Dealing a blow to the momentum the 49ers appeared to capture out of the gates, the interception marked the first of Purdy's career on an opening-drive. Unfortunately, it would be the first of many miscues on the night by the 49ers' signal-caller who followed up one of the best games of his young career with what was undoubtedly his worst. Despite the early mistake, the San Francisco defense would pick up their QB by forcing the first 49ers safety in 88-games on the other end when Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson scrambled and drifted too far into the end zone before being brought down for a sack with a little help from an official who lost his footing and got in the way of the Ravens QB. Receiving the ball following the safety, the 49ers were able to add a field goal to take a 5-0 lead.

The Ravens answered by getting on the scoreboard via a Justin Tucker field goal on their ensuing possession, igniting a flame within the Baltimore offense that went on to score on seven consecutive drives, the most consecutive scoring drives against a 49ers team since 2005. San Francisco had appeared to be headed for a score of their own before Purdy had a pass batted into the air by one defender and into the lap of another. It would mark the first game of Purdy's career with multiple interceptions in the first half. Sadly, for him the nightmare and interception woes were only just beginning. Turning the turnover into points as Baltimore running back Gus Edwards ran in a touchdown from a yard out at the other end, Purdy was again intercepted on San Francisco's next possession as a pass intended for George Kittle was again batted into the air, allowing for an easy interception by Kyle Hamilton who came down with his second pick in as many quarters. This time holding Baltimore to just a field goal, the 49er offense was finally able to stop the bleeding with a touchdown of their own for the first time of the evening. After nearly taking a 39-yard carry to the house, Niners running back Christian McCaffrey punched it in one play later for the 9-yard touchdown to make it a 1-point game at 13-12. 

Adding to their lead just before halftime, the 49ers were unable to contain Lamar Jackson who helped arguably the greatest field goal kicker of all-time with a 30-yard run to setup another Baltimore field goal. Though the 49ers had the Ravens right where they wanted them, opening the second half with possession of the ball and trailing by only 4-points, the offense was unable to do anything on their first four possessions of the second half. Following San Francisco's three and out punt to begin the third quarter, the Ravens struck fast with a 39-yard gain on a pass from Jackson to Edwards who finished the drive two plays later with a 1-yard score. Purdy who had never thrown more than two interceptions in a game in his professional career, would throw his fourth pick of the night just one play later. Making quick work of the turnover, Jackson would find rookie receiver Zay Flowers in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown. Adding another field goal one possession later, the Ravens' lead ballooned to 30-12 as San Francisco suddenly found themselves staring down their largest deficit of the season (18-points). 

Purdy and the Niner offense would finally string together their first successful drive of the second half as receiver Brandon Aiyuk hauled in a pair of big receptions for 22 and 33 yards to move the chains. However, Purdy would have to leave the game after taking a hit from Baltimore's Jadeveon Clowney on a sack that left the Niners QB with the same stinger he felt a week ago against the Cardinals. Checking into the game to replace Purdy was backup QB Sam Darnold who connected with three different receivers on a trio of short passes before throwing a strike to rookie receiver Ronnie Bell who came down with the touchdown. Inching closer and making it a two-score game with 6:23 remaining in regulation, the 49ers were able to force the much-needed punt and began to march down the field before things stalled out inside the red zone. After marching to the 1-yard line and on the doorstep of scoring, an 11-yard sack and a false start penalty suddenly found the 49ers at the 17-yard line. It was there that the 49ers would throw their fifth and final interception on the night as Darnold chucked a pass into traffic inside the end zone as the Ravens came away with the football as well as the 33-19 victory. 

Electing to sit his starting quarterback for the remainder of the night despite Purdy's willingness to reenter the game, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan witnessed his team struggle to the tune of a season-high 5 turnovers which led to 17-points off turnovers for the opposition which was clearly the difference. In the loss, Purdy finished with a game-high 255 passing yards, 0 touchdowns and 4 interceptions and a dismal 42.6 QB rating, a far cry from his NFL leading 119.0 rating that he entered the game with. On a Christmas night that he would much rather forget, Purdy is the first 49er quarterback with a 4 interception game since Colin Kaepernick in 2015. Tight-end George Kittle led all receivers with a game-high 126 yards receiving on a team-high 7 receptions. Meanwhile, Christian McCaffrey added yet another game with over 100 scrimmage yards, rushing for 103 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to go along with 6 receptions for 28 receiving yards, his 8th straight game with 100+ scrimmage yards which set a new team record and his 12th such game this season, the most in a season in 49ers franchise history, surpassing Roger Craig's 11 games in 1985 and 1988. 

For the Ravens, QB Lamar Jackson tossed for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while adding another 45 yards rushing to lead his team on 7 carries. With the win, Baltimore recorded their first 5 game winning-streak since 2021, while also snapping San Francisco's 6-game winning-streak on the other end. Leading the league in sacks, Baltimore was able to record 4 sacks compared to San Francisco's 2, recording all four when they needed them most in the fourth quarter. The 49ers' turnover woes coupled with their inability to get the Ravens off the field as they forced a punt on Baltimore's opening-drive but not another until the 10:30 mark of the 4th quarter, did them in as they were unable to dig themselves out of a three-score hole. In what was touted as a potential Super Bowl preview, the Niners hope to see Baltimore down the road again with a different outcome in mind and a chance to redeem themselves in what would also be a rematch from Super Bowl XLVII when then Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers were edged by brother and current Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens, 34-31. 

Week 17 Preview: Now at 11-4 on the season and tied with the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions for the best record in the NFC, the 49ers still own the top seed and currently hold a tie-breaker over both clubs. Looking to maintain that top spot, San Francisco will look to bounce back in their final road game of the regular season when they make a stop in our nation's capital to take on the (4-11) Washington Commanders. Losers of six straight, the Commanders are jockeying for position near the top of the 2024 Draft board, and currently sit in the No. 3 spot if the season were to end today. However, despite their poor record and ongoing losing-streak, Washington has lost back-to-back games by one-score and have shown some improvement on offense with backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett under-center, having come off the bench in each of the last two games and nearly leading the Commanders to a comeback victory a week ago against the Jets, erasing a 27-7 halftime deficit and tying the game before eventually falling 30-27 on a last-second field goal. Brissett will get start on Sunday per Washington head coach Ron Rivera, taking over for the struggling Sam Howell. Former Commander and current 49er Chase Young will get a crack at his old team after being traded from Washington to San Francisco during the October 31 trade deadline. For the 49ers who can lock up the NFC's No. 1 seed and a first-round Bye by winning out the final two games of the regular season, the team is primed for a win to get back on track as QB Brock Purdy looks to redeem himself against the NFL's worst defense in hopes of salvaging his dwindling MVP chances. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Purdy Shines in Homecoming as 49ers Sweep Cards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Complete Sweep of rival Seahawks

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Handle Eagles in Landslide Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Feast on Seahawks in Thanksgiving Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Purdy Perfect in Niners' Win over Bucs

Week 11 - Looking to build on their dominant victory against one of the league's top defenses in Jacksonville a week ago, the (6-3) San Francisco 49ers returned home to play in front of the Faithful of Levi's Stadium, welcoming in the visiting (4-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The meeting between the two teams would be especially important for Niners quarterback Brock Purdy who would face off against the Bucs for the first time since making his first career NFL start against them just under a year ago in Week 14 of last season, taking over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo and helping defeat a Tom-Brady led Bucs team by a final score of 35-7 and putting the rest of the league on notice that he was far more than just the latest "Mr. Irrelevant." In just his 18th career start at QB, Purdy would not only have the best outing of his professional career yet, but one of the best by a 49er quarterback in the history of the franchise in terms of passer rating. 

A week after putting up a career-best passer rating of 148.9, Purdy 1-up'd himself on Sunday with a perfect passer rating of 158.3, becoming only the second QB in 49ers franchise history to reach the feat and the first since Joe Montana in 1989. Equally as impressive, Purdy's 157.3 passer rating combined over his last two starts is the highest by any NFL QB over a 2-start span since QB stats were first tracked in 1950. But as perfect as Purdy's box score might appear, the 49er offense was far from on their opening-drive. After a 24-yard connection from Purdy to tight-end George Kittle on the game's second play from scrimmage, the San Francisco offense fizzled out and were forced to punt. Luckily, the 49er defense would also have themselves a strong afternoon, forcing a few turnovers and answering the call late when the team needed them to deliver, beginning with a three and out punt on Tampa's opening-possession. Following San Francisco's one and only punt of the first half, Purdy led the offense on a 15-play, 80-yard drive that spanned 7-minutes and 11-seconds of game clock and ended with a 3-yard passing touchdown to running back Christian McCaffrey. 

A week after being held out of the end zone for the first time in over a calendar year and tying an NFL-record for the most consecutive games with a touchdown scored with 17, McCaffrey didn't waste much time to score in this one, in hopes of starting a new streak. The next big play would come from the defense and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who was celebrating his 27th birthday on Sunday. As captain on defense, Warner treated himself to a little birthday gift, sharing a sack with teammate Nick Bosa and forcing and recovering a fumble that stalled what appeared to be a promising drive by quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense. Turning the turnover into points, the 49ers added a Jake Moody field goal to take a 10-0 lead. Tampa Bay would find the end zone on their next drive, however, biting into San Francisco's lead with a 1-yard touchdown grab from receiver Mike Evans. Answering with their second field goal in as many drives, Moody would help the 49ers take a 13-7 lead into the half. 

A week ago against the Jags, the 49ers put their foot down on their first possession out of the locker room, starting the second half with a big play to impose their dominance thanks to a 66-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Kittle for what was the longest play of Purdy's career. After a stop on defense to force a punt, Purdy set a new mark for both the longest pass of his career and the longest touchdown pass in the NFL this season as the 49ers QB found receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a 77-yard strike just three plays into the second half. The fun wouldn't stop there, however, as Purdy found the end zone for a third time just one possession later, connecting with Kittle who came down with the ball to put his team up big: 27-7. Tampa Bay would score early to start the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Rachaad White and made things interesting by forcing a pair of punts and a turnover on downs on San Francisco's next three possessions. But when the 49er defense was most needed, they answered the call on three straight Tampa Bay drives which ended in a pair of turnover on downs and an interception. 

After losing safety Talanoa Hufanga to injury in the second half with what 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan feared might be an ACL tear, rookie Ji'Ayir Brown came into the game and stepped up despite being picked on right away. With the Bucs threatening inside the red zone, Brown came up with a clutch diving interception on a tipped pass in the end zone that added to the Niners' league-leading interception total (14), and should've iced the win for San Francisco. Instead, the Bucs would get another chance after the 49ers failed to bleed clock and convert on a 4th and 1 attempt that turned the ball over on downs and allowed at least another last-ditch effort by Baker Mayfield and company, which was also stopped. Throwing for 333 yards and 3 touchdowns on 21 of 25 pass attempts, Purdy shined in the 27-14 win, with receiver Brandon Aiyuk leading all receivers with 156 yards and 1 touchdown on 5 receptions. Tight-end George Kittle also logged another solid performance, recording a game-high 8 catches for 89-yards and a touchdown, while Christian McCaffrey eclipsed the century mark in scrimmage yards once again, tallying 78-yards rushing and another 25 in receiving to go along with his receiving touchdown. The 49er defense got to Baker Mayfield four times for a sack and held him to 246 yards and 1 touchdown, while forcing him to fumble once and throw an interception on 29 of 45 pass attempts. 

Week 12 Preview: It'll be a quick turnaround for the (7-3) 49ers who will be right back to work in Week 12 on Thursday Night as they pay a visit to Seattle on Thanksgiving to face the (6-4) division rival Seahawks for the first time this season. After defeating Seattle in all three meetings a season ago, including a playoff win in the NFC Wild Card round, the Seahawks will have payback on their minds come Thursday, as the 49ers now find themselves a game ahead of Seattle for first place in the NFC West. Coming off a surprise 17-16 loss on the road against the division rival Rams, Seattle has now dropped both games against the Rams this season, the latest on a last-second missed field goal attempt by kicker Jason Myers. It's always a duel when these two teams meet to battle, and even though it'll be Thanksgiving, expect no sharing at the dinner table between these two squads come kickoff. 

One player who will not be on the field to help the 49ers vie for a third straight win will be All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga whom San Francisco confirmed will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL suffered in the third quarter of Sunday's game. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Niners Back on Track with Dominant Win over Jags

Week 10 - Coming out of the bye week and hitting the road for Jacksonville, the (5-3) San Francisco 49ers would face the red-hot (6-2) Jaguars in a battle between two teams that have gone in completely different directions from one another after totally different starts to the season. While the 49ers got off to arguably the best start in all of football with a blazing 5-0 start, the Jags on the other hand began the season 1-2 through their first three games. Since those starts, the Niners have dropped three straight, and the Jags have won an NFL-best five in a row entering Sunday. In desperate need of a win to stop the bleeding and end their three-game skid, the 49ers received some much needed help on defense from defensive-end Chase Young who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Commanders. 

Coming out of college as the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, Niners defensive-end Nick Bosa was touted as being one of the best pass rushers of this generation. And coming out of college a year later was his Ohio State teammate Chase Young who many believed was even more talented after also being drafted with the No. 2 overall pick. Now the two former Defensive Rookies of the Year have reunited at the professional level in San Francisco and will attempt to duplicate the success they had together at the collegiate level when they wreaked havoc and combined for a total of 33 sacks in two seasons with the Buckeyes. Facing a stout defense of their own, Jacksonville entered Sunday tied with the Saints for the most takeaways in all of football with 18, while also ranking 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards per game allowed (79). Like San Francisco, the Jags were also coming off the bye week, making it three straight weeks the 49ers would face a team coming off the bye and given an extra week to prepare for them. The extra week of preparation wouldn't matter for Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence, however, as the San Francisco defense had his number virtually all afternoon long. But it wasn't all about the defense in this one for the 49ers, as quarterback Brock Purdy helped get the offense back on track in a big way.

With Jacksonville receiving the opening-kickoff, the 49er defense would come out swinging by getting to the quarterback for a sack and forcing a three and out punt. Equally as impressive would be the 49er offense which needed only four plays to march 57-yards before finding the end zone on a 13-yard pass from Purdy who hit receiver Brandon Aiyuk for the touchdown. Escaping the pocket and running left, Purdy would throw across the field to find his target for the early score, and although it would be a success, his coach was not a fan. In his postgame press conference, coach Kyle Shanahan recalled the play as, "one of his worst decisions I think he's made since he's been here." While the daring play didn't win his coach over, it did help give his team an early 7-0 lead. The opening-drive score for the 49ers would be their sixth opening-drive touchdown on the season, the most in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Jags defense had given up zero opening-drive touchdowns on the year up to that point, allowing only 3-points on opening-drives which ranked as the fewest in the league. The theme of those first drives would be commonplace throughout the afternoon for both teams. 

Getting back to back stops on defense by forcing another Jacksonville three and out as the 49ers got to Lawrence for the second time in as many drives, the 49ers added to their lead with a Jake Moody field goal to take a 10-0 lead. The Jaguars would finally get the ball across midfield in the second quarter on their fourth possession, but two plays after their biggest play yet, a 16-yard run, the 49ers would force the first of many turnovers on the day as Bosa and Young combined for the sack just like old times, forcing a turnover recovered by the defense. Exchanging field goals before the half, the Niners took a 13-3 lead into halftime. Turning things up a notch on both sides of the ball to start the second half, Brock Purdy recorded the longest touchdown pass of his career on a deep ball to his tight-end George Kittle, launching a 66-yard strike just two plays into the half as Kittle was able to walk into the end zone untouched. The 49er defense would then string together three straight drives with forced turnovers as two interceptions and a fumble ignited a busy day for defensive-coordinator Steve Wilkes who was on the hot seat after the Niners' recent skid and was asked by coach Shanahan to ditch the press box in favor of calling the game from the field. Safe to say it worked. 

Jacksonville's one and only trip to the red zone in the second half would end in disaster when receiver Christian Kirk fumbled inside the 10-yard line after being tackled by San Francisco's Ambry Thomas. The turnover was initially returned 92-yards for a touchdown by Thomas, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by the 49er sideline nullified the big play as players were called for stepping onto the field before the play was over. Although the touchdown on defense would be called back, the offense would make up for it just a few plays later as utilityman Deebo Samuel returned to the lineup in a big way with a 23-yard rushing touchdown. After missing the last two games with a shoulder injury and all but one possession of the game prior to that, Deebo helped the 49er offense get back to their old ways alongside left-tackle Trent Williams who also returned after sustaining an injury to the Browns in Week 6, the same game Deebo was injured in. 

The 49er defense would intercept Trevor Lawrence a second time on Jacksonville's following possession to open the fourth quarter thanks to a pick from linebacker Fred Warner, as Javon Hargrave applied pressure that led to the errant pass. Putting the final nail in the coffin would be 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk  who hauled in a 22-yard grab, making it a 34-3 lead and putting the game well out of reach. Brock Purdy was able to sit the rest of the way, allowing Sam Darnold to finish the game under center. With star running back Christian McCaffrey sitting at 17 consecutive games with a touchdown, tied with Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the all-time record, coach Shanahan dialed up multiple plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter for McCaffrey who had his eyes set on history. However, everyone in the building knew the ball was going to McCaffrey, including the Jags who sniffed out a pass attempt near the goal line, denying McCaffrey and forcing the turnover on downs.

Putting up a career-high passer rating of 148.9 and completing 73% of his passes, 49ers QB Brock Purdy did manage to make history of his own as Sunday's win marked the 3rd time in Purdy's professional career that he recorded at least three touchdowns and a passer rating of 140 or more, joining Kurt Warner as the only other QB in NFL history to accomplish that feat during their first two seasons in the league. Completing 19 of 26 passes for 296 yards and 3 touchdowns, Purdy helped the Niners score 30+ points for the sixth time this season, the most in the NFL. Even more impressive, all 3 of Purdy's TD's against the Jags traveled over 10 yards in the air with a time to throw off at least 2.5 seconds. Only five QB's have recorded a game with three such TD's this season, and Purdy is the only one to accomplish it multiple times. Elsewhere, the league's leading-rusher McCaffrey logged his 6th game this season with 100+ scrimmage yards (95 rushing, 47 receiving), the most in the NFL. Tight-end George Kittle led all receivers with 116 yards receiving and a touchdown on only three receptions. For Jacksonville, QB Trevor Lawrence was held to just 185 yards passing and 0 touchdowns, while throwing 2 interceptions and was sacked five times on the afternoon. 

Week 11 Preview: The (6-3) 49ers will look to build upon their most recent win in dominant fashion when they return home to Levi's Stadium to face Baker Mayfield and the (4-5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’ll be the first time Brock Purdy faces Tampa Bay since making his first career start against them in Week 14 a season ago, helping defeat the Tom Brady-led Bucs by a final score of 35-7 and putting the league on notice that he was more than just the latest Mr. Irrelevant. 

Coming off a 20-6 win at home over the Tennessee Titans, the former 1st overall pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2018, has enjoyed a resurgent year under-center in his first season with the Bucs, having thrown 14 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions and has his team playing respectable football in what has been a poor division up to this point. One player that will look to contain Mayfield is Nick Bosa who had some fun the last time he faced Mayfield, planting the flag in his famous sack celebration that was in reference to Mayfield planting the Oklahoma Sooners flag at midfield in a win over Ohio State when the two faced off in college. Coming off his best game of the season with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery which earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, Bosa will try to exact more revenge against Mayfield and apply pressure on the quarterback for a San Francisco defense that now leads the league in interceptions with 13 on the year. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest