The 49ers delighted fans with a rip-roaring fourth quarter come-from-behind victory Sunday, but kicker Jake Moody is once again Public Enemy #1 in San Francisco, as by no means should this have needed to be a come-from-behind victory.  

Sunday’s San Francisco 49ers opener against the Seattle Seahawks was Niners quarterback Brock Purdy’s first game on his big-money, $265 million contract. And Purdy certainly proved he was worth it in the clutch, pulling out a 17-13 victory in Seattle. Trailing 13-10 with just 1:43 to go, Purdy pulled a very wild improvisational rabbit out of his hat on a Third and Goal. It was a do-or-die play, and Purdy did, as he ran back about ten full yards from the line of scrimmage, danced around three defenders, and just plain chucked a wing and a prayer up to the end zone, where the triple-covered third-string tight end Jake Tonges somehow caught the jump ball. This would prove the game winning touchdown.

Tonges went to Cal, by the way!

And Purdy was masterful throughout the fourth-quarter dive that started with 3:19 left to play, setting up the score on the exhilarating 45-yard sideline strike to Ricky Pearsall seen below.

But 49ers fans are likely much angrier than usual after a win. Third-year placekicker Jake Moody nearly single-handedly blew this game for them on multiple occasions, and they never should have trailed after George Kittle’s first quarter touchdown on their opening drive. Moody blew his first opportunity to take the lead by kicking the ball straight into the uprights on an eminently makeable 27-yard field goal just before the half. And the Seahawks capitalized, making their own 48-yarder to take the 10-7 halftime lead that should have been a 49ers lead.

Moody’s kicking problems reared their head again late in the third quarter, as he had a field goal attempt blocked. You could charitably call this a “special teams” problem, but that’s six points just plain pissed away in a close game. Fox Sports’ sideline reporter Pam Oliver said after the play that “I saw two thrown helmets and a lot of ticked-off looking players.”

Is Jake Moody going to get cut? It’s certainly the sentiment among 49ers players that he should be, considering his missing ten field goals last season, and then had an extra point blocked in the 2024 Super Bowl (a game that… went to overtime).

And despite the heroics of Brock Purdy and Jake Tonges, the 49ers still almost lost this game, and were lucky that they didn’t. The Seahawks promptly marched the ball down the field after that 49ers fourth-quarter touchdown, making it all the way to the nine yard line, for what sure appeared that it would be the game-winning TD that crushed Niners’ fans collective hearts and souls.

But the 49ers sealed the win with a Nick Bosa strip fumble of Sam Darnold seconds later that set off extremely large sighs of relief across the Bay Area.

You could say that the 49ers have returned to their former glory with Robert Saleh back as defensive coordinator. Or you could say that the 49ers have regressed to their nightmare of last year’s 6-11 camping because their kicker can't make a kick.

Both of those things are probably true, and that does not bode well for this team.

Regardless, it is now on to play the Saints in New Orleans this coming Sunday at 10 am PT.

Related: 49ers QB Brock Purdy and Wife Welcome New Baby [SFist]

Image: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 07: Jake Tonges #88 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a touchdown with Ben Bartch #78 during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during the game at Lumen Field on September 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)