The San Francisco 49ers nearly coughed it up on the opening kick off after Jordan Turner forced a fumble for the Denver Broncos, but they were able to recover it to bring Brock Purdy and the offense out. Both Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss were out to start the second half. We knew about PS2, but Moss not being out of the locker room to start the half was a surprise. It would later be reported that he had a rib injury.
Despite being down their top two corners, the Broncos defense was able to force
a three-and-out to bring out the punt unit.
It looked like another three and out was incoming after back-to-back runs by J.K. Dobbins gained just three yards, but Bo Nix found Pat Bryant open outside for the first down. The drive would stall on the next set of downs, though and they’d punt it away pinning the 49ers at their own eight yard line.
Denver’s defense would be forcing the three-and-out, but Marvin Mims Jr. would fumble the ball in what looked like a case of his forearm hitting the ground and knocking the ball loose — but they confirmed it was a fumble — giving the 49ers the ball inside the Broncos’ 30 yard line.
The 49ers would face a fourth and inches inside the 20 and would go for it to convert after a botched snap. A wild play that gets a freak conversion.
With all of the luck and officiating help on their side, the 49ers would punch it in to take the lead with the game’s first touchdown.
49ers 10, Broncos 3.
From their own 15 yard line after a block in the back penalty on the kick off, Bo Nix and the Broncos needed to answer to the 49ers scoring drive. Nix would get flushed out on third down again where he would find a wide open Pat Bryant who would catch and run for thirty yards across midfield. Bryant went down hard and looked like he may have broken his leg on the play.
That injury didn’t derail the drive, though, as the offense continued to dink and dunk their way into 49ers territory from there. They would be firmly in field goal range as the third quarter came to an end.
