Game Breakdown: 49ers Pull Away from the Giants in the 4th Quarter

The top-heavy NFC leads to mismatches like the 49ers facing the Giants, yet San Francisco had to grind into the 4th quarter to separate and then put the game away, winning 30-12.

Since acquiring Christian McCaffrey, the Niners have won every regular season game when he’s had a full week to prepare. 13-straight, the second most in team history behind the Super Bowl champion 1989 Niners with 15 regular season wins from 1989 into 1990.

McCaffrey also goes into the team record books for his 12th consecutive game with a touchdown, tying him with the legendary Jerry Rice.

Thursday night games are usually finger paintings, not Picassos, sloppy play is the norm reflecting the short prep time. Lots of bad penalties and mistakes. It’s more about the big picture - get the win and stay healthy.

The shine is starting to come off Brock Purdy, but there are elements to build on - the smart risks and great placement of the touchdown passes, and some sharp anticipatory throws. Purdy struggled in the first half and got lucky the carom off Deebo Samuel was caught by Ronnie Bell.

By not having an offseason to develop, Purdy will have inconsistency like this where the stats are deceptively better than his play. The key is to learn from situations like the Giants blitzing on 85% of the dropbacks and be more efficient going forward.

Game Balls

Deebo Samuel – With Brandon Aiyuk out, Samuel delivered his best game in two years with six catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. 2021 Video Game Deebo was back, breaking tackles on half of the Giants' defense. 81 of his 129 yards were after the catch.

Christian McCaffrey – Any time you tie Jerry Rice for a team record you must be doing something right. 12-straight games with a touchdown and 13-straight regular season wins speak to just how important McCaffrey is to this team.

119 yards in total offense, 85 on the ground. He should end this week as the NFL rushing leader with 353 yards. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson is second with 180 after two games.

Nick Bosa – Six pressures, his first sack of the season, and two hits. Bosa is entering game shape just in time for the Cowboys game that looks season-defining at this point.

Charvarius Ward – Two passes defensed, and he tipped the ball that became Talanoa Hufanga’s interception to end the game.

Penalty Flags

Brian Schneider – The Special Teams Coordinator has done a lot of things well, particularly with Jake Moody. However, two straight weeks of fair catch interference penalties shouldn’t happen.

Spencer Burford – Four pressures and a sack.

Trent Williams – Three penalties and a punch.

Six penalties for the Niners.

Team Takeaways

Subtle things help to build a winning streak. An offense knowing its identity and how they succeed. Purdy reading his receivers and trusting the back shoulder fade for touchdowns. Protecting the ball. Each level of the defense complementing the other two, holding the Giants to just a 25% conversion rate on 3rd down.

Steve Wilks is starting to get a feel for which buttons to push, playing soft zone on early downs but tight man on passing downs. The shift enables the pass rush by denying the quick pass and disrupting the quarterback’s timing and rhythm. Lesson learned from the Rams game.

The impact of not having Aiyuk highlighted his importance. Drives stalled in the red zone, were resuscitated by Giants penalties, and the Niners still struggled to put it in the end zone. Particularly against the blitz, Aiyuk's quick separation was missed. He'll be back for Week 4.

Now the Niners have an extended rest to get fully healthy and prepare for Arizona, a prelude to the Dallas showdown.