The 49ers are 3-0, but the 36-30 final against the Cardinals came with plenty of mess attached to it.
San Francisco got the win, and that’s the headline that matters most. But the path there was rougher than it needed to be, with missed extra points from Eddy Pineiro adding to a game that stayed far too tight for comfort.
Brock Purdy’s day came in waves. He opened with sharp throws, drifted into a stretch where he leaned too much on Mike Evans, then finished strong by helping close the door on the final drive.
Through it all, the most important thing held true: he never gave the ball away. Purdy has looked completely at ease in the pocket, and right now he’s playing with the calm of a veteran who’s been doing this for years.
It’s been a clean, efficient start to the season.
Mike Evans gave the 49ers a glimpse of exactly why they brought him in. His hip injury didn’t appear to slow him down early, and he capped that strong start with a gorgeous touchdown grab.
Then came the setback in the second quarter, when a rib injury forced him out of the game for good. He was seen grimacing in pain, and there was even concern he might have been struggling to breathe.
It was an unsettling scene, especially because the injury didn’t come from a major hit. It may have been tied to the earlier contact from Budda Baker, and it’s now something the 49ers will have to watch closely.
Jordan Watkins made his first real impact after Kyle Shanahan said during the week that Watkins had asked him how he could suit up on game day. That kind of attitude tends to catch a coach’s eye, and Watkins backed it up once he got his chance.
He only had two catches, but both went for 60 yards. He looked like a first down waiting to happen, and he also looked like a big-play threat every time the ball found him.
That kind of outing should earn him more work in the offense.
George Kittle continues to do things that almost sound impossible when you remember he tore his Achilles tendon eight months ago. A player that far removed from that injury would usually still be working his way back.
Kittle, though, is out there making major plays like nothing ever happened. With Evans leaving the game, the 49ers needed him even more, and he delivered.
Kittle finished with six catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner.
On the other side of the ball, the absence of Nick Bosa showed up exactly the way it was expected to. With Bosa out because of a calf injury, the pass rush took a hit, and the Cardinals were far too comfortable.
Jacoby Brissett had a clean pocket and little reason to feel pressure when he dropped back. It was not a pretty showing from the front, and it left San Francisco leaning into a defense that has become more “bend but don’t break” than dominant.
At this point, the problem isn’t subtle. The 49ers need help if they want that unit to start forcing stops.
Arizona’s ability to hang around came down in large part to that lack of disruption. If San Francisco had created more pressure or turned a few of those chances into turnovers, the game likely would not have stayed this close.
In Other News...
Deebo Samuel Just Had One Of The Strangest Stat Lines Ever
Deebo Samuel delivered one of the oddest box-score quirks youll ever see in the 49ers win over the Cardinals, turning an 80-yard hook-and-ladder into a touchdown without officially catching a pass. It was the kind of play that reminded everyone how uniquely dangerous San Francisco can be when Samuel is lined up all over the field and the ball starts moving side to side.
Even stranger, the output came with a bit of history attached. Samuel finished with the most receiving yards in an NFL game without a reception, topping a mark that had stood since 1961, and he added two rushing attempts for 14 yards. For a player whose value often comes from his versatility, this was a rare line that fit the eye test, the highlight reel and the record book all at once. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Came With A Bigger Brock Purdy Concern
The 49ers got the result they needed Sunday, outlasting the Cardinals 36-30 in a game that had plenty of familiar San Francisco fingerprints on it. Brock Purdy handled the offense well despite the injury issues around him, George Kittle delivered a pair of touchdowns, Christian McCaffrey found the end zone on the ground, and Fred Warner again set the tone on defense with 17 tackles.
Still, the win came with the kind of discomfort that can linger beyond the final score. Mike Evans exited with a rib strain, Trent Williams was among the key injuries affecting the passing game, and Dre Greenlaw also left with a quad issue, leaving the 49ers to sort through what Sunday cost them as much as what it gave them. For a team that keeps finding ways to win, the bigger question now is how long it can keep doing it while pieces keep dropping out. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Came With A Bigger Concern Fans Could Feel
The 49ers got off to a fast start Sunday with a hook-and-ladder touchdown involving Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans, then kept stacking points even as the game started to turn into something more uneasy. Christian McCaffrey added a touchdown of his own, and the defense mixed in stops while the Cardinals found enough offense to stay around the fight, leaving San Francisco ahead at halftime with the kind of lead that can still feel fragile.
What made the win feel bigger than the scoreboard was the injury picture developing around it. Deommodore Lenoir and Mike Evans were among the players who dealt with issues, and for a team trying to build rhythm while scoring in spurts and trading field goals, the concern was impossible to ignore. The 49ers walked into the locker room with control of the game, but also with the kind of health questions that can linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]