The San Francisco 49ers hung on for their eighth win after a messy first half against the Carolina Panthers. San Francisco led 10–3 at halftime and leaned on Christian McCaffrey and the run game to steady the ship. McCaffrey finished with 89 total yards and a touchdown. Jauan Jennings also scored, and a 12-yard McCaffrey run in the third quarter pushed the lead to two scores.
Kyle Shanahan tightened the playbook after the turnovers. The team ran three long, clock-eating drives. The offensive line allowed no sacks, and short passes plus screens kept the ball safe. The defense made big stops when needed. Those pieces helped the 49ers win despite offensive hiccups and kept their NFC West hopes alive at 8–4.
Advertisement
Returning from injury, Purdy struggled early with three first-half interceptions. He settled as the game progressed, relying on short throws and the run game.
Brock Purdy on his gameplay amid three interceptions
Purdy admitted the interceptions tested him but refused to panic.
Advertisement
“Mentally, as a quarterback, you want to play aggressive,” he said. “But when you turn the ball over three drives in a row, it hits you. You feel a little pressure. This is why we’re put in this position. I can handle this.”
He stressed the need to stay aggressive and not become passive: “As a quarterback, you can’t lose confidence in yourself. You can’t shrivel back and then all of a sudden take a bunch of checkdowns. You’ve still got to read the play out and stay aggressive and be better.”
Purdy praised his teammates and defense.
“You’ve got to learn from your mistakes, too. But the good thing is I’ve got a great team around me. I’ve got guys that believe in me. Since I’ve stepped in this building, guys have had my back. And so our defense played their butts off. They did absolutely amazing,” he said. He called the win a lesson – learn, prepare, and move on. The 49ers got the win; Purdy made clear he will keep fighting.
