Some more details have been reported about how 49ers defensive lineman Keion White ended up being shot in the ankle early Monday morning in the Mission District.

When we first heard the news about Niners DL Keion White being hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the ankle Monday, we did not know where the shooting took place — just that it was at a party in the Mission District following the Super Bowl.

Now we know that the incident occurred at or outside a party that the 27-year-old White himself was throwing at Dahlia, the tequila-focused bar/club that was formerly known as the Armory Club, at 1799 Mission Street. According to reports from police and witnesses gathered by the SF Standard, the private party involved strippers and/or adult entertainers, and was "downstairs" in the venue.

SFist notes that Dahlia offers a basement-level Champagne Room that can be rented for private parties, so that was likely the party room in question.

The shooting occurred around 4 am Monday, and it appears the party was still raging at that hour. Per the Standard, Atlanta-based rapper Lil Baby, aka Dominique Jones, had arrived with his entourage and tried to get into the private event — in the hours after Lil Baby was performing at this Sunday night event at The Grand nightclub in SoMa.

A witness reportedly told police that they saw White get into an argument with the rapper, possibly because he was refusing to let Lil Baby and his group in to the downstairs party. The witness further said that they went upstairs, to the main level of Dahlia, to seek help from staff. It was not long after this that a shot or two were fired, though it's not clear where the shots came from. The witness returned to the basement and found White shot in the leg, and White was reportedly uncooperative with police when asked who had shot him.

Arriving police told the Standard that they saw topless women gathering dollar bills on the bar when they entered the room.

White underwent surgery on his ankle on Monday, and KTVU reported, via a Niners spokesperson, that he was out of surgery Monday night and the procedure was successful — but no timeline for his recovery was provided.

This is the only act of violence we've learned of so far from Super Bowl Weekend in San Francisco, and Mayor Daniel Lurie issued a statement Monday night in response.

"Any violent incident in our city is unacceptable, and I’m hoping Keion recovers quickly," Lurie said. "I’ve spoken with SFPD and 49ers leadership — we are all grateful to our SFPD officers for their quick response. As always, I will continue working with San Francisco law enforcement to ensure our neighborhoods and our residents are safe."

No arrests have been made, and anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with “SFPD.” Tipsters can remain anonymous.

Top image: Keion White #56 of the San Francisco 49ers in the locker room before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 2, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 49ers defeated the Giants 34-24. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

Vegas oddsmakers had the 49ers as the biggest underdogs they’d been in five years, but a cast of no-name Niner back-ups stepped up and stunned a national TV audience with a 26-23 overtime victory over the LA Rams.

With the San Francisco 49ers missing effectively their three best players in Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Nick Bosa, they came into Thursday night’s game against the LA Rams as 8.5-point underdogs, which was the biggest point spread against the Niners in five years.

Yeah, well fuck you gambling community, because the 49ers shocked everyone with a 26-23 overtime win over the Rams in front of a national TV audience (well, Amazon Prime audience, at least). ESPN also describes last night’s 49ers win as “the largest upset of the 2025 season so far, surpassing the Cleveland Browns' win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 as 7.5-point underdogs.”

And Niner Nation has to be proud not only of the win, but the fact that visiting 49ers fans were noticeably much louder than the Rams fans, despite this game being played in LA. And this was a thriller that was not decided until deep into the overtime period.

Our new kicker who I think we like, Eddy Piñeiro, hit the game-winning kick with the overtime field goal above, though we didn’t know it was the game-winner at the time. And it was a doink that hit the upright! But it was one of those doinks that actually bounced in, giving the 49ers the 23-20 lead that they would not relinquish.

The 49ers were awfully good right out of the gate. Journeyman backup quarterback Mac Jones got the start with Purdy sidelined, and Jones was also without his most favored receiver Ricky Pearsall. But Mac Jones has his old Patriots teammate Kendrick Bourne to rely upon, and the 49ers were up 14-0 just two minutes into the second half.

Check out how dominant the Niners were in the first quarter! What is not mentioned above is the Rams had minus-six passing yards in that first quarter. Mac Jones enjoyed his best game as a 49er (he is now 3-0 as a 49ers starter?), and maybe the best game of his whole career, though I would not know because I did not watch much New England or Jacksonville football when he played for them. Regardless, Piñeiro hit another field goal just as the second quarter expired, putting the 49ers up 17-7 at halftime.

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You knew the very talented Rams would mount a comeback, and they did. Puka Nacua got his obligatory touchdown late in the third quarter to trim the 49ers lead to 20-14. And as seen in the above video, Rams running back Kyren Williams tauntingly danced into the end zone on a fourth quarter touchdown that tied the game 20-20.

Oh, the 49ers would make him regret that display of showmanship.

Because that is the exact same Kyren Williams who fumbled the ball with the Rams barreling in for what seemed certain to be the game-winning touchdown with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter. Once again the 49ers defense saved the day, and this contest would head to overtime.

Piñeiro made that doink-field goal to give the Niners their 23-20 overtime advantage. But the Rams would get their shot at scoring in overtime too.

Many of us were shitting bricks as the Rams drove all the way down to the 49ers 11-yard line. This was chip-shot field goal range to tie the game, but the Rams decided to roll the dice and go for it on fourth-and-one. That dancing showboater Kyren Williams was stuffed for no gain, and he might have even fumbled again. But it didn't matter, because the 49ers automatically won the game on the basis of the fourth-down stop.

So that brings the 4-1 San Francisco 49ers into sole possession of first place in the NFC West division. Even if the second-place Seahawks beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the 49ers hold the tiebreaker based on their opening day win over the Seahawks. Moreover, the Niners are sitting pretty with a 3-0 division record, and wins over each of the other three NFC West teams.

So now the Niners have the ten-day “mini-bye,” and won’t play again until they too visit Tampa Bay next Sunday, October 12 at 1:25 pm PT.

Related: 49ers Beat Cardinals 16-15 at the Last Second to Stay Undefeated, And Maybe We Finally Have a Kicker We Like [SFist]

Image: INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Fred Warner #54 and Curtis Robinson #59 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate a missed field goal by Joshua Karty #16 of the Los Angeles Rams during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium on October 02, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

It definitely stings having solid veterans like left tackle Colton McKivitz and fullback Kyle Juszczyk unavailable, on top of losing three starting offensive linemen for the season's final two games after last week's loss to the Dolphins.

Still, there was reason to feel slightly optimistic going into this week's game against the top-seeded Detroit Lions.

Most notably, future Hall of Fame edge rusher Nick Bosa and former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga both made a full return from injury for this game. Outside of that, promising rookie running back Isaac Guerendo and defensive end Leonard Floyd were also slated to return.

For most of the game, those hopes were well-founded. The 49ers, led by quarterback Brock Purdy, were tied or in the lead up until the closing seconds of the third-quarter. Game-changing penalties and generally poor execution, two other problems plaguing the 49ers this season, found themselves conspicuously absent, bar one overthrown Purdy pass that led to an interception in the third-quarter.

Even though the team continued to be completely unable to run the football, Purdy was still playing better than he had in weeks, and the defense was holding up to quite a reasonable degree.

Going into the fourth-quarter trailing only by three points, one would think that they'd surely find a way to retake the momentum and win. The Shanahan-era 49ers have done this many times before, including last year's NFC Championship against this very same Lions team.

Given everything this team has accomplished over the years, it seems reasonable to not believe that they would actually choke against a conference rival in front of their fans for the third time this season. Right?

Apparently not.

Jake Moody, the kicker for the 49ers who has struggled all season to hit field goals, missed his second field goal of the night to begin the fourth-quarter. This mistake led swiftly to a successful field goal from the Lions that increased their lead to six.

With time winding down on the clock, the 49ers desperately needed to score a touchdown to prevent the game from getting out of hand. Six plays later, at midfield, Purdy looked to be leading a promising drive that would put his team right back in control of the game.

Then, Lions safety Kerby Joseph successfully read Purdy's eyes and jumped a crossing route, leading to another interception. On the ensuing drive, the 49ers defense, at the worst possible moment, decided to fall back into their previous ways and give up an easy touchdown to the Lions.

Despite these setbacks, the game was not yet over. The 49ers managed a quick touchdown with less than a minute remaining, despite Purdy leaving the field due to an elbow injury. Moody just needed to pull off a successful onside kick right after to give the 49ers a chance at a game-winning drive.

Unfortunately, the Lions ended up recovering the kick, effectively sealing the game away.

After the game, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, who has staunchly defended Moody throughout the season, said at the postgame presser that the team is "already evaluating [the kicker position]."

Shanahan also said that Purdy's injury does not appear to be serious, but that he will probably miss next week's season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.

Moody, for his part, seems to be taking everything in stride.

"It’s next kick mentality regardless of what happened prior,” Moody stated to the media. “Make it, miss it, game-winner, game-losing kick, you got to move on to the next kick because that’s the only one that matters.”

Interestingly enough, the strangest twist of the week didn't involve anybody I've already mentioned in this story, but Lions kicker Jake Bates.

Bates, after a successful fourth-quarter field goal, was seen stretching in a manner that made him look like he was dry humping the football field on a nationally televised broadcast.

The video clip, which was shown multiple times by ESPN's live broadcast, has since gone viral on social media.

"Jake Bates and the turf both need a cigarette after this," wrote one Lions fan on X.

All previous 49ers coverage on SFist.

Top image: SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NFL Football game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium on December 30, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The 49ers are firing De'Vondre Campbell, effective immediately, after the linebacker refused to take the field Thursday night when he called in, apparently over some ego thing.

De'Vondre Campbell didn't give a reason for why he wouldn't leave the bench Thursday when, in the third quarter, he was being called in to relieve fatigued starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw — who had just entered the season in this game after a torn Achilles tendon. But many have surmised that Campbell, who started in 12 of the team's 13 games this season, was upset about being replaced by Greenlaw in his first game back.

Coaches and teammates were fuming Thursday as, in this do-or-die matchup with the LA Rams, they were down, it was raining at Levi's, and their season was looking potentially doomed.

“I have never been around anybody that’s ever done that and I hope that I’m never around anybody that does that again,” said tight end George Kittle of Campbell's boycott, per Bay Area News Group.

As of Friday morning, coach Kyle Shanahan announced the team would be severing ties with Campbell, which may mean a suspension of his $5 million contract, a release from it, or a termination.

"We’re working through the semantics of exactly how to deal with it," Shanahan said during a media conference call, per the Chronicle. “You heard from me last night and the players. His actions from the game are not something you can do to your teammates or your teammates and still be part of our team.”

Shanahan reportedly found out about Campbell's boycott over his headset as he asked the defensive coaching staff where De'Vondre was in the third quarter. Campbell walked off the field in the fourth quarter to the locker room, and left the stadium before reporters could find him.

Reactions to Campbell's refusal to take the field have been universally outraged across the football world.

"If it were me, he would've been cut before he left the locker room," said ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, per NBC Bay Area. "He wouldn't have made it out of the locker room as a San Francisco 49er. I'll be honest with you: his career is in grave jeopardy. And it should be."

"You don't want a teammate like that," Smith added. "De'Vondre Campbell should be ashamed of himself. There is no excuse for what he did."

On FS1's The Facility, Emmanuel Acho also reportedly went off, saying, "I suggested De'Vondre Campbell is a double agent. I suggested De'Vondre Campbell is a traitor. The 49ers are a team, historically, an organization of toughness. Ronnie Lott, a historical great, he cut off his finger just so he could play in a game. My dear friend Marquise Goodwin, his wife had a stillbirth the day before [and] he plays in the game and catches a touchdown and prays up to the sky... Ricky Pearsall got shot and played six weeks later. Fred Warner had a broken ankle and he played the entirety of the season. Charvarius Ward lost a child and he played this season. George Kittle has ligaments being held together by a string. Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles and played 10 months later. And all you got, De'Vondre Campbell, is a bruised ego."

Charvarius Ward had some choice words as well, saying, "If he didn’t want to play, he shouldn’t have dressed out. He could have told them that before the game. I feel like that was some sucker shit that he did. … That’s some selfish stuff to me, in my opinion. Probably gonna be cut soon."

Campbell's record on the field this season was mixed, and it would certainly seem like a stretch for another team to want him now.

Top image: Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell #59 of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints, at Levi's Stadium on August 18, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

The football pre-season intrigue continues as various reports claim that potentially departing receiver Brandon Aiyuk did report to 49ers training camp today.

The wide receiver had not reported to the team's OTA's and mandatory minicamp practices, and he requested to be traded on July 16.

AS NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported today, amidst the continued negotiation struggles between Aiyuk the 49ers' front office, he will now report to training camp and adhere to the current contract.

"We fully intend on Brandon being a Niner," said General Manager John Lynch to reporters, and he called Aiyuk an "integral part of the team."

Aiyuk is currently on a one-year contract extension worth $14,124,000, and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. His goal is to become paid like a top NFL receiver he believes to be.

Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson is the NFL's highest paid wide receiver, currently on a $110 million contract, averaging $35 million per year. Aiyuk had nearly 300 more yards, and more touchdowns than Jefferson on just seven more receptions.

Mike Florio of Pro Football talk reported over the weekend that there were five teams interested in trading for Aiyuk this year, including the New England Patriots, who had offered the Niners a second-round draft pick ahead of the draft.

Aiyuk's status as a 49er remains up in the air, and it was not clear whether he would be participating in practices at training camp.

Top image: Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on prior to Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

Your San Francisco 49ers have to somehow process and hopefully rebound from blowing yet another 10-point Super Bowl lead to the Kansas City Chiefs, but if it's any consolation, oddsmakers have installed the 49ers as favorites to win next year’s championship.

There’s some very painful Monday morning quarterbacking in the wake of the San Francisco 49ers’ 25-22 Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and we don’t have Jimmy Garoppolo to blame for this one. In the Chronicle, Scott Ostler is calling it the “Déjà Vu Bowl,” as it so agonizingly reminiscent of the blown fourth quarter lead in the Niners’ 2020 Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs.

And ESPN points out that in the only two Super Bowls that have ever gone to overtime, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has coached in the losing side in both (he was the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator in the infamous “28-3” game where the Falcons blew that lead to Tom Brady and the Patriots.) And Shanahan is now 0-4 against the Chiefs as 49ers head coach, and Sunday was the Niners’ third straight Super Bowl loss, though one of those one was a Coach Jim Harbaugh loss.

ESPN’s piece contemplates whether the 49ers’ championship window may be closing, and Tim Kawakami wonders the same in The Athletic. After all, it seems that in the current NFL as we know it, you have to get past Patrick Mahomes. And the 49ers have shown the inability to do that.

But they still could! Heck, Mahomes could even lose in the playoffs, and maybe the 49ers would not face him in any theoretical future Super Bowl. And remember, the 49ers have pretty much everyone on this stacked roster coming back. The only question marks are contract extensions for guys already under contract next year — namely Brandon Aiyuk, and they should probably be thinking of giving Brock Purdy some kind of extension/raise. The Chronicle’s don’t blame Kyle Shanahan thinkpiece rightfully notes that Shanahan “has built the 49ers into the NFL’s second-most successful franchise of the past five seasons.”

And there were moments when the 49ers looked like they may have had this one. They were up 10-0 four-and-a-half minutes before halftime, which had Chiefs' tight end Travis Kelce throwing his helmet and shoving his coach. Bay Area News Group points out that the 49ers “led in the second, third and fourth quarters plus overtime,” yet still found a way to lose.

Three crucial mistakes will haunt the 49ers and their fans this offseason, and if any one of these mistakes hadn’t happened we’d probably be celebrating a championship today. Christian McCaffrey fumbled in the first quarter when it looked like the 49ers were cruising for a sure score.  That disastrous botched punt in the third quarter handed the Chiefs their first lead. And yes, more trouble for place kicker Jake Moody.

Will Moody be blamed for the blocked extra point in the fourth quarter? He might, because it feeds into a narrative that he misses kicks. Though the Sporting News points out it was more the offensive line’s fault. Still, if that extra point was made, the Chiefs could not have tied the game and sent it into overtime with a field goal, and the fourth quarter would have looked a lot different.

But take heart, 49ers fans, next year could look a lot different too. The early odds are out for next year’s Super Bowl, and the 49ers are the favorites to win it all in those way-too-early betting odds.

Related: 49ers Fans Express Their Sadness, Hope After Loss [SFist]

Image: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. #12 and quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after they connected on a game-winning touchdown in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Chiefs defeated the 49ers 25-22. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Eminem was there to cheer on his beloved Detroit Lions, and he reportedly flipped off some Niners fans. But most of the other celebs in attendance Sunday were part of the Faithful.

As with any big game toward the end of football season, there were VIPs in the stands at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, many of them rooting for your San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship. 70,000 fans in all were crowded into the stadium, including a lot of Detroit fans from the local area and those who flew in.

Among the Detroit fans was 15-time Grammy-winner Eminem, who was seen flipping off some Niners fans early in the game — the tweet below, which apparently shows Eminem doing this, was posted at 4:19 p.m., and kickoff was at 3:30.

Maestro and Fellow Travelers star Matt Bomer — whose dad, incidentally, played for the Dallas Cowboys — was in the stands with his son, wearing 49ers gear. The actor said on Instagram, "Thank you @49ers for an unforgettable game, and lifelong memory. See you at the Super Bowl!"

Ted Lasso star Cristo Fernandez (who plays Dani Rojas) was also there in a George Kittle "85" jersey.

The matchup that the local media has been hoping for the past couple of weeks, between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, has come to pass. And San Francisco celebrated Sunday night.

Your Niners team just took their eighth NFC Championship, and they are hoping for a sixth Super Bowl win for the franchise — in a matchup against the same team they were in the last Super Bowl with, in 2019, which they lost.

After a dramatic turnaround of a game, the 49ers pulled out an unlikely three-point win coming from way behind, and they are head to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years.

FYI, the CHP has shut down multiple off-ramps on 101 and 280 in SF's Mission District in order to discourage people from coming into San Francisco to celebrate tonight.

This year's Super Bowl matchup will also be against the team of the current Mr. Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce — and as we discussed last week Taylor should have enough time to fly back from her Tokyo concert the night before the Super Bowl to get to Vegas in time for a nap, and to attend the Big Game. (Taylor has since confirmed that she does, in fact, plan to be there.)

Niners Coach Kyle Shanahan spoke after the game about the "unfinished business" the Niners have with the Chiefs, and at the Super Bowl in general — with the team having lost at their previous two appearances at Super Bowl 46 (in 2012, against the Baltimore Ravens) and Super Bowl 53 in 2019.

"Oh there's been unfinished business for a while, man. Our team set out for this for a while, and it's been a long year to get to this point," Shanahan said post-game, speaking to Michael Strahan at Levi's Stadium. "It was hard at the beginning, but the type of team we have, the character of these guys, we can't wait to get to Vegas."

At age 24, against all odds, Brock Purdy will now be the third-youngest quarterback to start at a Super Bowl in NFL history.

Purdy spoke to Strahan after the game as well, discussing how the Niners was down 17 points going into the second half of Sunday's game, only to go on to beat the Detroit Lions 34-31.

"We knew had a half left... Coach called a great game, and we had the Faithful behind us the whole way," Purdy said.

Super Bowl LVIII is in two weeks, on February 11, at the new Las Vegas stadium built for the former Oakland Raiders, technically in Paradise, Nevada.

Usher will be the halftime-show performer.

Top image: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Head coach Kyle Shanahan after defeating the Detroit Lions 34-31 in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Bay Area-born rappers Saweetie and P-Lo dropped a new song Friday, "Do It For The Bay," and an accompanying video to support the San Francisco 49ers in their playoff game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday.

Saweetie, who was born in Santa Clara, and P-Lo, raised in Pinole, collaborated on the song, which references E-40’s 2019 hype song, "Niner Gang,” which came out during that year's playoff run and trip to the Super Bowl.

The 49ers have been in the playoffs the last two years, and the team has a record 18 NFC Championship appearances. The Packers are hoping for their 10th appearance in the championships game, and this is the 10th overall head-to-head division playoff battle for the Niners and the Packers.

It should be noted, the Grammy-nominated Saweetie (born Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper) has some deep 49ers and Bay Area ties. As KPIX reports, she is the niece of Oakland's own MC Hammer, and the granddaughter of Willie Harper, the onetime 49ers linebacker who was part of the 1981 team that won Super Bowl XVI.

The Niners' have added "Do It For the Bay" to their official playlist on Spotify, and you'll likely be hearing it out at the bars this weekend if you go somewhere to watch Saturday's game.

Related: Niners Fans Catch Playoff Fever

Other than the storybook Cinderella ending we were all hoping for, what could have been a more fitting conclusion to the San Francisco 49ers' 2022/23 season than seeing multiple quarterbacks go down in yesterday's NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles? Despite pulling themselves up by their red and gold bootstraps time and time again throughout a season riddled with injuries, despite a roster deep with talented weapons and a best-in-the-league defense, and despite the unlikely ascendence — and undeniable relevance — of the last player picked in the draft, the 49ers' luck finally ran out on Sunday.

The 49ers lost 31-7 to the Eagles and were denied a trip to the Super Bowl, but also denied what would have been one of the great storylines in sports history.

It felt like a game of exceptionally bad luck for the Niners, with mere inches separating glory from disaster early on. "What if San Francisco 49ers' Coach Kyle Shanahan had thrown the challenge flag after [a] Philadelphia Eagles' wide receiver hauled in that improbable 4th-and-3 catch? Or what if [an] Eagles' linebacker hadn’t tattooed Brock Purdy’s right elbow on the quarterback’s third dropback? And what if Nick Bosa had been standing safely a yard or two away from a sideline collision that upended him?" the Washington Post wonders aloud.

The aforementioned 4th-down catch led to a Philly touchdown, but there should have been no reason to worry. We have seen Brock Purdy, who looked calm and collected when he stepped on the field, play from behind, win on the road and win big playoff games. In fact, we have never seen Brock Purdy lose.

His first pass of the game, straight up the middle to George Kittle, established a familiar rhythm that would surely blossom into an effective drive. But then there was the aforementioned hit on Purdy, and to add insult to what turned out to effectively be a game-ending injury for Brock Purdy, it was determined after a challenge (a challenge, Kyle Shanahan, why didn't you just challenge!) that Purdy had fumbled the ball — one of his few turnovers in his nine-ish games as the Niners' QB.

There was a profound sense of deja vu — along with a dark, ominous chill — when yet another 49ers quarterback took over on San Francisco's next possession. Josh Johnson, who has played with I think every single team in the NFL and alternative leagues, entered his first-ever playoff game, and hung in there, until he didn't.

The Niners punted, and when the Eagles were deep in their own territory, Nick Bosa nearly sacked Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts for a safety, forcing Philly to punt from inside their own end zone. Once again, the Niners were mere inches from the game swinging into their favor.

With a short field to work with, Christian McCaffrey put the Niners on his back, carrying or receiving the ball on every possession and eventually finding the end zone for a for a Niners' touchdown. It was 7-7 halfway through the second quarter and the San Francisco D was standing tall, but the game, from a 49ers' fan perspective, still had an eerie feeling. Philly put together a solid, seven-plus-minute drive — saddled with multiple 49er penalties — putting the score at 14-7.

With about a minute and thirty seconds left in the first half, Josh Johnson threw a magnificent pass to Deebo Samuel for a quick first down, and mid-field was instantly well in range. What a great start to a critical, potentially momentum-swinging drive! But on the next play, Johnson appeared to take his eyes off the ball on the snap, and fumbled. The Eagles recovered and scored another touchdown before the half to make it 21-7.

It was those kinds of plays — a silly, fundamental mistake in a high-pressure situation — that Brock Purdy had managed to avoid during his brief, brilliant tenure as the 49ers QB.

There was more carnage, still, that would befall a 49er quarterback.

Josh Johnson took a hit early in the second half, with his head snapping off the turf, causing him to suffer a concussion. This forced the return of a hobbled Brock Purdy. We would, however, barely see the Niners' offense on the field in the third quarter, as the 49er defense started to self-destruct on penalties. A roughing-the-kicker flag on a Philly punt kept the ball in Jalen Hurts' hands; a shove to the Eagles' quarterback after he'd stepped out of bounds led to another Philadelphia score. It was 28-7, and the game felt out of reach. It had felt our of reach for some time.

When Purdy did take the field again, he threw one short pass, then handed the ball off a million times. "I'd been throwing, after the hit occurred, on the sidelines just to see where I was at — but even in those throws, it was painful," Purdy said at the postgame press conference. "I couldn't throw anything over ten yards, five yards." Christian McCaffrey was technically the Niners' fifth quarterback, and donned the QB's playbook wristband at one point. (Hadn't there been talk of a possible Jimmy Garoppolo return — or at least his availability — in time for the playoffs, or the Super Bowl? "I wish I had a helmet," Jimmy G told NBC Sports Bay Area yesterday.)

But it was Purdy who took his rightful place at the helm of a ship that was slowly but surely going down, a ship that wouldn't have been in the championship game at all without his hand on the wheel. (Jimmy G deserved to take a few snaps, too.)

In the week-long gaps between playoff games, there was an exceptional amount of noise surrounding Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, and... Tom Brady? There are predictions that "the 49ers will sign Tom Brady to be their starter and make Brock Purdy the backup, with Trey Lance being traded to the Tennessee Titans." There was a headline which read, "Purdy is 49ers' QB, Trey Lance a 'mistake." And there was a headline describing Brock Purdy's luck, with one analyst saying that if the 49ers did win the Super Bowl, Purdy would have "gotten" the trophy, but not "earned" it. (Phooey.)

We can expect the rumors to continue to swirl in the cold February wind, and I'm sure we can expect people to continue to explain how Brock Purdy isn't that good, doesn't have that much of an arm, and that with him, the Niners' offense will forever be stuck to a check-down, incrementalist style relying on yards-after-catch plays that might win some games, but will never win it all.

Have fun with the chatter, everyone.

The only thing I'm lamenting is that we never got to see Brock Purdy be Brock Purdy in a championship game. He was injured almost immediately yesterday, and returned only when the 49ers were literally out of quarterbacks.

I know that it's easy to focus too much on the quarterback — especially one as out-of-nowhere as Purdy — and to define the narrative of a team by the guy taking the snaps. The 49ers are an incredibly deep and talented squad. What is the right "type" of quarterback (or quarterbacks) to tie it all together and unleash their full potential?

I have no idea, but I can only say this: It was so much fun to watch Mr. Irrelevant take the spotlight.

And it's only just begun.

Top Image: Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

When the Dallas Cowboys' huge, lightning fast defensive lineman smothered Brock Purdy on a 2nd and 10 less than one minute into Sunday's Divisional game at Levi's Stadium, it was clear that the San Francisco 49ers were going to have their hands full. Purdy lost nine yards on that sack, and the Niners started the game with a quick three and out. Dallas's defense had allowed the sixth-fewest points in the NFL this season, and all those yards after the catch that the Niners have come to rely on just weren't there yesterday.

Those multiple touchdown passes that we've all come to expect from seven-game- starting veteran Brock Purdy would also not be there, nor would a Christian McCaffrey 100-yard game. Those 34.8-points per game that the 49ers have been averaging since Purdy took the helm wouldn't be there, nor would Nick Bosa add to his 15.5 sacks on the season.

Instead, it would be a battle of two magnificent defenses, and a grinding, hard-fought, victory for the 49ers, who — win or lose — were playing their last game at Levi's Stadium for the season. Beating the Cowboys 19-12, the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship game next week in Philadelphia against the high-flying Eagles.  

With the game still scoreless late in the first quarter, Deommodore Lenoir intercepted a Dak Prescott pass, setting up the Niners' deep in Dallas territory. Brock Purdy took another sack, but managed a first-down pass to Brandon Aiyuk. That set up a field goal, and with the score 3-0 Niners, the defensive grind was in full, incredibly slow swing.

The Cowboys' offense seemed to find short gains more or less on demand, and put together their best drive of the game at the end of the first quarter and into the second. Running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard pounded their way upfield.(Pollard would go on to break his leg and leave the game late in the first half.) The Cowboys, who still weren't sure of their kicker Brett Maher would ever make a field goal again, went for it on a 4th and 1 around the Niners' 20 and made it, leading to an eventual Prescott touchdown pass.

Maher did miss the extra point — technically, it was blocked, but on the replay, the kick seemed doomed the second it left Maher's cursed foot, making it a 6-3 game.

The Niners pieced together a long drive in the late-afternoon January light, culminating in another Robbie Gould field goal and a tie game late in the half.

Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense seemed to be in more of a rhythm than their red and gold counterparts. Prescott's ran for a few big gains and first downs, but also made a few inexplicable throws. While deep Niners' territory with just over a minute in the half — and presumably well inside field-goal range for a kicker not suffering from an existential crisis — Prescott fired a pass on a 2nd and 2 that was tipped by Jimmie Ward right into the hands of Fred Warner.

A 20-ish yard throw from Purdy to Jauan Jennings set up another Niners' field goal to end the half 9-6.

When the Cowboys punted on their first possession of the second half, Ray-Ray McCloud was stripped immediately after he caught the ball. The 49ers did well to stymie the Cowboys in the red zone, forcing them to rely on their almost comically unreliable kicker Brett Maher — but there would be no missing from Maher this time, and the game was tied at 9-9.

The Cowboys and Niners exchanged possessions, leading to the definitive drive of the game for San Francisco.

On a 1st and 10 from around his own 20-yard line, Purdy faked a handoff to Christian McCaffrey, then rolled to his right, free from any pressure of the swarming white jerseys. Purdy set his feet and fired up the middle to George Kittle, who juggled the pass for what "seemed like it was 10 seconds of bobbling," Purdy said. The ball bounced off Kittle's hand, off his helmet and back into his hands for a circus highlight.

It seemed to be enough of a spark to ignite the San Francisco offense. After being bottled up all game, Christian McCaffrey started to put some work in — he had 35 yards on 10 attempts along with six receptions — and ran the ball into the end zone to start the fourth quarter. 16-9, Niners.

With their kicker's confidence restored, Dallas got another field goal early in the fourth quarter, (16-12) before the Niners went to work on one of their longest – which is to say time-consuming-est — drives of the game. Brock Purdy passed with impunity into his favorite part of the field: right up the middle, though the hash marks and between the numbers. This culminated in another San Francisco field goal, maintaining their one-touchdown lead.

The only 49ers' sack of Dak Prescott could not have been more timely, as Samson Ebukam got to the Dallas QB on a 3rd and 10 while the Cowboys were deep in their own territory. The Niners got the ball back with about two minutes left, and Elijah Mitchell got a first down, then went out of bounds with 1:47 on the clock. Dallas was able to use their two remaining time outs to preserve enough clock to make one last drive, from their own end zone with less than a minute left, in an attempt to tie the game.

"The whole season, I've been taking things in and just being appreciative of where I'm at with my life and playing football — the little things, the big things, all of it," Brock Purdy was quoted as saying after the game by the Mercury News. "When I first got in against Miami, I wanted to show the guys that I could play and earn their respect. As I've played more games and played in front of this crowd, it’s more like, man, let's win."

How did the game look to the coach?

"By no means was anything perfect for the whole offense or the whole team," Kyle Shanahan said. "But it seemed like playoff football. Going against this team, we've been watching them all week, we had a feeling it was going to be this type of game. That's why we were stressing the run game on both sides and stressing protecting the ball and trying to force turnovers. We accomplished both of those things."

The Niners are a "slight" underdog to the Philadelphia Eagles, but one headline read: "San Francisco will advance to Super Bowl 57." Despite a late-season skid, the Eagles were the best team in the league this year. Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts are the two youngest quarterbacks remaining in the playoffs.  

Top Image: Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

When Brock Purdy rolled out of the pocket and to his left on a 3rd and 10 on the Seattle Seahawk's 15-yard line with about five minutes left in yesterday's wild-card game, no one was open. Deebo Samuel was covered in the back of the end zone. Purdy scrambled back the other way and was nearing the opposite sideline, looking to unload the ball. At that point, the Niners had already blown the game open, but rookie QB Brock Purdy was fighting for more points as if the game was on the line.

San Francisco had played well in the first half, but so had the Seahawks, who managed to steal a field goal at the bitter end of the second quarter to make it 17-16. Brock Purdy had decent start playing in the rain, but definitely seemed a little out of rhythm, missing a few (as in two) throws to open players. The Niners settled for field goals in something like three first-half trips to the red zone. The game never felt out of hand, but an epic upset — especially after Seattle's late field goal — certainly seemed possible. (Pete Carroll went into yesterday's game 6-0 when leading after the first half in the playoffs.)

For Brock Purdy, who fairly or unfairly carries the weight of the 49ers' championship hopes, there had been chatter about his absence of playoff experience, the fact that he's rarely played in rainy conditions, and the general unlikelihood of his short, spectacular existence as the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback.

But it was all Niners in the second half. They started the third quarter with a seven-and-a-half minute drive for a touchdown (23-17), then forced a turnover on Seattle's next possession when the Hawks were deep in Niners' territory. That San Francisco possession led to another long drive, where Purdy scrambled in the red zone again, finding Elijah Mitchell (31-17 after a successful 49ers' two-point conversion). The Seahawks started to fall apart, racking up nearly 30 negative yards in penalties on their next possession and ultimately punting. Then Deebo Samuel went 74-yards for a touchdown (38-17). On the Seahawks very next 1st and 10, the Niners got an interception, leading to that moment when Brock Purdy was scrambling back to his right, looking for a target, and fighting for one more touchdown.

Scrambling and scrambling, Purdy made a little move on a Seahawk defensive lineman. As another white jersey was bearing down on him, he fired the ball to Brandon Aiyuk in the top-right corner of the end zone who pulled it in and dragged his feet, but dropped the ball at the last second. (Purdy took a big hit for his troubles.)

Had Aiyuk hauled it in, it would have cemented Purdy's utter dominance, which was already kind of on display.

In the first half, Purdy had been flushed to his left several times, barely escaping the Seattle defense before turning his body 180 degrees to fire the ball out of bounds and avoid a sack. Purdy had "faced adversity" against Seattle, though one has to remind themselves that the Niners were never down by more than one point. (Purdy's "adversity" would be a "very good game" for most quarterbacks.) Purdy went nuclear in the second half, going 9-of-11 for 185 yards with two passing touchdowns and one rushing score. Purdy had 332 yards on the game — a career high — with three touchdown throws.

The Niners won 41-23 and advanced to the divisional round where they'll host either the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys or Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi's Stadium next week.

Sorry to fixate too much on Purdy. (Sorry not sorry.) To be fair, the quarterback is like the lead singer and/or guitarist, with all eyes on them in the spotlight.

"Did you feel the moment?" a reporter asked Purdy about overthrowing a wide-open player early in the game. "Honestly, the ball was a little wet," Purdy shrugged. "It was raining at the time, and it just got away from me." How perfect do we expect him to be?

The rest of the 49ers band played pretty well, too, and the staggering depth of the team once again overwhelmed an opponent who had been hanging in there through the first half. The Niners were up 10-0 when Seattle came roaring back. Credit Seattle QB Geno Smith, and credit wide receiver DK Metcalf who had a fantastic, 136-yard game. Credit Pete Carroll, and his now-broken record, for heaven's sakes.

Christian McCaffrey thundered up the field for 119 yards and a touchdown on Saturday, again establishing himself as the Niners' workhorse. I felt like I saw the same 20-plus-yard Purdy-to-Brandon-Aiyuk pass up the middle at least five times yesterday, contributing to Aiyuk's 73 yards. Deebo Samuel had 133 yards on a mere six receptions, and seemed to leave streaks of fire on the field in the wake of his runs. George Kittle had a few big catches and even bigger blocks. Nick Bosa recovered a loose ball the 49ers had jarred loose while rushing Geno Smith.

Deebo Samuel said that Brock Purdy had displayed his "slithery-ness," referring to his scrambling, and a reporter conveyed the compliment to Purdy, adding, "Is this something that you knew you had? Or is this just instinct?"

"I mean, it's not something where I go into a play [thinking] I'm going to scramble. Growing up, I've been able to scramble and make plays off-schedule. It's something I've done my whole life in terms of finding a way when it's not there."

A reporter asked Purdy about that 3rd-and-10 roll out late in the game that started this story: "You almost had a fourth touchdown pass to BA [Brandon Aiyuk] in the corner, on that roll-out, and you took a big shot at the end. When you look back on that play, was it worth it?"

"Yeah," Purdy laughed.

He went into his typical press-conference self-analysis in real-time: "Obviously I've got to be smarter, I've got to get the ball out if the first read's not there instead of doing all that extra stuff." But then he said: "Yeah, I feel like it was one of those situations where if we can put one more touchdown in, [we can] put the nail in the coffin ." Purdy said a field goal was "just as good," but he also said, in his understated way, how hungry he was to really seal the game, and that it was worth it to try.

I like that Purdy and BA left a little bit out on the field, because there's still a long way to go.  

Top Image: Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

The Arizona Cardinals were playing with a little more pride and conviction on Sunday than most San Francisco 49ers' fans were probably comfortable with. The Cardinals hung around in the first half, before the Niners' momentum, which started rolling around mid-season, barreled through Arizona for a 38-13 victory. There would be no breaking the 49ers' winning streak, which culminated yesterday in 10 straight Ws — plus six-straight wins for Brock Purdy — for a 13-4 record on the year.

The question on every 49ers fan's mind now is: How deep can this team go into the playoffs?

"When you're on a roll, you feel [in] the groove," said Brock Purdy after Sunday's win. "I think a lot of us feel like we still haven’t played to our full potential yet."

It took a moment for the permutations to finally settle yesterday and spit out next week's matchups. The Detroit Lions, who had been eliminated before their game against the Green Bay Packers began last night, were also playing with a lot more pride and conviction than might have been expected.

The Lions ultimately sent Aaron Rogers and the Packers packing, opening the door instead for the 9-8 Seattle Seahawks to visit Levi's Stadium on Saturday, the first playoff game of this year's postseason.

San Francisco beat out the Minnesota Vikings on a tiebreaker for the second seed, "assuring the 49ers won’t have to go on the road before the NFC title game," the AP reported.  (There had been some jocular musings that the 49ers should have tanked yesterday's game to secure the No.3 seed and avoid Rogers and the Packers, who probably have some score-settling to do after last year's crushing loss to the Niners in the divisional round.)

Still, with one of the best records in the league, it's kind of a bummer that the 49ers have to play in the wild-card round. Meanwhile, the 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the 12-5 Dallas Cowboys next Monday night.

Thank goodness all of the numbers have finally been crunched, and we can get on to the real business of worrying about Seattle.

Should we worry? Statistically, no. On paper — and by every other objective measure — the Niners are by far the better team; they're favored by 10 points next week. That's what worries me.

The NFL postseason is unforgiving with very little margin for error. (Just ask Rogers and the Packers.) But the Niners have been playing error-free, playoff-caliber football for several weeks now, finishing the season with the best-ranked defense in the league and the fifth-best offense. There are times when I have to remind myself that Brock Purdy hasn't been the Niners' QB for three-plus years, and that he doesn't already have a few seasons of playoff experience under his gold belt.  

I have to fight the temptation to continually expound on the unlikely ascendence of Brock Purdy, or to be continually amazed at one of sport's great Cinderella stories. Now that the regular season is over, none of that matters. Purdy is no longer the heroic third-stringer that rose from "irrelevance" in a dark moment to quarterback a very good team who was, in all likelihood, already destined for the playoffs. Now, Purdy is simply the Niners' QB. He's The Guy. He's gotten his reps in. The goal is clear and simple: Win the next four games.

(Though it's still too early to say this, and even though I don't believe in jinxes, I'm kind of worried that I'll jinx it [Please don't read this if you feel like I'm tempting fate]: No rookie QB has ever won the Super Bowl. Yes, Kurt Warner and Tom Brady won it all in their first year as starters, with Brady coming in during Week 2. It's not clear to me at what point, or in how many games, someone goes from "rookie" to "starter.")

The Niners swept Seattle this season, beating the Hawks 27-7 in Week 2 at Levi's, when Trey Lance went out with a broken ankle and Jimmy Garoppolo unexpectedly got another shot at QB. The 49ers beat the Seahawks again less than a month ago, this time 21-13 in Seattle, in Brock Purdy's first-ever road game, and second-ever career start. Next week's playoff game will mark the 49ers' second postseason meeting with Seattle; the Seahawks beat the 49ers, 23-17, in the NFC Championship Game in January 2014, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The stage is set, but hopefully the Seattle Seahawks are nothing more than a quick Act 1 on the path to something much more dramatic.

The 49ers will take on the Seattle Seahawks at 1:30 p.m.

Top Image: Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images  

How about that backup quarterback? No one knew his name before he took the field yesterday, but he played with poise and swagger, passing for 365 yards and three touchdowns. Will he be the new face of the franchise? Will he lead his team to glory?

I'm talking of course about Jarrett Stidham, who made his first career start on Sunday and very nearly led the Oakland . . . sorry . . . Las Vegas Raiders to an improbable win against the San Francisco 49ers — almost doing a kind of Brock Purdy impersonation. After the Niners scored a touchdown with a little more than two minutes left in the game to make it 34-27, it was the last gasp for the Raiders, who were trying to reinvent themselves at the bitter end of the season. Coming into yesterday's game at 6-9, the Raiders had a slim chance at making the playoffs after benching their longtime QB Derek Carr for "personal reasons."

Anyway, Stidham and the Raiders managed to tie the game with about a minute left with an improbable, amazing 45-yard diving catch by Davante Adams that led to a rushing touchdown and a 34-34 tie.

With about a minute left, Brock Purdy did what he's been doing so well since his arrival into our lives less than one month ago: fire short passes up the middle for small, steady gains.

The 49ers were just inside field-goal range and had a 1st and 10 with about 30 seconds left when Purdy rolled out and was hit as he threw across his body, sending the ball wobbling through the air for several long, precarious seconds.

Anyone in the stadium could have gotten underneath it for an interception, but the ball floated right to Brandon Aiyuk, and the Niners were in business. It set up an easy, 41-yard field-goal attempt for Robby Gould, and I was hurrying to finish my beer at the bar, because this game was about to . . .

. . . Go to overtime?

Gould, who had made every single field goal over a seven-game stretch, kicked it wide right, and the unlikely Raiders' storyline still had some life. Would Jarrett Stidham wrestle the glass slipper away from Brock Purdy to become the NFL's newest cinderella story?

It was actually a shame when Stidham threw his own wobbler in overtime, which was easily intercepted by the 49ers and run back deep into Las Vegas' territory. Nick Bosa had shoved a Raider's linemen into the outstretched arm of Stidham, causing the ball to flutter well short of the intended target.

That set up another Robbie Gould field-goal attempt, this one a chip shot, which he kicked right down the middle.

Final score: 37-34 San Francisco. The Niners have won nine games in a row, and Brock Purdy — who already feels like he's been the 49ers' quarterback for several long, successful seasons — has won his first four starts.  

Has it been a little too easy for the 49ers?

This might be neither here nor there, but most of the Niners' losses this season have come against subpar teams. Yesterday's nail biter with the now-eliminated-from-the-playoffs Raiders seemed to continue that odd and perhaps alarming trend. "San Francisco overcame a rare off day from what was the league's top-ranked defense entering the game," the San Francisco Chronicle reported. "The 34 points were the most the 49ers have allowed since their most recent loss, 44-23 to Kansas City on Oct. 23."

Brock Purdy threw for 284 yards yesterday with two touchdown passes, one interception and a 62.9% completion rating on the day, his lowest of in his five appearances as QB, but still quite near his average of  66%. Purdy had never trailed after the first quarter until yesterday in the Nevada desert. "It was great to have some adversity like that for myself to get that kind of experience," Purdy said in a postgame interview.

"All these guys are playmakers, man," Purdy said of the 49ers' deep roster of weapons. "I just have to do my job and be a point guard and distribute it to the right guy."

The Playoff Scenarios

We might as well get a Ouija board to start talking 49er playoff computations, but here goes:

If the 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals next week and the Philadelphia Eagles lose to the New York Giants, the Niners would clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and earn a bye until the divisional round, The Mercury News reported. "In the event that the 49ers drop to the No. 3 seed with a loss [next week] and a Vikings' win, they would face the Giants on that opening weekend of the playoffs. [The 49ers] cannot fall to the No. 4 seed, which was wrapped up by the Buccaneers with a win Sunday over Carolina."  

The Mercury News broke down several scenarios:  

No. 1 seed: Win vs. Cardinals plus Eagles loss vs. Giants.

No. 2 seed: Win vs. Cardinals plus Eagles win vs. Giants or loss vs. Cardinals plus Vikings loss vs. Bears.

No. 3 seed: Loss vs. Cardinals plus Vikings win vs. Bears.

PS: Deebo Samuel is expected to return either next week against the Cardinals, or for the first playoff game.

Top Image: Yesterday's game felt as if it were in the Bay Area, with 49ers' red and gold dominating the stands and making it feel like a road game for the hometown Raiders. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)

Taylor Heinicke has epitomized the narrative of the "person of low status or importance who unexpectedly achieves great success or public recognition," aka the "Cinderella story," in the NFL, and perhaps in all of pro sports. When he took over as quarterback for the Washington Commanders early this season, Heinicke led his team to five wins and one tie over eight games. NBC analyst Chris Collinsworth said that Heinicke emanated "pixie dust," referring to the 29-year-old QB's ability to improvise big plays leading to improbable wins. Heinicke and the Commanders even managed to hand the Philadelphia Eagles their only loss of the season back in Week 10.

It would appear, however, that there's only so much pixie dust to go around.

Coming into yesterday's game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium, analysts were drawing parallels between the two unlikely starting quarterbacks. When it was over, Brock Purdy had wrestled the glass slipper from Heinicke, leading the 49ers to a 37-20 win. It was a history-making game for Purdy as a starting rookie QB, who chalked up his fourth-straight win, extending the Niners' eight-game winning streak, and making fans wonder just how far this fairy tale can go.

Taylor Heinicke certainly lived up to his Cinderella-esque reputation through the first half yesterday. Both the Niners and Commanders had gone for it and come up short on 4th and short yardage deep in their opponents territory, turning the ball over on downs, and keeping the game scoreless early. Ray-Ray McCloud broke the goose eggs with a 70-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter to make it 7-0 Niners.

San Francisco's famous defense forced Washington to punt on their next possession, and the Niners were driving from around their own 15-yard line when Brock Purdy fired a pass a little behind Jauan Jennings, who bobbled the pass, sending the ricochet into the air and into the hands of a Commander. It was only Purdy's second interception in his short, magnificent tenure at the Niners' helm.  

Washington took over deep in Niners' territory with about three minutes left in the half. Nick Bosa logged one of his two sacks on the day, but Heinicke managed a few first downs, then evaded Bosa and Talanoa Hufanga masterfully for a 20-yard pass, setting up an eventual touchdown throw to make it a 7-7 game at halftime.

That Taylor Heinicke magic was still sparkling bright, while Brock Purdy was "finally resembling a barely drafted rookie for two quarters," the San Francisco Chronicle wrote. Purdy was 5 of 10 for 62 yards with one interception to start the second half.

And history was against him: No rookie quarterback had won their first three starts for the last 72 years.    

Purdy came out slinging in the second half before firing a deep, 40-ish yard pass up the middle to George Kittle, who snagged the ball in the end zone to make it 14-7.

Another Purdy-to-Kittle pass made it 21-7 Niners late in the third quarter when Taylor Heinicke launched his own deep, almost 50-yard shot to Terry McLaurin who made a spectacular grab, setting up another touchdown pass to bring the Commanders to within a touchdown at 21-14.

The 49ers scored the first of several field goals to start the fourth quarter and extend the lead. But the clock had struck midnight for Taylor Heinicke, who turned back into a turnover-prone pumpkin.

He fumbled the ball on a Nick Bosa sack leading to another Niners' field goal; on the next Commanders' possession, Heinicke threw an interception to the Niners' Jimmie Ward, leading to yet another Niners' three-pointer and a 30-14 score. Heinicke was benched for starter-turned backup Carson Wentz, who went on to throw a touchdown pass in the Commanders' losing effort.

Brock Purdy was 15 of 22 yesterday for 234 yards and a 68.2% completion rate; he threw for two touchdowns, one interception, and took three sacks. Purdy and "undrafted Hall of Famer Kurt Warner are the only QBs since 1950 to have a 3-0 start to their career while throwing multiple touchdown passes in each game," the Chronicle reported.  

"I don't really think about getting more and more comfortable or anything like that," Brock Purdy said after yesterday's win. "I still have that same fire and drive as before when I wasn’t playing. I want to go in and I want to prove to my teammates and earn the respect every play, every snap, every drive."

Top Image: Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Image