49ers vs. Patriots: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

The San Francisco 49ers beat the New England Patriots 30-13 on Sunday, snapping a two-game skid and improving their record to 2-2. Although it was a win, there were still some bad moments—and even some downright ugly ones—during the game.

The Good

The 49ers' offense moved the ball efficiently throughout the game, scoring on five of their 11 drives.

Brock Purdy looked like "Glock" Purdy, throwing for 288 yards and a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end George Kittle over three New England defenders.

In his fourth start, Jordan Mason continued to emerge as a weapon in the dangerous 49ers offense, recording his third 100-yard game.

Jauan Jennings showed his Super Bowl performance was no fluke, hauling in three passes for 88 yards.

The 49ers' defense held the Patriots to just 216 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers, including a 45-yard interception return by Fred Warner. Out of the six sacks of Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett, defensive lineman Kevin Givens led with 2.5. Second-year kicker Jake Moody remained a fan favorite, going 3-for-3 on field goals.


The team committed six penalties for 43 yards, but none were game-changers, so good job overall on discipline.

The Bad

Injuries have been a bug-a-boo for the 49ers. Fred Warner, George Kittle, Jordan Elliott, Jacob Cowing, Chris Conley, and Kyle Juszczyk were all injured during the game, though none are expected to miss significant time.

Despite moving the ball well, the 49ers should have put a "50-burger" on the scoreboard. Instead, they settled for three Jake Moody field goals, which could have been touchdowns. Brock Purdy channeled Brock "Favre" when he threw an interception in the end zone intended for Brandon Aiyuk, who was double-covered.

Also, there was a costly fumble on special teams during the second-half kickoff return by running back Isaac Guerendo (more on that in the Ugly section).

The Ugly

The 49ers special teams—need I say more? The special teams unit contributed to an opponent's score for the second week in a row. Too often this season, the special teams have allowed teams back into games or given them the lead.

This week's gaffe contributor: Isaac Guerendo, whose fumble on the kickoff return to start the second half led to a Patriots touchdown, cutting the 49ers' lead to 20-10.

Let's hope special teams coordinator Brian Schneider can get the unit playing better and stop hurting the team.

More San Francisco 49ers News

• 49ers practice and media schedule leading to Week 4 matchup vs. Patriots
• 49ers vs. Patriots: How to watch, stream, and listen to the Week 4 matchup, plus odds
• 49ers bring back defensive lineman ahead of Patriots game
• Kyle Shanahan reflects on 49ers' Week 4 win vs. Patriots