Brock Purdy, slinging and dancing, makes anything possible for these 49ers (paywall) “As soon as the expectations rose for the 49ers, and the stakes escalated, Purdy ascended with them. The season got
real, transforming from a surprising feel-good story to a real chance to put themselves in the driver’s seat. The 49ers stared at a critical three-game slate to close the season and lock up the No. 1 seed. In the first two games, Purdy threw eight touchdown passes and ran in another two while orchestrating 90 points.
That the 49ers find themselves here, a home win from never having to leave Levi’s Stadium, which will also host the Super Bowl, still feels like the work of a script writer. If they do end up atop the NFC, which has never felt more real than right now, it will be because the best of Purdy made the difference. His playmaking can belittle his limitations. His scrambling and gunslinging infuse audacity into the 49ers’ offense. His playmaking creates opportunity where structure ends.
Purdy can be saddled by his lows sometimes. But his highs are high enough to shift the balance of the Conference. The best of Purdy can get the 49ers to a Super Bowl. He can win it. That’s how good he can be.
Need a reason to believe the 49ers are real? You just watched it. Again.
The Bears, one of the best teams in the NFC, became the first team in NFL history to lose a game when scoring at least 35 points, including a defensive touchdown, while committing no turnovers and allowing no sacks. Because they couldn’t stop Purdy.“
49ers’ suddenly red-hot run game flourishes without George Kittle or Trent Williams (paywall)
“Pleasants, who had bounced among various teams’ practice squads since 2020, was the point man on a lot of those runs. In fact, if you had tuned in late and missed Williams’ exit, you might not know he was missing.
The 49ers signed Pleasants to their practice squad on Dec. 17, 2024, when injuries struck their offensive line. He played extensively in late-season losses to the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals and caught offensive line coach Chris Foerster’s eye in the process.
The team re-signed him in April and, due to injuries at tackle and Williams’ veteran status, he ended up getting a lot of snaps with the first-team offensive line in spring and summer practices. Teammates said the more Pleasants practiced, the more confident he became.
“And when you can play with confidence — you see what happens,” right tackle Colton McKivitz said. “If you can come in and be ready for your moment in Week 17 when the team needs you to go fight for the No. 1 seed, that’s huge. That speaks volumes to the guy he is and the character he has.”
“I’m just so proud of him because he’s been waiting a long time for his shot,” guard Dominic Puni said. “And it feels like he got it tonight.”
Kawakami: Well, who’s going to stop the implausible dream 49ers now? (paywall)
“Will this work against the Seahawks? We shall see. The 49ers beat the Seahawks in Seattle in Week 1 — so long ago that Jake Moody was the 49ers’ kicker — and the 49ers’ offense right now can match up against anybody.
If the 49ers have a lead, it will almost certainly come down to a last defensive stand against the Seahawks on Saturday. And the week after that. And if the 49ers keep going, the weeks after that too.
Maybe all the way to February.
The NFL truism is that shaky defenses eventually can’t keep making last stands. Something will crumble, eventually, in the playoffs.
But on Sunday, the 49ers had every right to bask in the moment and dare everyone to keep doubting them. They don’t have all of their stars, they can get wobbly, yet they’re still here, hosting a game for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
“This is the game that we want,” Shanahan said. “We love that it’s here. We love an opportunity to never leave here again this year. And we have that opportunity Saturday night.”
How off-script final play from 49ers defense sealed thrilling win over Bears
“Me and Dee were supposed to be on a blitz,” Bethune said, “and we dropped out because we knew what they were capable of and we just wanted to put some extra heads in the throwing lane and make Caleb run around and waste the time out, and that’s what he did.”
The adjustment Bethune and Winters made on the spot meant the 49ers essentially were doing the opposite of what Saleh called at the most-critical point in the game.
And it worked.
Williams had nowhere to go with the ball after taking the shotgun snap. Although the 49ers only had two defensive linemen rushing the quarterback, Bryce Huff was not blocked off the edge.
Huff took an outside route that made Williams reconsider tossing a quick swing pass to running back D’Andre Swift along the left side.
Huff went after Williams and forced him to scramble to his left. Gross-Matos, who dropped into coverage to the goal line, reversed direction and charged after Williams.
Williams had to get rid of the ball from the 15-yard line with Gross-Matos closing fast. Williams forced his throw into an area of the end zone where there were four eligible receivers and six 49ers defenders. It landed incomplete, and the 49ers broke into a wild celebration.
The split-second decision of Bethune and Winters is an example of what Saleh has spoken about this season of empowering players to think for themselves…..“I tell our players, ‘There’s three occasions in the game where you’re just going to know,’” Saleh said. “You’re just going to know exactly what the play is. You just have to have the confidence in yourself to just go jump it and abort your job and go do it.”
49ers game review: Brock Purdy, a robot and artist, and his cold-blooded, third-down throws (paywall)
“Backup left tackle Austen Pleasants, 28, an undrafted journeyman on his third team, played the final 71 offensive snaps after Williams exited and earned a 74.8 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, the second-best among the 49ers’ offensive linemen.
That’s the good news. The rest of the story? Pleasants’ pass-blocking grade (58.6) was the lowest among the linemen and Purdy was fortunate he wasn’t hurt when Pleasants allowed the 49ers’ lone sack in the second quarter. Pleasants was easily beaten by pass rusher Austin Booker, who was about to drill Purdy at full speed in the back, evoking memories of Leonard Marshall’s long-ago hit on Joe Montana, before Purdy ducked at the last second to avoid a crushing blow.
Pleasants was also beaten by Booker on a key play early in the fourth quarter. On 3rd-and-7 from Chicago’s 43, Booker whizzed by Pleasants on a speed rush hit Purdy in mid-throw, forcing an incompletion and subsequent punt with the game tied at 35-35.
It appears likely that Pleasants will make his first career start in Saturday night’s showdown against the Seahawks, who rank eighth in the NFL with 44 sacks. Williams was noticeably hobbling when he walked to the locker room at halftime, which suggests he’s dealing with a potentially significant injury.“
49ers vs. Bears PFF grades: Best and worst from the game, plus snap counts
“Left guard Spencer Burford was the 49ers’ highest-graded offensive lineman (81.5) and earned the top run-blocking grade among San Francisco’s linemen. Center Jake Brendel posted the best pass-blocking grade in the game and did not allow a pressure across 41 pass-blocking snaps. The 49ers’ best run-blocking grade overall belonged to tight end Luke Farrell (89.2).”
49ers practice and media schedule ahead of Week 18 matchup vs. Seahawks
“Tuesday, December 30
3:10 p.m. – Kyle Shanahan press conference
5:05 p.m. – Practice
Wednesday, December 31
2:00 p.m. – Robert Saleh press conference
Following Saleh – Klay Kubiak press conference
3:35 p.m. – Brock Purdy press conference
5:15 p.m. – Practice
Thursday, January 1
1:10 p.m. – Practice
After practice (approx. 2:30 p.m.) – Kyle Shanahan press conference.“
