Niners Frostbitten by Bills in snowy Buffalo

Week 13 - Continuing their brutal two-game stretch of road games played in frigid temperatures, the (5-6) San Francisco 49ers would follow up their visit from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field with a trip to the northeast for a date with the (9-2) Buffalo Bills. Facing yet another team coming off the Bye (that's four now for those of you keeping track at home), the 49ers would have their work cut out for them against arguably the best team in the AFC, not to mention playing in a snow game that required the help of those brave enough to shovel snow in and around the stadium in the hours leading up to kickoff. Offering $20 dollars an hour as well as hot meals and warm beverages, the Bills took to their social media account to rally as many shovelers as they could get with two feet of snow expected to fall come gameday. Unfortunately for the 49ers, the game's outcome would be as ugly as the conditions. 

Despite getting quarterback Brock Purdy back under center after missing Week 12 with a shoulder injury sustained in Week 11 against Seattle, there wasn't a whole lot to write home about regarding the 49ers' offense on Sunday. And the defense wasn't any better as guys were slipping up and down the field virtually all game long. While the San Francisco defense was able to force a three and out on Buffalo's opening-drive which allowed the 49ers to strike first thanks to a Jake Moody field goal on their first possession, it was about the only point in the game that the defense came off the field on a high note. Leading 3-0 early, the San Francisco defense nearly forced a second consecutive three and out punt to begin the game, but an illegal contact penalty on cornerback Charvarius Ward who returned to action after missing the previous four games due to personal reasons, breathed new life into Buffalo's offense and were off to the races from there. Given a fresh set of downs, MVP candidate Josh Allen and company did the rest as the Bills orchestrated their first of three consecutive touchdown-scoring drives. A busy day on the ground for both teams, Bills backup running back Ray Davis scored the game's first touchdown with a 5-yard rush that sent Bills Mafia into a frenzy as snowballs were thrown up in the air in celebration. 

Playing in less-than-ideal conditions to throw or kick a ball in, 49ers kicker Jake Moody learned firsthand just how difficult splitting the uprights would be in the snow, especially as the night progressed and conditions worsened. After drilling a 33-yard kick on his first field goal attempt before the heavier snowfall, Moody missed kicks from 45 and 55 yards out as San Francisco was unable to find the end zone in the first half. Making matters worse, running back Christian McCaffrey who had been the lone bright spot on the offense for the 49ers in the first half, would have to leave the game in the second quarter after falling to the ground with a lower body injury. With 53 yards on 7 rush attempts, McCaffrey was poised for a big performance before heading to the locker room where he would spend the rest of the night. Aided by a 65-yard touchdown run by Bills running back James Cook, Buffalo's longest TD run since 2016, both teams would surpass the 100-yard rushing mark by halftime, marking the first time in a game this season that two teams tallied more than 100 yards rushing in a first half (SF-108, BUF-141). 

Trailing 21-3 at the half, the 49ers would see their fewest points scored in a first half since Week 18 of the 2021 season. Hoping to get off to a better start in the second half, the 49ers were trending in the right direction thanks to a big return of 60 yards from return man Deebo Samuel on the second half kickoff. Making their way to the 4-yard line, San Francisco's woes inside the red zone would rear their ugly head once again as fullback Kyle Juszczyk fumbled at the goal line, committing his first fumble since 2018 and a costly one at that. With Buffalo adding another touchdown, this time on a pass to receiver Amari Cooper who was bottled up before pitching a lateral back to a streaking Josh Allen along the sideline, the Bills' athletic quarterback dove across the goal line for the highlight worthy score. Having grown up a 49ers fan in nearby Firebaugh, California, Allen would be credited for both a touchdown pass and touchdown reception on the play, becoming just the fourth player in NFL history to have a receiving touchdown on a pass he threw.  

San Francisco's lone touchdown of the game would come on a 15-yard run by rookie running back Isaac Guerendo. Receiver Jauan Jennings who made 3 receptions for a game-high 56-yards, helped setup the touchdown with a big 26-yard gain on 4th and 5 that led the Niners into the red zone and eventually the end zone. Trailing 28-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, any chance of a miracle comeback would be nullified rather quickly as San Francisco fumbled the ball away on each of their next two possessions. The first occurred on the first play of the fourth quarter as the ball slipped out of the hands of quarterback Brock Purdy as he reared back for a pass, almost like a wet bar of soap. The second would come on a fumbled kick return by Deebo Samuel after an 8-yard rushing touchdown by Josh Allen. Buffalo would attempt to cash in on a 49-yard Tyler Bass field goal following the Deebo fumble, but the elements again proved to be too much. The Bills would call upon backup QB Mitch Trubisky for the fourth quarter with the game well out of hand and the score 35-10 which would hold up as the final. 

Two teams going in two different directions this season, the 49ers' loss was their third straight and while they're still technically alive in the NFC West, their playoff hopes are fading fast with each loss. Meanwhile, the Bills have now won an NFL-best seven consecutive games and appear to be the favorite in the AFC after clinching their fifth consecutive AFC East title and becoming the first team to clinch a division with five weeks remaining since the 2009 Colts. One of two teams with a takeaway in every game this season (Vikings the other), the Bills feasted on the many miscues committed by the Niners, including a total of three fumbles. Becoming the first QB in NFL history with a TD pass, TD rush & TD catch in a game, Josh Allen continued his MVP candidacy by throwing for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns compared to just 94 yards passing from Brock Purdy. 49er running backs combined to rush for 153 yards in the loss thanks to 78 yards from backup Jordan Mason and 53 from McCaffrey, but were still outgained on the ground by Buffalo's 220 rushing yards. Unfortunately, both Mason and McCaffrey would be placed on the Injured Reserve list on Monday due to a high ankle sprain and PCL injury respectively, likely ending McCaffrey's season.  

Week 14 Preview: Following their brutal two-game stretch on the road where the Niners were outscored a combined 73-20, the team will return to their home digs of Levi's Stadium for a meeting with the (4-8) Chicago Bears. Coming off a Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions, the Bears will take the field for the first time after the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus after 2+ seasons at the helm following a brutal mismanagement of the game clock in last week's loss, the first time in the team's 104-year history that they've fired a head coach mid-season. With interim head coach Thomas Brown now in the drivers seat for the Bears and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams coming off back to back stellar performances, the 49ers will try to get back on track with a win to help keep their playoff hopes alive. Like San Francisco who has dropped three straight, the Bears come into the Bay Area meeting having dropped six consecutive games. 

While Chicago ranks 23rd in the league in scoring and 26th in total offense, they are 3rd overall in red zone scoring (66.67%) which is where the Niners will need to be sharp on defense on Sunday, especially if their offense continues to struggle the way it has as of late. At the top in red zone offense a season ago, the 49ers have struggled in the red zone all season long this year and currently rank 28th in the NFL with a 47.7 touchdown %. Not a good sign, especially considering the Bears have the No. 1 ranked red zone defense in all of football at 40.91%. Plenty has been said about the 49ers' defense that has been underperforming this season in multiple areas and some of that appears to be for good reason after recent developments. One of San Francisco's best players and vocal leaders is linebacker Fred Warner who revealed earlier in the week that he's been playing on a fractured ankle suffered in Week 4 against the Patriots. You can bet your bottom dollar that Warner will be out there again on Sunday, hoping to stop the bleeding as the Niners look to get back into the win column. 

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Shorthanded Niners no match for Pack

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Niners Late Lead Slips in Loss to Hawks

Week 11 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium after stringing together their first winning streak of the season, the (5-4) San Francisco 49ers took the field on Sunday with a golden opportunity to keep pace with the first place (6-4) Arizona Cardinals in the division. Unfortunately for the Niners, they would face yet another team coming off the Bye week in the (4-5) Seattle Seahawks, marking the fourth team they've faced this season coming off an extra week of rest and preparation, the most in the NFL. With San Francisco riding a six-game winning streak against Seattle (including playoffs), the Seahawks are the only division foe that the Niners have beaten so far this season after falling to both the Rams and Cardinals in their first of two meetings. The tale of the tape at the quarterback position would be all you needed to know regarding San Francisco's recent domination in the rivalry as 49ers QB Brock Purdy entered Sunday with a perfect record of 5-0 versus Seattle, whereas Seahawks QB Geno Smith entered the match-up with a record of 0-5 against the Niners, the worst QB record of all-time vs SF. But after being dealt a loss at home in Week 6 against the Niners on his 34th birthday, Smith would have vengeance on his mind on Sunday while seeking his first career win against San Francisco.

The 49ers revealed late Saturday evening that their reigning All-Pro tight-end George Kittle was not likely to play on Sunday because of a hamstring injury that developed after the Week 10 win over the Buccaneers. Leading the league in almost every major offensive statistic among tight-ends including touchdowns, the absence of Kittle would be very apparent for an offense that struggled to maintain any type of consistency on Sunday. With Seattle jumping out to an early 3-0 lead following a Jason Myers field goal on their first drive of the game, the 49ers took a 7-3 lead behind the legs of Brock Purdy who dove into the end zone with a 10-yard rushing touchdown, the longest of his career. After starting the game hot completing 7-of-7 pass attempts, Purdy's first incompletion would be an interception on a pass intended for running back Christian McCaffrey that was batted into the air and fell into the lap of Seattle's Johnathan Hankins for his first career interception. Seattle would cash the turnover in with a field goal to make it a 7-6 game which would hold as the two teams went into the half. 

With Seattle receiving the ball to open the second half, they would return the favor as Geno Smith escaped the pocket while being pressured on third and long, only to heave an errant pass that was picked off by San Francisco's Isaac Yiadom. And just like the Seahawks did in the first half, the 49ers turned the turnover into a field goal as Jake Moody split the uprights from 33-yards out. With Seattle now trailing 10-6, the 49er defense would get a sack from Pro-Bowl defensive-end Nick Bosa, his second of the day which would help setup a 3rd and 12 situation for the Seahawk offense. But after making the play, Bosa was shown in obvious pain and would have to leave the game with an oblique injury suffered while already dealing with a bum hip. With Bosa on the sideline, the Seattle offense began to thrive, converting the third and long with a 26-yard pass to receiver D.K. Metcalf who returned to action after missing the previous two games. Marching their way to the 1-yard line, running back Kenneth Walker III would find the end zone to put Seattle ahead, 13-10. 

Needing to answer, the 49ers also converted on a third and long as Purdy hit receiver Jauan Jennings for a 14-yard pass, gaining the 11-yards needed and then some after fighting off a trio of Seattle defenders. Purdy would reward Jennings for his efforts a few plays later with a 3-yard touchdown pass to give the Niners a 17-13 lead. Searching for a stop on defense, the 49ers thought they had gotten a game-sealing turnover on downs when they stuffed Seattle on a 4th and 1 attempt at the line for no gain, but they were unable to do much on offense to extend their lead and were forced to punt the ball back to the Seahawks with less than three minutes remaining. Punter Pat O'Donnell who last played with the Green Bay Packers in 2022, would make his 49ers debut after signing with the team just four days earlier due to a back injury suffered by Mitch Wishnowsky who was placed on the injured reserve list, adding to the team's laundry list of issues in the special-teams department this season. While Sunday's game was possibly their cleanest game yet in terms of special-teams, the same could not be said for the defense.

Needing one final stop to preserve the win, the 49er defense would have their backs against the wall as they stood in an unfavorable position having allowed 29-points in the last two minutes of the second half, the 2nd most in the NFL behind only the Cincinnati Bengals. Accounting for nearly everyone on Seattle's offense, the 49ers let quarterback Geno Smith scramble for not one but two big gains, including 13-yard score to capitalize on an 11-play, 80-yard drive to give his team a 20-17 lead with 18-seconds remaining. The game-winning drive would be Smith's seventh since 2023, the most in the NFL in that span. It's worth noting that Seattle scored their lone two touchdowns of the game after Nick Bosa left the game with an injury midway through the third quarter. Neither quarterback had a very good game, but Smith did enough when it mattered late, throwing for 221 yards and 1 interception, while adding 29 yards with his legs and a rushing touchdown. With Seattle snapping their six-game losing-streak to the Niners, their win coupled with San Francisco's loss creates an even bigger logjam in the NFC Western Division standings. Following a win over the Patriots by the Rams, San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles are all deadlock at 5-5 on the season, staring up at the first-place Cardinals who enjoyed having a Bye week. 

In the loss, 49ers QB Brock Purdy threw for 159 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, while also rushing for another 40 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Running back Christian McCaffrey tallied over 100 yards of total offense for the second time in as many weeks, rushing for 79 yards and catching four passes for another 27 yards. But it was receiver Jauan Jennings who led the way for the 49er offense on Sunday, hauling in 10 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown to continue his solid season. After dropping another game that they probably should've won, the 49ers have now completed the trifecta by failing to hang onto a fourth quarter lead against all three division rivals this season. Something coach Kyle Shanahan will likely point to at the end of the season if San Francisco were to miss out on the playoffs this year. 

Noteworthy - The 49ers made news during the week on Tuesday by extending the contract of cornerback Deommodore Lenoir who inked a new 5-year, $92 Million dollar contract. One of their own homegrown players originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2021 Draft, Lenoir has improved each year he's been in the league and was in the final year of his rookie deal before signing the extension. Lenoir went from being one of San Francisco's most significant unrestricted free-agents this upcoming offseason to becoming one of their mainstays for the future. 

Week 12 Preview: The (5-5) San Francisco 49ers will hit the road for one of the tougher two-game road trips in the NFL when they make a trip to Lambeau Field to face the (7-3) Green Bay Packers before paying a visit to Buffalo to take on the (9-2) Buffalo Bills. With the Packers coming off a close 20-19 comeback win over the rival Chicago Bears, quarterback Jordan Love and company will be out for blood as they play host and try to avenge their Divisional Playoff loss to San Francisco back in January. With the Niners entering must-win territory as the number of games begins to dwindle and playoff hopes around the league are quick to fade, the team will welcome back tight-end George Kittle who has already expressed that he will not miss Sunday's game against the Packers. Whether or not his quarterback will be joining him is not yet certain as Brock Purdy has been added to the team's injury report due to shoulder soreness following Sunday's loss to Seattle and has been limited at practice. My guess is Purdy will be suited up to play given the importance of each game down the stretch, but the chilly weather in Green Bay will certainly not help an aching shoulder feel any better come kickoff. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Niners Rope Cowboys, Head into the Bye with Win

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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49ers Drop Game to Chiefs, Lose Aiyuk to Injury

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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49ers Lose Kicker & Late Lead to Cards

Week 5 - Looking to get back over the .500 mark for the first time since their Week 1 win over the Jets to open the season, the (2-2) San Francisco 49ers would play host to a (1-3) Arizona Cardinals team that they've dominated over the past two seasons to the tune of a 4-0 record and outscoring them 156-68 during that span. But as we've come to learn, wacky things tend to happen in the NFL. The same would ring true on Sunday for Brock Purdy and the Niners who have already had their fair share of shortcomings on special-teams thru the first four weeks and were snake-bitten once again in that department in this one. While it was the 49ers who were the home team, one would think the game was played in Arizona given the sweltering heat at kickoff. Hoping to do everything they could to keep cool, coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers had requested to wear their white uniforms due to the heat but were denied by the league in what would be the hottest game ever played at Levi's Stadium, with temperatures reaching up to 101 degrees. So much for home field advantage... 

Despite Arizona's poor record coming into Sunday's game, the Cardinals offense has come out guns blazing in each of their previous four games this season with opening-drive touchdowns scored in all four games played. That streak would continue against the Niners, becoming the first team since at least 1991 to score an opening-drive touchdown through the first five games of the season. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray would help them accomplish the feat just two plays into their drive with a 50-yard touchdown run, the longest of his career and the third longest rushing touchdown in Cardinals franchise history. While Arizona's red-hot starts have been well documented, it hasn't been about how they start games this year, but rather how they finish them. The same could be said for their opponent as the 49ers have already scuffled this season when trying to closeout games with a lead late in the fourth quarter. That problem would rear its ugly head once again against another NFC Western Division rival. 

After a three and out punt on their initial possession, the 49ers offense would muster together four straight scoring-drives to jump ahead on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, three of those four scores would come by way of the field goal variety. Marching up and down the field through the air, Purdy connected with receiver Brandon Aiyuk early and often, helping Aiyuk record the first 100-yard first half of his career. With Aiyuk due for a breakout game following a slow start to the season after missing all of training camp during his holdout which eventually led to a big payday, he would lead all receivers with 147 receiving yards on 8 receptions. With Aiyuk leading the charge, San Francisco's lone touchdown on offense would come on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to tight-end George Kittle to put them ahead, 10-7. While Arizona would tie the game on their ensuing possession early in the second quarter, the 49ers would jump back on top after a Jake Moody field goal. The Cardinals would attempt to tie the game again with a field goal of their own, but kicker Chad Ryland had his 45-yard attempt blocked by Niners defensive-tackle Jordan Elliott and returned 61-yards for a touchdown by Deommodore Lenoir. San Francisco's first blocked punt since 2009 and the first allowed by the Cardinals since 1972 when they were still playing in St. Louis. 

Sadly, the good news on special-teams would be short-lived as kicker Jake Moody was injured on the ensuing kickoff while trying to make a tackle following another poor effort by San Francisco's coverage unit. Moody was seen grabbing at his kicking foot after getting bent back on his tackle attempt and had to be helped off the field. For a moment, it didn't appear that Moody's absence would be too detrimental during Sunday's game, especially after Nick Bosa intercepted a pass from Kyler Murray and returned it 30 yards to put the Niners back in scoring position once again before the half. Making it inside the 10, the 49er offense would once again sputter inside the red zone and was forced to settle for another field goal which punter Mitch Wishnowsky was able to convert on from 26-yards out in Moody's absence as time expired to end the first half. With 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Patrick Willis honored at halftime by being enshrined into the franchise's ring of excellence and the Niners leading 23-10, everything seemed to be going well for the home team, with the exception of their now injured kicker. 

Holding the Cardinals offense to a three and out on their opening possession to start the second half, the 49ers appeared to be in complete control over their opponent. But in a classic tale of two halves, out came the turnover bug which began to bite the San Francisco offense. After scoring on each of their previous four possessions to close out the first half, the 49ers' four second half possessions ended in: interception, turnover on downs, fumble, interception. These costly mistakes would open the door for the Cardinals who were able to flip the script and capitalize on San Francisco's errors. With Moody unable to return to the game in the second half, coach Kyle Shanahan elected not to call on his punter Mitch Wishnowsky for a 44-yard field goal attempt despite logging the first made field goal of his career just one quarter earlier. The drive ended in a turnover on downs and opened the floodgates as Arizona scored a touchdown and successful two-point conversion on their ensuing possession. Watching their lead dwindle to just two points, the 49ers seemed destined for the end zone and began to march after a pair of big run plays by running back Jordan Mason. Making it all the way to Arizona's 8-yard line, Mason was stopped in his tracks behind the line of scrimmage for a 4-yard loss, then was stripped of the ball as the Cardinals defense recovered the gut-wrenching fumble. 

It was at this point that you just knew the 49ers were going to find a way to lose this game. And sure enough, they did. With the Cardinals taking the lead with a go-ahead field goal from 35-yards out, Brock Purdy and company would have just over a minute and a half remaining and one final opportunity to get the job done. But after a 15-yard completion to Kittle on first down, Purdy was disrupted while rearing back for a pass which led to a game-sealing wounded duck interception by Arizona who was able to pull off the upset in comeback fashion, 24-23, recording their first win over the 49ers since Week 9 of the 2021 season. With an all-time record of 7-4 at Levi's Stadium, the Cardinals were able to log consecutive division wins for the first time since Nov. 2021. Meanwhile, the 49ers who were outscored 14-0 in the second half, have now dropped their second game this season to a division opponent while squandering a 10-point lead and a win probability of 85% or better in the fourth quarter. Prior to Sunday, head coach Kyle Shanahan owned a perfect record of 38-0 when leading in the 4th quarter by 10+ points in regular season games. 

Three major components that led to the 49ers' second half collapse were the missed tackles (12), turnovers (3) and their continued issues in the red zone (1 for 6). San Francisco's inability inside the red zone was especially frustrating on Sunday given they were a perfect 9 for 9 in red zone trips against the Cardinals a season ago. Despite the loss, a number of 49er players reached milestones on Sunday, including QB Brock Purdy who became the fastest quarterback to reach 50 career passing touchdowns in franchise history, while throwing for 244 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Running back Jordan Mason who rushed for 89 yards on 14 carries, tallied the most rushing yards thru the first five games in franchise history with 536. Elsewhere, receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings each hauled in just one reception on Sunday, but they happened to be milestones as Samuel caught his 300th career reception and Jennings with his 100th. 

Week 6 Preview: While the slow start is nothing to scoff at, the 49ers aren't exactly treading in uncharted territory here as we've grown accustomed to seeing them get off to a slower start than they'd like more often than not, having now posted a losing record through the first five games for the 7th time in the last 10 years. Though the hole to dig themselves out of is not insurmountable, the fact that all three losses are within the conference and two of the three losses are within the division makes this a less than ideal scenario in terms of playoff tiebreakers if there was ever a need for one. San Francisco will have a quick turnaround with their next game on Thursday, but can turn the tide in a big way if they can pull out a win on the road against the rival (3-2) Seattle Seahawks. Losers of two straight, Seattle is also coming off a heartbreaking loss in a game they came close to tying in the final minute of the fourth quarter to possibly force overtime, but had a potentially game-tying field goal blocked and returned for a touchdown, icing the 29-10 victory for the New York Giants. 

Entering a near must-win situation which is uncommon at this juncture of the season, the 49ers will definitely have all the pressure on their side and will need to correct the mistakes that plagued them in Week 5 or else Seattle will have a big leg up on them in the division standings. Hopefully the game will serve as a wakeup call and the Niners can get back on track before a tough schedule ahead. The 49ers have won five straight over the Seahawks dating back to 2022, including a playoff win in between. With the injury to kicker Jake Moody, the 49ers announced on Tuesday that they've signed free-agent Matthew Wright to fill the void. Wright spent time on the 49ers' practice squad a season ago before being released, and has spent playing time with the Chiefs, Jaguars, Steelers and Panthers. 

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