It's not exactly where the 49ers envisioned they'd be at this point in the season, but the team has been hit hard by injuries. Sunday marked running back Christian McCaffrey's 2024 season debut after his battle with Achilles tendinitis. Meanwhile, the offense remains without its high-priced wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, who is out for the rest of the season.
Quarterback Brock Purdy, however, put together an impressive statistical outing. Though not always consistent, his 353 passing yards and two touchdowns—one to rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and another to veteran tight end George Kittle—were enough to lift the 49ers to a win at Raymond James Stadium.
This season has brought challenges for Purdy as he's worked to develop chemistry with teammates who have been forced into more prominent roles.
"The new guys, stuff with Ricky and Jordan Mason, J.J. [Jauan Jennings] running some other routes that are new for him at a different position, for me, I had to see how these guys move and all that stuff," Purdy told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer after the game. "Having B.A. and Christian and [WR] Deebo [Samuel] and George the last couple years, I know where these guys are supposed to be, and I know our connection. It's been good. But this is the NFL. Not everybody's always going to be healthy.
"So, for me, as a quarterback, how can I overcome that, go through my reads and progressions and move the ball and win without those guys on the field?"
Critics have often labeled Purdy a product of head coach Kyle Shanahan's system, benefiting from an abundance of offensive weapons. And, indeed, the 49ers' offense has struggled at times without some of those key players. Yet, Purdy remains on pace to surpass 4,600 passing yards, which would shatter the single-season franchise record of 4,280 yards he set last season.
How have the 49ers battled through so much adversity?
"We just went to work, practice, reps," Purdy explained. "Ricky and I staying after practice to get reps, getting more reps with J.J., and then getting my guy Christian back and healthy and repping stuff out of practice. Going into this game, I felt pretty good about stuff. But it doesn't matter until you get in the heat of the moment and execute."
Pearsall hauled in his first NFL touchdown, a 46-yard catch-and-run that showcased his big-play potential. He hopes it's just the start for him and Purdy.
Pearsall admitted that the touchdown was redemption for a missed opportunity earlier in the game, saying, "I think the reason the pass was a little bit behind me on that first drive is because I cut it short. So, just getting on the same page on that. It's just going to get much, much better, and I've got more and more confidence going into it."
Pearsall, who has played three NFL games after missing the start of the season while recovering from a gunshot wound in a robbery attempt, has shown remarkable resilience.
"I'm extremely happy for him; all the stuff he's been through," Purdy said. "And getting him back, it's not just a feel-good story, getting him back healthy and alive—yes that's true—but he's going out and making plays and balling. It's pretty cool."
The next few weeks will be crucial for the 49ers as they prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills. Their postseason hopes may hinge on this upcoming stretch. While Sunday's win may not have been flawless, it was certainly better than dropping below .500 again.
"There's so many things that go into winning and losing football games," Linebacker Fred Warner said after the game. "Do I wish we blew them out by 30? Of course. But at the end of the day, I want to make sure that we're playing our best ball when it's needed at the end of the season.
"And we look at the tape this game, and you'd much rather learn off of win than a loss, you know, and so we're going to continue to get better, and that's when we'll find those signature wins for you."
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