Brock Purdy regarded like his outdated self, however a 41-22 street win by the 49ers Sunday over the Arizona Cardinals noticed a handful of essential performs that had nothing to do with the offense.
It was removed from good, however the 49ers‘ defense and special teams played the kind of complementary roles a team needs if it is striving to make the playoffs. And the 49ers, for all their injuries and flaws, are 7-4, get an extra day to heal up with a Monday night game against Carolina up next at Levi’s Stadium.
A record-setting day by Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett was no match for the 49ers’ play-making and served as proof that inflated yardage totals have by no means been a match for defensive takeaways in terms of successful soccer.
Brissett accomplished an NFL-record 47 passes in 57 makes an attempt for 452 yards and two touchdowns, but in addition threw interceptions to Malik Mustapha and Deommodore Lenoir that pushed the 49ers’ season whole of interceptions from one to a few.
Then there was slot nook Upton Stout, who turned the second 49ers’ rookie this season, together with Alfred Collins, to punch unfastened a fumble on the purpose line, this one by Arizona tight finish Elijah Higgins. It was recovered by 49ers defensive lineman Keion White.
The Mustapha interception led to one among three Eddy Piñeiro discipline targets — 9 extra factors that weren’t associated to the offense — and Lenoir’s choose and 64-yard return served as a setup to a 14-yard short-field drive culminating in a 4-yard Purdy-to-George Kittle landing and a 35-10 lead with 2:32 left within the third quarter.
“We’ve been waiting for that,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned. “Malik started it off, D-Mo’s play was huge with a really good return and the play Stout made, ripping the ball out, was an unbelievable play. That, plus the way special teams played today kind of set the tone for the game.”
The most important particular groups play got here on the outset when Skyy Moore took the opening kickoff and broke release the center, veered to his left and set sail for the purpose line. Alas, he solely made it to the Arizona 1-yard line earlier than Kei’Trel Clark tackled him.
Keion White (56) of the 49ers holds the ball aloft after recovering a fumble compelled by Upton Stout on the purpose line. John Medina/Particular to the Bay Space Information Group
“It was super exciting, super exciting,” left sort out Trent Williams mentioned. “The turnovers, the kick returns. Keep giving the offense short fields, that’s what we like and thrive in those situations.”
As the sport was about to start, Kittle mentioned he turned to Colton McKivitz and mentioned, “It would be so nice if he housed one right now.”
“Housed” is Kittle-ese for taking one to the home.
It turned out to be the following smartest thing. Purdy’s first offensive snap since Sept. 28 was a handoff to Christian McCaffrey for the primary of his three touchdowns.
“You score seven points in just 16 seconds, that’s huge,” Kittle mentioned. “I feel like our entire season we’ve taken like 10, 15 plays to score on every drive, which is fine. But having big, explosive plays is huge and to get one to set the tone of the entire game was fantastic.”
It was a brand new expertise for Williams, taking his first snap on the 1-yard line.
“That’s a first for me out of 15 years,” Williams mentioned. “Skyy jumped us off, man. He’s a difference-maker.”
Mustapha’s first profession interception got here on a downfield try on third-and-13 from Brissett late within the first half, with Mustapha virtually taking out teammate Renardo Inexperienced within the course of.
“It was long overdue,” Mustapha mentioned. “It was a deep post. I was reading Brissett. I knew the seams were coming. But when I broke on it, he threw it more to the right than I anticipated. Once I got a jump on it, I was just locating the ball and able to get a clean catch.”
Inexperienced’s presence on the play got here as a shock.
“I thought one of their players hit me,” Mustapha mentioned. “That’s why I didn’t get up. I didn’t know it was Renardo. Shoot, he could have got it, too. But it was dope.”
It arrange a Pineiro discipline purpose earlier than the half and a 25-10 lead.
Higgins was the goal when Brissett rolled proper and threw on the run, with Lenoir studying it completely and breaking on the ball. He returned it 64 yards to the Arizona 14-yard line. Lenoir had a calf damage and was questionable going into the sport and ended up with seven tackles and two passes defensed.”
Other than two failures on point-after touchdowns — one on a miss by Piñeiro and one other on a block — it was a robust day for the particular groups general underneath coordinator Brant Boyer and included a 42-yard kickoff return from Brian Robinson Jr.
“Not only just the returns but Eddy with clutch field goals, (Thomas Morstead) with clutch punts,” Williams mentioned. “It’s definitely refreshing when special teams can go out there and make a difference.”
It was a makeshift defensive unit in that center linebacker Tatum Bethune (ankle) gave technique to Curtis Robinson, who led the 49ers with 11 tackles, and Robert Beal Jr. departed with a concussion. Each Curtis Robinson and Luke Gifford have been evaluated for concussions however have been cleared and returned.
The 49ers didn’t file a sack, however had Brissett underneath strain on lots of his 57 makes an attempt, with Bryce Huff particularly successful one-on-one from the sting. The 49ers have been keen to stay with the onslaught of accomplished passes when blended with the takeaways. Falling behind early, Arizona had simply 36 yards on 14 carries with no achieve longer than seven yards.
“We knew the run game wasn’t going to be an issue for us,” Mustapha mentioned. “We were on it. They knew they had to lean on the pass. Once they started their hurry-up, we wanted to keep plays in front of us. Dink and dunk stuff wasn’t going to kill us. If it looks better for him on the stat sheet, then kudos to him. But that ain’t going to kill us.”
Employees author Cam Inman contributed to this story.
