SANTA CLARA – That, friends, is how you bounce back.
After losing by a 73-20 margin in their last two games and riding a three-game losing streak, the Niners turned in their best overall performance of the season on Sunday and delivered a blowout of their own, beating the Bears 38. – 13 at Levi’s Stadium.
Here are the stallions and failures of the beating.
NAILS 💪
Jauan Jennings • WR
Another No. 1 performance from the Niners’ leading receiver, catching seven passes for 90 yards and scoring two touchdowns. This guy barely separates and has a slow-slow speed. It doesn’t matter: it’s the mule that can carry this offense.
Brock Purdy • QB
Ruthlessly efficient throughout the game, Purdy had a near-perfect game Sunday, completing 20 of 25 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns. The figures put forward were even better. Purdy had a QBR of 94.6 (out of 100) and a total of 22.8 expected points added.
Let me translate that: We’re taking a break from “Should the Niners Pay Brock” content.
George Kittle • TE
Kittle was undoubtedly open in this game, and Purdy found him repeatedly to the tune of six catches for 151 yards on Sunday.
With the Bears, with their head coach (also their defensive coordinator), providing basic zone coverage – like it was preseason – the entire game, Kittle had a field day sliding in behind the Chicago linebackers and beating them in open space on screen passes.
It was like old times.
Isaac Guerendo • RB
It wasn’t the prettiest game on the pitch, but the result cannot be questioned. Guerendo averaged 5.2 yards per carry on 15 attempts (78 yards), scored two touchdowns and added two catches for 50 yards. The 49ers offense buzzed with him in the backfield, even though he nearly got Purdy killed with some of his pass protection.
Guerendo returned to the locker room with a foot injury with more than 6 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. That’s bad news as the Niners play again on Thursday.
De’Vondre Campbell • LB
This was a much-maligned (especially by me) flashback play for the linebacker. With Fred Warner working again while playing through a broken ankle bone, Campbell played his best game of the season Sunday and helped the Niners open a 24-0 lead, leading the team with seven plated.
The 49ers pass rush
If only every game could be against the Bears offensive line. Regardless, the Niners’ pass rush — which has been terrible without Nick Bosa — started on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears’ terrible protection. Standout games from Yetur Gross-Matos and Leonard Floyd led the way for San Francisco.
THE GUYS 📉
Deebo Samuel • WR
He couldn’t do anything on the field or in the screen game against the all-you-can-eat buffet that is the Bears defense. Isn’t that revealing?
Samuel had two catches for 22 yards and ran the ball five times for 13 yards.
Old Deebo isn’t here. He probably won’t come back anytime soon.
Ji’Ayir Brown • S
The Niners played Talanoa Hufanga against him all game, but when an injury to Malik Mustapha put him in action, it was obvious he was on the field in both the running and passing game. And no, I don’t mean that in a good way. Just call it Touchdown Brown.
Kyle Shanahan (when he threw the flag for his first challenge)
It didn’t matter, and it’s nitpicking, but Kyle Shanahan contested a spot that had already been awarded via instant replay moments before. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before. And get this: he lost the challenge.
Jake Moody • K
Missed the landing zone after the Niners’ fourth score of the game. Why are the 49ers trying anything there? What happened that led to the execution failure? The mistake gave the Bears the ball at the 40-yard line with 1:50 left in the second quarter. If another team played the Niners, it would have cost San Francisco at least 3 points.
Then he did it again in the fourth quarter!
Bears defense
Not for being bland and horrible the entire game, but for celebrating an interception by a backup quarterback trailing 38-13 with less than two minutes to play.
I asked before the game if the Niners were proud. Are the Bears ashamed?
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