TAMPA, Fla. – Call it the most chaotic win in Kyle Shanahan’s seven-plus seasons as 49ers coach, at least one that didn’t immediately punch a playoff berth like in 2019 at Seattle or last January’s Super Bowl ticket over the now-domineering Detroit Lions.
Sunday’s 23-20, walk-off in Tampa Bay had all the characteristics that make these 49ers … Shanahan’s biggest underachievers. Even when they win.
They’re 5-4. They blow fourth-quarter leads. They commit special teams crimes. They dread the red zone offensively. They even have a captain willing to publicly fight a teammate, egads.
And, yet, they’re only a half-game out of first place in the cannibalizing NFC West, bunched up with the Arizona Cardinals (6-4), the Los Angeles Rams (4-4), and the Seattle Seahawks (4-5).
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
1. KITTLE CONNECTION
George Kittle’s team-high seventh touchdown – matching his second-most in a season – came on an “off-schedule” play but one that works because of his on-demand connection with Brock Purdy. Remember in Week 4 when Purdy heaved up a prayer to the back left of the end zone to a triple-covered Kittle for a score?
Said Purdy: “Yeah, similar. It wasn’t the same play, obviously. It was off-schedule. As I was scrambling, I saw the leverage he had was outside. So I was, ‘Alright, George is a mismatch here with his size and strength and the hands he has.’ So, I just had to give him an opportunity to the sideline, so if it’s an incomplete pass it’s OK and we’ll live to see another down. But more than anything, he made the play and got his feet in.”
Kittle’s 11-yard touchdown catch put the Niners up 20-17 with seven minutes until Moody’s conquest. Purdy bought 8.62 seconds— his longest timelapse for a TD pass — before finding his bye-week vacation buddy as far from their Wyoming trip as possible.
Said Kittle: “My only responsibility on that play was to get covered by the safety so Christian could score a touchdown. I got covered, Christian didn’t score. I’m trying to find Brock in the back, which is hard to see sometimes, because one of his only shortcomings is he’s not the tallest quarterback (at 6-foot-1), which is hard to see sometimes.
“One thing I love with Brock and scramble drills: if you do lock eyes with him, he is going to give you time to make a move and get open,” Kittle added. “Once we locked eyes, I tried to give him space in the corner of the end zone, and he just dropped a dime like he always does.”
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) celebrates his sack with teammates during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
2. BOSA’S HEALTH
You want more out of Nick Bosa? You better hope his right hip injury isn’t diagnosed as anything more serious Monday.
He repeatedly prodded at it coming off the field Sunday. And he was on the field a lot (52 of 61 snaps), out of default with lackluster depth behind him, which has been a problem all season if not more.
You saw him make a third-down sack on the Bucs’ penultimate possession, and a near-sack on an are-you-kidding-me fourth-down completion by Baker Mayfield on their last-minute, game-tying drive. Mayfield’s moxie is to be admired. Same with Bosa’s, regardless of your political beliefs.
You lose Bosa for the next game or so, you are in dire straights. He’s not perfect, he’s not T.J. Watt, and he’s not rookie-of-the-year Bosa. But he is the NFL’s best-paid defender for a reason.
Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a pass against Josh Hayes #32 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 10, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
3. DEEBO’S DISPUTE
His name is Deebo, preferred over his given name Tyshun and a suitable moniker for his on-field bully behavior that is usually reserved for defenders. But Deebo Samuel is also a team captain, not a couch potato or season-ticket holder demanding Jake Moody’s head (or foot).
Samuel implied afterward that his actions – confronting Moody after a third missed field goal, swiping at bodyguard Taybor Pepper’s throat – may have helped Moody’s mindset for the 44-yard, walk-off field goal.
Bygones by virtue of victory? It can’t be that dismissible, not that it must merit in-house discipline. (The minimum fine would be $62,500, a week of his base salary.)
This is a great test of the 49ers’ locker room fortitude and cohesion. I’ve Got Your Back? Only when there is 0:00 and you saved our bacon?
“I didn’t see any of it, so I don’t know how bad it was, but something I’m not too worried about, we’ll fix it,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “If it hasn’t been fixed already, we’ll fix it on the plane and go back to loving each other tomorrow.”
Ideally it’s that easy. Back in 2000, Steve Mariucci did not see Terrell Owens’ initial midfield celebration in Dallas that led to a one-game suspension and an indefinite rift in their relationship.
San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) celebrates with teammates after kicking the game winning field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
4. MONEY MOODY?
Moody is a second-year kicker coming off what could have been a season-ending high-ankle injury, caused by trying to salvage this season’s spotty coverage. The incident with Samuel could have unnerved him even further after missing three field-goal attempts, before nailing a game-winner from the same distance he sliced and thus ignited Samuel’s frustrations.
Rather than thank Samuel for what the wide back called “a little motivation to go out there and make the field goal,” Moody shared the spotlight.
“That’s just a credit to having great teammates, trusting me, picking me up. Coaches, they weren’t worried at all, had all the faith in the world and sent me back out there for six tries today. Thankfully I got another chance and was able to make it.”
Shanahan’s locker room speech: “Moody, he battled to come back. If you want practice for a mental strength, that was a hell of a job setting yourself up for that last rep. There was no more pressure on anyone than that dude. And he kicked it right in the middle. Respect, dude.”
San Fransisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) gestures on the field after an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)
5. POSTGAME LOOKS
Not exactly sure why the locker room doors opened so late – 30 minutes after the game, or 15 more than allowed by the NFL’s media standards – but Shanahan didn’t flip over the buffet. (It was outside in the walkway to the buses.)
What we can share, for now, are the summarized looks of those heavily invested. They wore a sheepish grin.
Purdy wore an incredulous look as he walked to the interview room. General manager John Lynch shook his head and described the win as crazy and unbelievable. Owner Dr. John York would only proffer: “You write the story.”
The 49ers cheated death, after their failure to survive initial NFC West matchups with Los Angeles and Arizona. Winning after a fourth-quarter collapse/comeback/collapse/comeback? Worked this time.
Fred Warner, by the way, did not stay up past midnight to watch his alma mater BYU’s own fanatical winning finish at Utah. Said Warner: “I wish I would have watched. I was fast asleep for my big game today. I just heard about the very end and making a field goal to win it. We have to keep that going.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) passes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
6. STEALTH PURDY
It’s not how you start but how you finish, right? Purdy finished with surgical precision. An Army surgeon. He went left (6 yards to Jauan Jennings), then went right (6 yards to Ricky Pearsall), then left (14 yards to Pearsall), then right (13 yards to Jennings).
Those early boundary throws took arm strength and trust. He delivered to the tune of 353 yards on 25-of-36 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Brock ranks fifth in 49ers history with seven 300-yard passing games behind Joe (35), Steve (28), Jeff (14) and Jimmy (7).
“Second half, I just told myself, ‘Alright dude, just go out and compete and rip it – don’t hesitate,’ ” Purdy said. “And I thought in the second half we all did that. The guys were open, I didn’t hold back, and we just tried to stay ahead of the chains and move the ball and keep it simple. … We were all able to finish pretty well as a team.”
San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) looks down after his second missed field goal of the day during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
7. WILD SPECIAL TEAMS
Moody missed three field goals, then made the winner. Jacob Cowing muffed a punt return (because Super Bowl goat Darrell Luter Jr. got legally pushed into him), then reeled off a 30-yard gain in his encore that was the best of his 14-return career.
Special teams miscues are a hallmark of this season’s team. Yet, Cowing and Moody made big plays.
I asked special teams coordinator Brian Schneider on his way out the stadium if he talked to Moody before his fateful, final kick. Schneider smiled and replied: “I said a lot to him. He’s good.”
Good, because the 49ers are only nine games through this regular season. Now is not the time to shop for a replacement leg. They did that last month. It got Matthew Wright hurt (on a kickoff tackle) and Anders Carlson a new job (the New York Jets signed him last week after the 49ers waived him).
8. YOU’RE THE ONE, JAUAN
The 49ers’ best wide receiver is Jauan Jennings. It’s not just that he caught 7-of-11 passes for a team-high 93 yards, or that his 11 final yards after the catch allowed for Moody’s final kick to slide inside the right upright.
Jennings is the 49ers’ must-have answer at split end in the wake of Brandon Aiyuk’s season-ending knee injury Oct. 20 against Kansas City. Jennings didn’t play in that game or the next one because of a hip muscle injury he must endure through Groundhog Day.
“We needed to get Jauan back in a starting position and this was his first time ever playing ‘X’ position, which he’ll be doing the rest of the year,” Shanahan said. “He did a hell of a job.”
Insider note: Tampa’s press box announcer pronounced Jennings’ first name at least three different ways. As someone who wrote it as “Juan” at least once his first season, we’re all learning how you establish your name in the NFL.
Jennings’ postgame praise wasn’t reserved for himself but rather Moody’s kick, Kittle’s touchdown, Pearsall’s catches, and Samuel’s 32-yard catch (to open the drive before Moody’s final miss). “All of it plays in hand,” Jennings unselfishly said.
Ricky Pearsall #14 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 10, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
9. PEARSALL INITIATED
Growing pains, as defined by Ricky Pearsall, after scoring his first touchdown on a 46-yard catch-and-run over the middle, after a third-down pass to him sailed by on the 49ers’ first possession. “The reason the pass was behind me was because I cut it short,” Pearsall explained. “So just getting on the same page, it’s just going to get much and much better, and I’m going to get more confident.”
Pearsall was clocked at 19.47 mph, the NFL’s 20th-fastest time this weekend; Samuel was faster on a run for no gain (19.68 mph) and a 32-yard catch (19.55 mph).
Not only did Pearsall get his first touchdown ball to enshrine (via Kyle Juszczyk’s reclamation), Pearsall was bestowed the kukui nut necklace awarded to a player of the game via injured safety Talanoa Hufanga. Pearsall happily didn’t learn such an honor existed until postgame.
Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball against Antoine Winfield Jr. #31 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 10, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
10. McCAFFRREY’S STATUS
Realistically, the most important takeaway from this game is that Christian McCaffrey walked away from his season debut feeling “pretty good. I thought I was going to be more sore but, we’ll see how I feel tomorrow. I never like saying anything until you wake up.”
He showed glimpses of his 2023 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year. Not so much in a breakaway run and especially so not in the end zone. However, his second effort, determination and mere defensive distraction are richly needed to get this offense back to its 30-for-Purdy machinations.
McCaffrey’s 107 yards from scrimmage (39 rushing, 68 receiving) marked his 56th career game with at least 100 such yards, tying him with Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints) for the most among NFL active running backs.
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“I’m just happy I’m here,” McCaffrey said. “That was a long journey and a lot of long days, so it feels good to win and it feels good to just play in a football game again.”