49ers 45, Cardinals 29: Grades

The 49ers just beat the Arizona Cardinals 45-29. Here are the 49ers' grades for this performance.

BROCK PURDY: A

He cemented himself as the NFL's MVP considering he threw for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns while Dak Prescott lost 31-10 to the Bills. This has been Purdy's season from start to finish. He may not have the strongest arm in the league, but he sees the field as well as any quarterback out there and he's extremely poised and confident. It's a pleasure to watch him play every week. He left the game for a few plays with a stinger, but he returned, and the difference between him and Sam Darnold was stark. Thank goodness the 49ers have Purdy.

RUNNING BACKS: A

Christian McCaffrey gained a cool 187 yards from scrimmage and scored three touchdowns. I'm sure he thinks he should be the MVP, and he has a terrific argument, considering he now has 20 touchdowns.

WIDE RECEIVERS: A

Deebo Samuel continued his hot streak by catching two touchdown passes -- he now has 8 touchdowns in the 49ers' past four games. He's playing like an MVP candidate as well. Brandon Aiyuk had 3 catches for 37 yards and a drop.

TIGHT ENDS: B-PLUS

George Kittle had lots of excellent blocks and 2 catches for 54 yards.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: A

They gave up zero sacks and helped the offense average 5.5 yards per carry. This unit has improved since Jon Feliciano took over for Spencer Burford at right guard.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: D

Nick Bosa recorded a sack and left the game for a few plays with a foot injury but came back. Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave missed the game, and as a result the run defense suffered big time. The 49ers gave up a season-high 234 yards on the ground, including a 49-yard touchdown run. Backup defensive tackles Javon Kinlaw and Kevin Givens rushed the quarterback well but got pushed around at the point of attack on run plays. The 49ers will need both Hargrave and Armstead next week to beat the Ravens, who also have a mobile quarterback and a good run game.

LINEBACKERS: C

Fred Warner had 9 tackles but also missed more than he usually does. Both he and Dre Greenlaw struggled without Armstead and Hargrave tying up blockers for them.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: A

After not practicing this week, Charvarius Ward had two interceptions including one pick-six. This might have been the best game of his career. He has been on fire since the bye week. Unfortunately for the 49ers, Deommodore Lenoir left the game with a rib injury and did not return.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B-MINUS

Ronnie Bell almost fumbled a punt return which the Cardinals recovered and returned for a touchdown, but the officials ruled that his forearm touched the turf. He's extremely loose with the football. The 49ers can't trust him to play in the postseason.

COACHES: A

We wondered if the 49ers would have an emotional letdown one week before their big Monday night game against the Ravens, and the answer was no. The 49ers are locked in. They're playing like a team that expects to win the Super Bowl. And they clinched the NFC West with this win. Their offense dominates every week -- it seems impossible to stop right now. Kyle Shanahan is coaching better than he ever has. Steve Wilks' defense gave up 29 points, but he was missing key starters on the defensive line and the game was never in doubt. We'll see if he can make the necessary adjustments to shut down the Ravens run defense next week. In the meantime, the 49ers have established themselves as the only team that matters in the NFC. We'll find out if any team in the AFC can keep up with them soon enough.