The 49ers head into Week 4 with a Broncos matchup that puts a few San Francisco names under the spotlight, and the list starts with Dre Greenlaw. Facing Denver always gives a player something extra when there’s a former-team angle, and Greenlaw fits that bill here.
He did not leave the Broncos on bad terms, but it also wasn’t exactly a clean exit. That alone makes this a game he likely had marked down well in advance.
Greenlaw is expected to bring plenty of emotion, and that intensity has a way of turning dangerous fast for the other side.
Brock Purdy is another player worth watching, and this one feels different from the first three games. He has opened the season on a heater, but Denver is a much stiffer test than the Miami Dolphins, the Arizona Cardinals, or even the Los Angeles Rams, who are clearly overrated.
Purdy has generally looked sharp against average or weak opponents, so this game becomes a real measuring stick. The Broncos have one of the better defenses in the league, and if Purdy keeps producing at the level he has over the last two weeks, it will say plenty about how far he’s come.
Christian McCaffrey also has a setup that looks favorable. Denver’s run defense has been one of the worst in the league by the numbers, which opens the door for a big afternoon on the ground.
McCaffrey should have a real shot to go over 100 rushing yards, especially with the matchup working in his favor. There’s also the added motivation of playing against his father’s former team, which only adds another layer to what could be a strong outing.
Then there’s Watkins, who has quickly become a player to track after last week’s showing against the Cardinals. He was a healthy scratch in the first two games before being activated, and he made the most of the chance when it came.
Watkins caught two passes for 60 yards and held up well as a blocker, which gave the 49ers a clearer picture of what he can offer. With Mike Evans hurt and Demarcus Robinson and De’Zhaun Stribling on Injured Reserve, San Francisco needs a wide receiver to emerge.
Watkins now gets the next chance to show whether last week was a one-off or the start of something more.
In Other News...
49ers Escape Denver With A Bigger Concern Heading Into Seattle
The 49ers left Denver with a win, but the bigger storyline may have been what came out of the game physically. San Francisco had already taken a hit in a hard-fought afternoon, and the injury list kept growing as the game wore on, with several players forced to exit before the final whistle.
The most notable concern centers on fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who injured his knee and is preliminarily believed to have a sprain with an intact ACL, pending MRI results. Safety Marques Sigle and cornerback Upton Stout also left with injuries, though none of the early signs point to anything season-ending, leaving the 49ers waiting on more clarity as they turn their attention to Seattle. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Still Left Kyle Shanahan With An Uncomfortable Debate
Kyle Shanahans name now sits alone atop a franchise list that once belonged to Bill Walsh, a milestone that would normally define a victory lap for any 49ers coach. Instead, it came in a 24-14 win over the Broncos that felt more like a reminder of how San Francisco is being carried right now, with the defense doing the heavy lifting while Brock Purdy and the offense worked through a flatter afternoon than the team has been used to.
The 49ers still moved the ball well enough to finish with 358 yards and they stayed efficient enough on third down, going 6 of 13 without turning it over. But for a coach who just passed a legend and for an offense that had already set a higher bar earlier in the season, the bigger question coming out of the game was not the record book moment. It was how much Shanahan trusts this version of the offense to find its rhythm again before the schedule starts demanding it. [Read more 🡒]
Dre Greenlaw Had A Personal Message For Sean Payton Sunday
Dre Greenlaw had a little extra edge Sunday in the 49ers matchup with Denver, and it showed in a moment that quickly made the rounds. The linebacker, now back in San Francisco on a one-year contract, was caught on camera telling Broncos coach Sean Payton that Denver made a mistake letting him go after injuries cut short his run there.
For the 49ers, it was another reminder that Greenlaw is not just back, he matters to their defense in a big way. After spending the previous season with the Broncos, he has reestablished himself as an important piece in San Francisco, and the message he delivered Sunday carried the kind of personal sting that tends to follow a player who felt he had something to prove. [Read more 🡒]