San Francisco’s first half against Arizona brought the kind of production Mike Evans can still deliver, but it also ended with a worrying scene for the 49ers.
Evans was ruled out for the rest of Sunday’s game with a rib injury after being helped off the field late in the first half and then carted to the locker room. The hit came from Cardinals safety Budda Baker, who struck Evans in the midsection before the receiver was unable to continue.
The veteran wideout had already been dealing with a long list of issues. He missed time in training camp because of a quad strain, a foot injury and a pulled groin, then sat out part of the week with a hip injury he picked up late in last week’s game. Even so, he was active for the first three games, and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that Evans has been “everything as advertised as a person and a player” in a press conference on Friday.
Before the injury scare, Evans was right in the middle of San Francisco’s offense. He was involved in both of the team’s first-half touchdowns.
On the first one, he caught a pass from Brock Purdy and then lateraled to Deebo Samuel on an 82-yard score. Evans was credited with the reception and six receiving yards on the play, while Samuel picked up the rest.
Later, Evans caught another Purdy pass in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown.
By halftime, Evans had three catches for 38 yards and the touchdown, his second of the season for the 49ers. But the bigger concern now is the health of a receiver group that is already thin, with San Francisco leading Arizona 17-6 at the break.
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 🡒]