"When they last met" is an ongoing series during the NFL season that recalls the previous game between Washington and the Commanders' next opponent.
San Francisco nearly doubled Washington in yards and time of possession as it easily defeated the Commanders 27-10 on Sunday at Northwest Stadium in Landover.
The 49ers ran the ball down the Commanders' throats all day, totaling 184 rushing yards while Washington managed just 62.
The Commanders' defense offered little resistance to 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who completed 22 of 28 passes for 230 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Purdy's two-yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel put San Francisco ahead 10-0 in the first quarter. In the final quarter, with over nine minutes remaining, Purdy connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk for the game's final score and a 27-10 lead.
Sam Howell connected with Terry McLaurin on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 4:33 remaining in the first half, tying the game at 10-10. However, the 49ers took control, scoring on Jake Moody's 22-yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the half, and the Commanders never threatened again.

#yards #francisco #Purdy #first

Rams cornerback Jaylen Watson was only blamed for one touchdown pass surrendered in his last two seasons with the Chiefs, but L.A.'s $51 million investment has already allowed twice that many in 2026. Although "blame" on touchdown passes can be difficult to ascertain, especially if it's simply because Watson was the closest defender in the area, this is not the start that the Rams envisioned for him when they overhauled their secondary in the offseason.
In total, Watson was blamed for allowing three catches on five targets, resulting in 53 yards and two touchdowns.
On the first touchdown, Watson is covering Mike Evans on the bottom of the screen and then has to run all the way down the field to try and cover Demarcus Robinson as he has sprinted past and away from safety Kam Kinchens. This is where one touchdown and the majority of the yards against Watson come from.
PURDY GOES DEEP FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!!!

SFvsLAR on Netflix pic.twitter.com/SCggzxjqLo
This is a better visual of how far Watson had to run just to be in the area:

#watson #jaylen

49ers news: Steve Young gives Brock Purdy props for underrated aspect of his game appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
San Francisco legend Steve Young had praises to sing about Brock Purdy following the 49ers' opening 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Australia on Thursday.
Despite a slow start, Brock Purdy had a great performance leading the offense. He completed 25 out of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns and one interception. He was active on the ground as well, racking up five rushes for 29 yards.
Young took note of the rushing aspect, discussing it in his appearance on the Rich Eisen show. Having won three Super Bowls throughout his career with the 49ers from 1987 to 1999, it is clear that Young encouraged the star quarterback to be active with his runs.
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#young #Purdy #preferred

The San Francisco 49ers' 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams looked dominant enough in the traditional box score. Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes, the team rushed for 174 yards, and the defense added a pair of takeaways.
But the advanced numbers tell an even more complete story of just how thoroughly the 49ers controlled the game. The underlying metrics suggest this wasn't just a good night on the scoreboard. It was a genuinely elite performance across nearly every phase of the game.
Here are five advanced stats that go beyond the box score to explain how San Francisco pulled it off.
Brock Purdy's 39-yard touchdown to Demarcus Robinson traveled 44 air yards relative to the line of scrimmage, according to Next Gen Stats. That's the longest completion by air yards of his career. Yes, just 44 air yards. It was a notable outlier in a game where Purdy's average intended air yards per attempt (4.4) was actually his lowest of any season on record, a sign San Francisco mixed shot plays into an otherwise efficient, high-percentage passing attack.
Brock Purdy's 39-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson traveled 44 yards relative to the line of scrimmage, Purdy's longest completion by air yards of his career.#SFvsLAR | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/qLcN8wCCLm

#advanced

Brock Purdy continues to prove doubters by exceeding his career expectations. And following the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia on Thursday, he obtained another record to his collection.
Despite a slow start, Purdy had a great performance leading the offense. He completed 25 out of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns and one interception.
Purdy completed the 50th game of his career, including his 46th start. His passing accuracy has been remarkable, getting 68.1% of his throws to fellow receivers. This paved the way for him to make NFL history, via Real App.
When healthy, Purdy shines as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He was the final pick in the 2022 draft, adding more lore to his resume as a player that defied expectations and achieved remarkable success in the NFL.
Aug 20, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#francisco #reuters

Mike Evans had to travel outside the United States to score his first touchdown in a San Francisco 49ers uniform. The former Texas A&M star caught six passes for 49 yards and a touchdown during San Francisco's 27-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
After spending 12 seasons in Tampa Bay, where he owns virtually every major Buccaneers receiving record, the future Hall of Famer proved he still has plenty to offer. Evans tied Deebo Samuel for the team lead with six receptions and averaged 8.2 yards per catch. More importantly, three of his catches moved the chains on third down, and his touchdown also came on third down.
It was only one game, and Evans may no longer have the youthful legs he once did, but he still knows how to get open and make contested catches. His 109th career touchdown reception was a perfect example.
After Samuel opened the second half with a 45-yard kickoff return, the 49ers quickly moved into the red zone. That is where Evans came through. It was nothing complicated. Evans used an outside release, and Brock Purdy gave him an opportunity to make a play. Evans went over the defensive back and pulled down the two-yard touchdown to give San Francisco a 17-7 lead.
You can watch the catch below.

#touchdown #francisco #samuel

Sean McVay has taken responsibility for the Los Angeles Rams' 27-7 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, admitting the loss was a humbling experience for his team.
The Rams led 7-3 early in the second quarter after Kyren Williams scored a five-yard rushing touchdown. However, San Francisco responded with 24 unanswered points to secure a convincing victory in Melbourne.
Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes as the 49ers pulled away after half-time. Matthew Stafford completed 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards and an interception before Stetson Bennett replaced him late in the fourth quarter.
Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images
McVay did not look for excuses after the defeat and instead credited Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers for their performance.

#sean

The San Francisco 49ers opened their 2026 regular season with an emphatic win over the NFC West-rival Los Angeles Rams by a 27-7 final score.
The Niners effectively silenced doubters through Week 1, with a dominant performance that will undoubtedly reposition some stances taken with San Francisco and just how good it can be.
The defense allowed just one score and the offense scored 24 unanswered points after going down 7-3 early in the second quarter. Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
"I mean, at the end of the day, it comes down to playing our style of ball, doing what coaches coach us up to do, and running our plays," Purdy said in a postgame interview with Netflix. "Obviously, you got to respect the other guys on the other side, and we know what they can do. But at the end of the day, man, it comes down to executing, protecting the ball, moving the ball, getting points on (the) board, keeping it simple."
It was an overall team effort that forces others to look closer at what's going on with San Francisco. Here's what we learned from the 49ers' Week 1 victory against the Rams:

#francisco #down #Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers came out firing on every cylinder to deliver a 27-7 beatdown Down Under of the Los Angeles Rams. From the decision to arrive early to their piling on late scoring, how well did Brock Purdy, Kyle Shanahan and the crew do in upsetting the Super Bowl favorites to start the season?
Offense: A-
The old guys ruled. And that Kaelon Black kid wasn't too shabby. A 30-something (Demarcus Robinson, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel) accounted for their three TDs and an almost 40-something, Trent Williams, was the best of the bunch, because you and I had as many tackles, QB hits and sacks as Rams' All-Universe pass rusher Myles Garrett. Less happily, De'Zhaun Stribling and Jake Tonges were carted away in the second quarter. George Kittle was a rumor. Yet Brock Purdy didn't notice. Outside of a horrific interception, Purdy was terrific with his arm, legs and swaggy first-down celebrations. Does Christian McCaffrey finally have a caddy? Yes. Rookie Black looked excellent in a real game after resembling a third-round find in the spring and summer.
Defense: A+
Raheem Morris in 2028? The well-respected new defensive coordinator looked like Bill Belichick (the pre-2022 version) while his unit made the reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford look ordinary. Sorry, correction: not just ordinary, but awful. Having Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw (combined games played for 49ers in 2025: 9) back together did give Morris some added IQ points. The LB duo turned out the lights on the Rams when Greenlaw held up Tyler Higbee and Warner peanut-punched the ball out. The 49ers didn't have a sack, but they made Stafford unsettled. Osa Odighizuwa had four of their eight QB hits, including a pressure that led to Stafford's INT.

#greenlaw

An early Los Angeles Rams celebration poking fun at a widely discussed travel debate backfired spectacularly against the 49ers when San Francisco responded with 24 unanswered points to secure a Week 1 win in Melbourne, Australia.
In the days leading up to this season-opening NFC West matchup, the discourse surrounding the game was less about the players on the field, and more about the way they'd get there from the United States. With the game set to take place in Melbourne on Friday morning local time, each team tried a different approach to account for the 17-hour time difference from California (where it was still Thursday afternoon). The Niners flew out of San Francisco last Wednesday to get acclimated to the new time zone and have a full week of practice. The Rams, meanwhile, did not fly in until the day before the game, with the thought of keeping their players' biological clocks on West Coast time.
It became clear that the Week 1 affair would be a referendum on the superior preparation approach, and, at first, it certainly looked like the Rams made the smarter choice. They were dominant early and scored the game's first touchdown. Los Angeles even made fun of the whole debate early in the second quarter after a bad Brock Purdy pick. The whole defense celebrated in the end zone with players taking a nap on the grass.
However, it proved to be a bit early to spike the proverbial football. The Rams followed up with an inexplicable interception of their own, and the Niners drove 86 yards down the field for their first touchdown of the game. From there, things completely fell apart for Los Angeles as the Raheem Morris-led Niners defense kept the Rams from doing anything, and Kyle Shanahan's offense somehow turned Myles Garrett - the biggest acquisition in the NFL this offseason - completely invisible. San Francisco scored 24 straight points, including seven from a 99-yard drive down the field, and even forced two more turnovers.
Linebacker Fred Warner even gave a response of his own, getting a Steph Curry-style night-night celebration off in his first game since fracturing his ankle last season.

#Rams #game #angeles

MELBOURNE, Australia - The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams in convincing fashion in their season-opener Friday afternoon (Thursday night in the United States), 27-7, at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
After arriving in Australia a week before kickoff, the 49ers looked far more energized than the Super Bowl-favorite Rams, who touched down just more than 24 hours before the game and appeared visibly exhausted. Last year's NFL MVP, Matthew Stafford, looked helpless against a disruptive 49ers defense, while Brock Purdy diced up the opposition that was littered with big-time offseason acquisitions.
Here are immediate takeaways from the 49ers' commanding first win, in front of an announced crowd of 100,021.
Against a Rams defense that added defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie, the 49ers had little trouble. They converted seven of 12 third downs and totaled 379 yards of offense. The ground game in particular was impressive, where San Francisco averaged 5.9 yards per attempt.
Rookie running back Kaelon Black added some zip to San Francisco's offense - and, as an added bonus, took much of the load off of 30-year-old Christian McCaffrey - rushing for 65 yards on 14 attempts. McCaffrey still featured in the offense, touching the ball 15 times, but his services weren't as needed once San Francisco went up 17 points in the third quarter.

#mccaffrey

The Los Angeles Rams time in Melbourne, Australia was short-lived and that might be for the best as LA suffered a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night (Friday morning for others). Some might question the Rams decision to fly in the day before the game, although that did not seem to be a significant influence on the outcome in my opinion. Why did the Rams lose? Well here are 4 takeaways from Los Angeles's week one loss to their division rivals.
After picking off a Brock Purdy pass, Stafford turned the ball back over to the San Francisco 49ers on 3rd & 10 from the SF 35. Instead of taking his underneath option (Terrance Ferguson), Stafford tried to force a pass on a deep corner to Puka Nacua. The ball was underthrown; giving SF momentum and taking 3 points off the board for LA. Had the Rams kicked the field goal on 4th down, they would have had a 10-3 lead.
The other self-inflicted mistake was the turnover on downs with 3:46 left in the 3rd quarter. The Rams could not punch the ball in the endzone from 2nd, 3rd, and 4th & Goal (all within the 3 yard line). The latter being 4th & 1/2 yard. Those are simply must-have situations when down 10.
The Rams allowed 30 rushing attempts for 174 yards (5.8 yards per carry). The Rams won't beat a Kyle Shanahan offense with that type of formula. No, it wasn't because Aaron Donald was inactive. The Rams simply did not win the trenches getting pushed off the ball. Chris Shula will need to take a deep look at how to counter the 49ers usage of chips on his edge players as Myles Garrett was a non-factor in rushing the passer but also in defending the run.
The Rams offense was one of the best in 2025 because they were constantly in favorable down & distances. In this game against the 49ers, their 3rd down distances were: 5 yards, 2 yards, 6 yards, 10 yards, 13 yards, 1 yard, 2 yards, 15 yards, and 10 yards. The only true conversion was on 3rd & 2 via a Kyren Williams run. The other conversion was via defensive pass interference call late in the game.

#ball #game #pass #francisco

LONDON (AP) — The NFL will play a record nine games internationally this season and they include three cities hosting for the first time: Melbourne, Australia; Rio de Janeiro; and Paris.
Jacksonville and San Francisco both play two games abroad: the Jaguars back-to-back in London; the 49ers in Melbourne and later in Mexico City.
Here's some handy information about the games and locations.
The NFL's first international game of the season might be hard to top attendance-wise. Mike Evans, Demarcus Robinson and Deebo Samuel caught touchdown passes from Brock Purdy, and the San Francisco 49ers routed the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia. There were 100,021 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the game, the seventh-largest regular season crowd in NFL history. It was the second-largest international NFL match by attendance, topped only in October 2005 when the 49ers lost 31-14 to the Arizona Cardinals before 103,467 fans at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The league had never staged a regular-season game so far from home — it's a nearly 16-hour flight from the U.S. West Coast. The NFL West matchup kicked off at 10:35 a.m. local time Friday, Sept. 11, in Melbourne — which was 8:35 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 on the U.S. East Coast.

#games #regular #london #australia

The San Francisco 49ers thrashed the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 Friday in the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Australia, quarterback Brock Purdy throwing for three touchdowns to dismantle this season's heavily hyped favorites.
Much of the pre-game talk had surrounded the two California-based teams' wildly different approaches for navigating the epic flight and 17-hour time zone difference to Melbourne and its iconic 100,000-capacity cricket stadium. The Rams had jetted in just the morning before.
How far that affected the game will be debated. But reigning MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford and star off-season acquisition Myles Garrett undoubtedly looked sluggish up against their San Francisco counterparts, who arrived a week earlier to acclimatize.
Purdy put on a clinical performance, shrugging off a poor early interception to find Demarcus Robinson with a 39-yard touchdown pass, before finding the dangerous Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel in the end zone to seize the game.
"Just so proud of this team. Hey, we embraced going to Australia -- 15-hour flight, we're here the whole week. It was a grind, but we did it," said 49ers tight end George Kittle.

#season

The San Francisco 49ers played their NFL Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia.
When do the 49ers play next on the 2026 NFL schedule?
Where will San Francisco play in NFL Week 2?
Who do the San Francisco 49ers play next in their Week 2 NFL game?
Here's what to know about the upcoming schedule for Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Fred Warner and the San Francisco NFL team's Week 2 game.

#game #angeles #sept

The San Francisco 49ers defense was on the field first, and it didn't take long for Fred Warner and Nick Bosa to make an impact.
Bosa hit Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford on his first dropback. He followed that up with a tackle for loss on the ensuing drive. Warner broke up the intended pass to Puka Nacua.
After Deommodore Lenoir made a tackle, the Rams went three-and-out.
Brock Purdy used his shiny new toy on his first third down of the game. Evans beat Quentin Lake for a seven-yard reception to move the sticks. It came after an inexplicable drop.
Purdy played with fire on the first drive, after a Drake Maye impersonation. Purdy threw off his back foot, and the throw was nearly intercepted just shy of the end zone. Thankfully, Trent McDuffie landed out of bounds.

#warner #francisco

The 49ers have a big lead in the fourth quarter, having dominated the first three plus quarters. The Rams will need a big comeback for a season-opening win.
San Francisco leads 24-7 with 12:57 remaining.
The 49ers took control by stopping Matthew Stafford on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 3:46 remaining in the third quarter. Fred Warner and rookie Gracen Halton stopped the Rams quarterback short of the gaol line.
The play was upheld on replay.
The 49ers then drove 99 yards in 11 plays, with Deebo Samuel catching a 15-yard touchdown. It was Brock Purdy's third touchdown pass, following a 39-yarder to Demarcus Robinson and a 5-yarder to Mike Evans.

#Third

Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy with 4:28 left in the second quarter, giving the San Francisco 49ers their first touchdown of the 2026 NFL season.
The score gave the 49ers a 10-7 lead over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 from Australia.
Watch:
The score capped a nine-play drive that began at the 49ers' 13-yard line, set up by Renardo Green's interception with 8:52 remaining in the quarter. San Francisco methodically moved the ball downfield before Purdy found Robinson streaking open for the chunk-yardage strike, marking the 49ers' first offensive touchdown of the game.
Robinson is no stranger to facing the Rams — he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Los Angeles before signing a two-year, $9.5 million deal with San Francisco in March 2025. In 2024, his lone full season as a featured piece of the Rams' offense, he set career highs with 31 catches, 505 yards and seven touchdowns.

#robinson #Rams #touchdown #yard

I feel like I spend half of my hours dreaming about the San Francisco offense these days. Of course, I spend the other half sweating in a panic.
This is life with fantasy football's most boom/bust depth chart. And we have plenty to be nervous about as the 49ers get ready for their Thursday night opener against the Rams, coming live from Australia, with several stars on the injury report.
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The perks with San Francisco are obvious. Kyle Shanahan is a brilliant coach, Brock Purdy a plus quarterback and Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Mike Evans all look like Hall of Famers. Of course those last three vets are all back-nine players, too — McCaffrey enters his age-30 season, while it's an age-33 lap for Kittle and Evans.
Injury concerns come standard with all three. Kittle tore his Achilles in January. Evans was a limited player all summer, managing a groin injury. It's possible Kittle will have a slow open to the season, and Evans also has to be handled carefully, though I suspect he'll at least repay this summer draft cost.

#half

The San Francisco 49ers have their 2026 team captains. The same list as 2025. During his Sunday press conference in preparation for the 49ers' Thursday game against the Los Angeles Rams, Kyle Shanahan gave the list of team captains:
TE George Kittle
OT Trent Williams
LB Fred Warner
QB Brock Purdy
DE Nick Bosa
RB Christian McCaffrey
FB Kyle Juszcyk
CB Deommodore Lenoir
As said above, if that list seems familiar, that's because it's the same list as last season. The 49ers vote on who makes it as a captain, so this means the leadership pecking order in the locker room remains unchanged.
The 49ers are a very talented roster, but the fact that the list remains the same as a year ago, with no new faces, probably won't help the criticisms that the team is too "old." The 'newest' name on this list is Lenoir, whose ascension last year essentially filled the vacancy left by Deebo Samuel.
While we can debate the roster's age all we want, established veterans doing the heavy lifting means they have capable leadership. Hopefully Bosa can stay on the field to help the defensive line turn a corner. The same goes for Brock Purdy and George Kittle. With a rookie De'Zhaun Stribling impressing in the preseason, having Purdy and Kittle to look up to will be invaluable.

#same #kittle #george #brock

The San Francisco 49ers ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams released an unofficial depth chart. Now we're releasing our own official unofficial depth chart.
This is how we think things will shake out on the offensive side when the 49ers take the field Thursday for their season opener:
Brock Purdy
Mac Jones
Kurtis Rourke

#chart #angeles

49ers get warning about their Super Bowl window originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Francisco 49ers are a legacy team and the kind of team that always expects to go all the way. But, even for teams that are historically successful, there are often years where they're just better suited to win than others.
This coming season is one of those years for the 49ers. They're positioned well in 2026 to thrive, but after that, their chances drop off quite a bit. The reason has a lot to do with the age of this team's players.
Quarterback Brock Purdy is 26 years old, but this team's projected starting offense averages 30.3 years old, the oldest in the NFL.
On Sunday, Aaron Schatz at ESPN unleashed a feature naming a handful of NFL teams who will have their best shot to win a Super Bowl this year and then a more difficult shot in 2027.

#years #sporting #they 're

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling has stood out during preseason work ahead of the team's Week 1 Thursday Night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia on September 10. Injuries in the receiving corps have created openings, and Stribling has taken full advantage in practice and preseason action.
Quarterback Brock Purdy praised the Ole Miss product directly, saying Stribling will be a big part of the offense this season. Purdy cited the rookie's playbook retention, consistency in practice, and ability to correct mistakes quickly as reasons for his confidence.
The San Francisco 49ers carry high expectations into the new season, and confidence surrounds their offense. Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling turned heads during preseason workouts after joining the team as a draft pick out of Ole Miss, following his early college career at Washington State.
Stribling also led all receivers in the 49ers' preseason opener against the Tennessee ****** ans, catching seven passes for 63 yards in the first half alone against first-team defenders. That performance made him the second receiver in the past decade to record seven catches in the first 20 minutes of a preseason game.
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi wideout De'Zhaun Stribling (WO35) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

#preseason #receiver #francisco #Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers could have an interesting decision to make on Mac Jones after keeping three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster. Brock Purdy remains the starter, while Jones enters the final year of his contract as the main backup.
Meanwhile, Kurtis Rourke has earned a spot after making a strong impression during the preseason. That development could eventually give San Francisco the flexibility to revisit trade possibilities involving Jones. The 49ers were reportedly open to moving the experienced quarterback during the offseason. However, they did not receive an offer that met their valuation. Now, Rourke's emergence could change the equation.
Feb 4, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones on the NFL Network set at the Super Bowl LX media center at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
NFL insider Nick Wagoner believes keeping Rourke could eventually reopen the possibility of trading Jones. The rookie's development gives San Francisco another potential option behind Purdy, especially as Jones approaches free agency. An NFL-themed platform on X provides insider information on the situation.
"The Niners were always going to have starter Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones on the initial 53-man roster, but retaining Kurtis Rourke as the third signal-caller indicates a few things about the future of the position. First, it shows that Rourke impressed enough in camp to earn a spot on the 53 despite suffering broken ribs in the first half of the first preseason game. With Jones entering the final year of his deal, the Niners are happy to hang on to him now as Purdy's primary backup. And though they'd love to keep him around, growing belief in Rourke could also reopen the possibility of trading Jones at some point. If not, Rourke, once he heals up, has a chance to show he's capable of being the top backup to Purdy in the not-too-distant future."

#rourke #backup #first #kurtis

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler tweeted that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans and the team are preparing as if he's going to suit up in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Evans missed practice this week with a groin injury. Kyle Shanahan said he expected Evans to be back for next week's practice. Fowler confirmed that Evans' latest injury is minor, like the other ones he's sustained this month. Not that there was any doubt, but Evans' groin injury does not sound serious.
If the regular season is anything like training camp and the preseason, Evans could be a mainstay on the injury report. He may be listed as questionable and never miss a game, but this could be the norm.
Evans figures to be a massive part of the 49ers' offense. Kyle Shanahan has a run-first mentality, but Evans is the type of player who could turn his head coach into the pass-happy type. Adding Evans to the offense benefits everybody involved. The running game, the receivers, the running backs, and most importantly, Brock Purdy.

#kyle #game

The San Francisco 49ers were back on the practice fields at their SAP Performance Facility on Tuesday, but they were without one of their top players.
According to those on the scene, wide receiver Mike Evans didn't participate in Tuesday's session after dealing with a quad injury for most of camp and then leaving Sunday's practice after running a deep route. However, NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco reported that Evans is now dealing with a groin issue.
Evans can still be one of the most productive wide receivers in the league, especially in this offense, but injuries have held him back in recent years. Both the team and player hope that he will be full go once the regular season starts.
Brock Purdy's top wide receivers to target a practice are dwindling, as Christian Kirk and Jacob Cowing are also not participating. This leaves Purdy with Deebo Samuel, De'Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson and Jordan Watkins as the top healthy options right now.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: New injury crops up for 49ers No. 1 wide receiver

#wide #receiver #dealing

The San Francisco 49ers traveled south to take on the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium just days after the two teams met for a joint practice session, and Kyle Shanahan's team walked away with a 41-17 victory.
With such a lopsided victory, the 49ers got some great performances from several players on Thursday. As we continue working our way through this game, let's take a look at who had the best nights.
San Francisco's second-round pick had a strong debut against the Tennessee ****** ans, and he continued that run against the Chargers. On Thursday, he caught four of his five targets for 45 yards and showed, once again, that quarterback Brock Purdy can trust him.
Despite all of the injuries at wide receiver throughout training camp, Cowing hasn't exactly taken advantage of the opportunity. However, on Thursday, he showed that he can be a difference-maker on special teams, as he took a punt back 83 yards for a touchdown in the first half. That one play may have helped him earn a roster spot for 2026.
Jones joined the 49ers this offseason, and he has been making plays throughout camp. After suffering a hand injury early against the ****** ans, he entered Thursday's game after Renardo Green went down with a hamstring. He played well again, recording one tackle and sticking in coverage to break up multiple passes.

#take #showed

We're back with more preseason reactions. I had my full team-by-team takeaways from Week 1 of the preseason here, and I'll update this week's action after watching the All 22 throughout the next couple of days. I have my own fantasy football draft this weekend with the boys in San Diego, so my reactions will be more delayed this time around. Expect a big update on Monday. Thanks for hanging in there.
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Some key starters rested, but Brock Purdy and the starting offense had a 10-play drive to start the game. Deebo Samuel Sr. and Demarcus Robinson opened in 2-WR sets, while De'Zhaun Stribling played in 3-WR sets initially. He once again dominated targets. Stribling had a great comeback route, a quick out against off coverage and was on the receiving end of a perfect rep on a dig route where he snapped things off cleanly before hands catching the pass in stride while in traffic. If he would've caught his stutter-and-go touchdown up the sideline from the slot, Stribling would've been a Round 6 selection in a hurry. There's overwhelming evidence that the 49ers love him. He has already won the inside-outside hybrid Jauan Jennings role, and there's room for him to quickly be a 2-WR set starter and fantasy-relevant player early on. Samuel hasn't stood out. His ADP is at 123.7 (up 13.3 spots over the last seven days).
Kyle Shanahan was roasted for taking Stribling where he did (33rd overall), but he was also questioned for drafting RB Kaelon Black in the third round. Well, Black was excellent on Thursday, to the point that I believe he's already won the valuable Christian McCaffrey backup role. Black had two key pass protection reps versus blitzers, and this is something that also stood out on his college tape at Indiana. He also was flawless in picking the right hole with the right pacing on his rush attempts. His play speed is better than his time speed because he makes confident, quick decisions. He also finished a couple of runs by flattening defenders. We'll see if Jordan James can return from injury in time to make this a real competition, but for now, Black looks like a draftable player in fantasy football. If you think CMC is missing time, you should be drafting Black. It's as simple as that.
The starters rested, and the second-team offense had extensive run (26 snaps). Of note, WR Tre Tucker was included with the resting starters, while offseason signee Jalen Nailor needed to play the first three drives. As I wrote last week, Tucker was the starter in their 1-WR set look as well, so it's probably time to simply rank Tucker ahead of Nailor as the more proven outside receiver. Meanwhile, Jack Bech was even more buried. He only played four snaps in the first three drives with Nailor, and in total, he played 11-of-16 snaps in the slot. It's possible that a majority of his playing time will come in the less valuable 3-WR sets.

#stribling #tucker #team

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jacob Cowing returned a punt for an 83-yard touchdown, Eddy Pineiro kicked a pair of field goals and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Chargers 41-18 on Thursday night in a preseason game.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy saw his first preseason action, going 4 of 6 for 29 yards in the first quarter.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert played the opening series in his first appearance of the preseason. He was 1 of 2, hitting Charlie Kolar with a 9-yard pass as the team went 3-and-out.
Battling for a roster spot at wide receiver, Cowing showed off his speed and agility after the Chargers went 3-and-out with three minutes left in the second quarter.
Chargers punter JK Scott kicked 52 yards to the 49ers' 17-yard line, where Cowing fielded the ball. He dashed to the left and ran in for the score, giving San Francisco a 17-3 lead.

#preseason #francisco #quarterback #quarter

Last week, the San Francisco 49ers didn't play starters. That allowed rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling to be the focal point of the offense, and he had a surprising seven catches in less than 20 minutes of game action.
The 49ers did use starters in their second preseason game. And Brock Purdy had eyes for Stribling too.
Stribling caught three passes on the 49ers' first nine offensive plays against the Los Angeles Chargers. He had a couple of receptions in which he caught the ball away from his body, showing off his strong hands. He did the same thing in San Francisco's first preseason game, and showed an ability to win on contested catches. The 49ers' starters departed after one series but Stribling stayed in, and he had a 21-yard reception on Mac Jones' first throw. It wasn't all perfect as Stribling failed to haul in a deep pass later in the drive, but he had plenty of separation on the play.
Things change when the regular season starts, but based on early returns it appears the 49ers might have hit big on their second-round pick.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (15) catches a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

#francisco