Tag: 49ers

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receivers Deebo Samuel (19) and Brandon Aiyuk (11) take the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk returns to practice; Deebo Samuel sits out

Posted on | by Field Level Media

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was back at practice on Monday after being inactive for the 49ers’ home victory over the New York Giants last Thursday night, but fellow star wide receiver Deebo Samuel did not practice.

Aiyuk suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 on his first catch against the Los Angeles Rams. He finished with 43 yards in a 30-23 road victory.

In Week 1, Aiyuk caught eight passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns at Pittsburgh in the 49ers’ 30-7 victory.

Aiyuk, 25, was a first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arizona State.

Samuel (ribs) was held out of Monday’s on-field workouts after playing a big role in the win over the Giants.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday the minor injury wasn’t expected to keep Samuel out too long.

“(He’s) pretty sore, so it’ll be day-to-day,” Shanahan said.

Samuel was hurt in the fourth quarter following a 19-yard reception.

“I actually fell on the ball and I thought it was my ribs,” Samuel said after the game. “I think the wind got knocked out of me. But after going in the tent, everything checked out fine and I was good.”

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, listed day-to-day with an ankle injury, did not practice on Monday.

The 49ers (3-0) host the Arizona Cardinals (1-2) Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) jogs onto the field before the game against the New York Giants at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

49ers jump Chiefs as Super Bowl favorite

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Brock Purdy is making believers and the 49ers’ odds jump to the top of the Super Bowl LVIII futures market are clear evidence San Francisco has rising support.

Purdy remains perfect as a starter in the regular season. The 49ers are off to a 3-0 start and newly released odds for the Lombardi Trophy winner from BetMGM have the 49ers at +550 ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs at +600.

The Chiefs and 49ers are even at +600 at FanDuel.

The Chiefs opened as favorites at most sportsbooks and their odds remain unchanged after a 41-10 thrashing of the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Eagles, in action Monday night at Tampa Bay, are third at +700 at BetMGM and FanDuel (opening odds were +900) with the Bills, Cowboys and rising Miami Dolphins all +1000 at BetMGM. Buffalo is +950 at FanDuel.

The Dolphins drubbed the Denver Broncos by 50 points in Week 3. Miami is 3-0 for the second consecutive season following the 70-20 victory and the biggest riser on the futures board for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Miami opened at +3000.

The Cincinnati Bengals are +2500 after opening at +850 and are among the biggest fallers on the odds board.

The Chicago Bears dipped to +40000. The Bears are winless and opened at +6600.

Since the season-ending injury to Aaron Rodgers, the Jets have fallen from +2400 to +15000 at BetMGM.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws a pass against the New York Giants in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Brock Purdy, 49ers roll over Giants

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Brock Purdy passed for a regular-season career-high 310 yards and two touchdowns to help the San Francisco 49ers post a 30-12 victory over the New York Giants on Thursday night at Santa Clara, Calif.

Christian McCaffrey rushed for a touchdown and totaled 119 yards (85 rushing, 34 receiving) for the 49ers (3-0), who won their 13th consecutive regular-season game. Deebo Samuel had six receptions for 129 yards and one score, George Kittle caught seven passes for 90 yards and Ronnie Bell hauled in his first career touchdown catch for San Francisco.

Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa recorded his first sack since signing a five-year, $170 million extension with the 49ers. The contract is the richest for a defender in NFL history.

Former 49ers running back Matt Breida rushed for a touchdown for the Giants (1-2), who played without star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle). The running game struggled without Barkley, with New York totaling 29 yards on 11 attempts.

Daniel Jones was 22-of-32 passing for 137 yards and one interception for the Giants.

San Francisco controlled the ball for 39:10 and had a 78-46 edge in plays. Purdy completed 25 of 37 passes as the 49ers outgained the Giants 441-150.

New York moved within 17-12 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter on Breida’s 8-yard scoring run. Jones was sacked on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt.

San Francisco tacked on a 21-yard field goal by Jake Moody to hold an eight-point lead with 4:08 remaining in the period. Moody added a 36-yarder to increase the margin to 23-12 with 12:47 left in the game.

The 49ers put the game away on Purdy’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Samuel with 5:58 remaining in the contest.

San Francisco scored two second-quarter touchdowns while taking a 17-6 lead into halftime.

Purdy connected with Bell on a 9-yard scoring pass to give San Francisco a 10-3 lead with 7:49 left in the second quarter. Just over six minutes later, McCaffrey scored on a 4-yard run to boost the lead to 14.

New York’s Graham Gano kicked a 57-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining in the first half.

San Francisco opened the game with a 15-play, 64-yard drive before settling for Moody’s 28-yard field goal. The Giants answered with a 44-yard field goal from Gano.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

TNF Week 3: Giants-49ers Preview, Props, Prediction

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Week 3 of the NFL season kick offs with one of the two double-digit spread games on the slate, with the New York Giants (1-1) traveling to the San Francisco 49ers (2-0).

QUICK PICK
The cards are certainly stacked against the Giants, who are playing on a short week after a win against the host Arizona Cardinals last Sunday. They’re also doing it without star running back Saquon Barkley, who suffered a sprained ankle in the win, which came only after the Giants snapped a six-quarter scoreless streak to begin the season.

Meanwhile, the 49ers have steamrolled their way to a 2-0 start, following a route at Pittsburgh with a hard-fought 30-23 win at the Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco finally gets its home opener, and it’s in prime time as a 10.5-point favorite, with the 49ers’ spread line backed by 81 percent of the total bets at BetRivers and 78 percent at BetMGM.

Prediction: 49ers 30-13

PROP PICK
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has thrown at least one interception in three consecutive games. Extending that streak to four has been the fifth-most popular player prop at BetMGM, drawing 99 percent of the bets at -110.

Minus Barkley and likely forced to push the ball downfield while playing from behind, Jones is in an unenviable situation while facing a 49ers defense that already has five picks and 6.0 sacks on the young season.

KEY STAT
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven of his past eight regular-season games, while running back Christian McCaffrey has scored at least once in 11 consecutive games. McCaffrey making that 12 straight has been the most popular prop at BetRivers, where it has drawn 3.6 percent of the bets at -250.

THE NEWS
Jones is in the crosshairs without Barkley and the entire left side of the offensive line. Left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and left guard Ben Bredeson (concussion) are also out for Week 3.

“(Jones is a) huge challenge,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It starts with his legs — anytime you have that speed and you can run the ball like he does,” Shanahan said. “They’re willing to run him. He’s willing to run. He’s physical when he runs. He has the skill set to run away from people.”

The 49ers know the next man up at running back rather well. Matt Breida gained 2,463 total yards with 10 touchdowns with the 49ers from 2017-19, then was traded to the Miami Dolphins.

“I just want to go out there and play for my team,” Breida said. “At the end of the day, I’m grateful to still be playing in the NFL, you know I came undrafted, so just to be here I am blessed and whatever my team needs me to do, I’m going to do.”

The 49ers have no injury concerns at running back.

McCaffrey, the NFL’s rushing leader (268 yards) by 88 yards through two games, is set to take on a Giants defense being hit for 4.6 yards per carry and 136.5 rushing yards per game. Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s inventive fronts, including a two-man line for multiple snaps against the Cardinals, aren’t leading to much success or pressure on the quarterback to date.

The Giants are still looking for their first sack and takeaway this season. The 49ers allowed 15 pressures Week 1 at Pittsburgh, but brought that number down to just six in Week 2, according to Pro Football Focus.

But it hasn’t helped that New York was outscored 46-0 in the first half by the Cowboys and Cardinals, all but erasing risk-taking from either offense. Dallas pitched a 40-0 shutout in Week 1.

While McCaffrey is a sure thing on Thursday night, the 49ers are planning to work Elijah Mitchell into the game plan. Shanahan said he wants to get McCaffrey more rest. He’s on pace for nearly 1,000 snaps in the regular season.

Shanahan expects defensive end Nick Bosa to continue making an impact — he had three pressures of Matthew Stafford in the 30-23 win over the Rams — even if it isn’t showing up on the stat sheet every week.

“He’s getting back into football shape, getting back into his groove,” Shanahan said. “He got better and stronger throughout the game, similar to last week in that aspect. He finished the game really strong and took a step forward from Pittsburgh.”

The Giants have allowed 10 sacks in two games. While Bosa isn’t yet on the board, second-year defensive end Drake Jackson leads the team with three sacks.

INJURY REPORT
The Giants will be without Barkley, Thomas and Bredeson on offense. Linebacker Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) also was ruled out on Wednesday.

49ers co-leader in receptions Brandon Aiyuk (shoulder) was among players dinged for San Francisco last week along with cornerback Ambry Thomas (knee). Aiyuk and Ambry Thomas were limited in practice on both Tuesday and Wednesday and were listed as questionable to face the Giants.

THEY SAID IT
“It’s tough. Wink will always say he’s our best defensive player because when he’s on the field running the ball, we are on the sideline. Saquon is an incredible leader; this team is going to miss him, but we also have a ‘next man up’ mentality. Everybody has to in this league.” –Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke on playing without Barkley.

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter of a wild card game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Giants road trip into San Francisco with Saquon Barkley hurting

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Daniel Jones tries to win road games in consecutive weeks for the first time on Thursday, when the New York Giants’ traveling party makes its way from Arizona to San Francisco.

The Giants rallied to beat the Cardinals 31-28 on Sunday and got comfortable in the Tempe area for an extra three nights while crossing their fingers running back Saquon Barkley’s health and hotel points balance are restored on a short week.

“I’m not saying that he’s out yet. He’s a quick healer. I’m not saying he’s in, he’s out,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said Tuesday. “We are going to take it all the way up with him to Thursday, but he feels a lot better today. I just talked to him. So, we will see where we are at.”

Barkley injured his ankle in the victory and needed assistance to reach the sideline after scoring a rushing touchdown and catching a 9-yard TD toss from Jones to help New York erase a 28-7 deficit. Barkley led the Giants in rushing (63 yards) and receiving (six receptions, tied with tight end Darren Waller).

“It’s tough,” Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke said. “(Defensive coordinator) Wink (Martindale) will always say he’s our best defensive player because when he’s on the field running the ball, we are on the sideline. Saquon is an incredible leader; this team is going to miss him, but we also have a ‘next man up’ mentality. Everybody has to in this league.”

San Francisco (2-0) knows the next man up at running back rather well. Matt Breida played for the 49ers from 2017-19 before being traded to the Miami Dolphins.

The 49ers have no injury concerns at running back. Christian McCaffrey, the NFL’s rushing leader (268 yards) by 88 yards through two games, is set to take on a Giants defense being hit for 4.6 yards per carry and 136.5 rushing yards per game. Martindale’s inventive fronts, including a two-man line for multiple snaps against the Cardinals, aren’t leading to much success or pressure on the quarterback to date.

The Giants are still looking for their first sack and takeaway this season. There is optimism from Daboll entering Thursday. The 49ers allowed 15 pressures Week 1 at Pittsburgh, but brought that number down to just six in Week 2, according to Pro Football Focus.

But it hasn’t helped that New York was outscored 46-0 in the first half by the Cowboys and Cardinals, all but erasing risk-taking from either offense. Dallas pitched a 40-0 shutout in Week 1.

While McCaffrey is a sure thing on Thursday night, the 49ers are planning to work Elijah Mitchell into the game plan. If nothing else, coach Kyle Shanahan said he wants to get McCaffrey more rest. He’s on pace for nearly 1,000 snaps in the regular season.

Shanahan expects defensive end Nick Bosa to continue making an impact — he had three pressures of Matthew Stafford in the 30-23 win over the Rams — even if it isn’t showing up on the stat sheet every week.

“He’s getting back into football shape, getting back into his groove,” Shanahan said. “He got better and stronger throughout the game, similar to last week in that aspect. He finished the game really strong and took a step forward from Pittsburgh.”

The Giants have allowed 10 sacks in two games and left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) will be a game-time decision, Daboll said. While Bosa isn’t yet on the board, second-year defensive end Drake Jackson leads the team with three sacks.

49ers co-leader in receptions Brandon Aiyuk (shoulder) was among players dinged for San Francisco last week along with cornerbacks Ambry Thomas (knee) and Deommodore Lenoir (head). Aiyuk was limited Tuesday and is a game-time decision, Shanahan said.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) is stopped by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2) after a 32 yard pass play in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Rams WR Puka Nacua sets multiple NFL records vs. 49ers

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Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua set an NFL rookie record with 15 receptions in Sunday’s 30-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and set another mark with 25 catches over his first two NFL games.

Nacua also is the first rookie to rack up 10-plus catches and gain 100 or more receiving yards in each of his first two NFL games. He had 147 yards against San Francisco and had 10 receptions for 119 yards against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.

The previous rookie record for catches over two games was set by Earl Cooper (19) of the 49ers in 1980.

“He’s tough. He’s a physical competitor,” Rams coach Sean McVay said of Nacua after Sunday’s game. “He continued to battle all the way through to the end.

“He’s the epitome of what we want to be as Rams. I love Puka Nacua and I was really pleased with him today.”

Nacua was a fifth-round pick (No. 177 overall) in the 2023 draft out of BYU. Interestingly, he was the Rams’ fourth selection of the fifth round. Nacua had 48 receptions for 625 yards and five touchdowns in nine games last season.

Nacua caught 91 passes in two seasons with BYU after beginning his college career at Washington. He had 16 catches in two seasons for the Huskies.

Nacua was targeted 20 times during the contest against San Francisco. He has become a focal point of the offense with star Cooper Kupp sidelined with a hamstring injury. Kupp is on injured reserve and will miss at least two more games.

Kupp won the receiving triple crown in 2021, leading the NFL with 145 catches, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He was limited to nine games in 2022 with a high ankle sprain.

Nacua is doing a nice impersonation with 25 receptions for 266 yards. He has the most receptions by a rookie in Rams franchise history through his first two games. Tavon Austin held the previous mark, hauling in 12 catches.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) hurdles into the end zone for a touchdown at San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (99) looks on in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Christian McCaffrey helps 49ers slide past Rams

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Christian McCaffrey rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries and scored a touchdown to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 30-23 win against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon at Inglewood, Calif.

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy completed 17 of 25 passes for 206 yards for the 49ers (2-0). He had no interceptions for the second consecutive game.

The San Francisco defense kept the Rams (1-1) out of the end zone and forced two turnovers in the second half.

Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua set a team rookie record by catching 15 passes for 147 yards. He also set an NFL record with 25 receptions through his first two games.

Rams quarterback Matt Stafford completed 34 of 55 passes for 307 yards with a touchdown and two second-half interceptions.

With the score tied at 17-17, a tipped pass landed in the hands of San Francisco cornerback Isaiah Oliver for Stafford’s first interception in his past 164 attempts.

The 49ers converted the turnover into a 57-yard field goal by Jake Moody for a 20-17 lead with 1:21 left in the third quarter.

Purdy’s 31-yard strike down the sideline to Jauan Jennings led to an 11-yard touchdown run by Deebo Samuel that stretched the lead to 27-17 with 11:28 left in the game.

The Rams scored their first points of the second half on a 48-yard field goal by Brett Maher with 7:13 remaining to cut the lead to 27-20.

The Rams got the ball back with 5:29 left, but Stafford was intercepted by Deommodore Lenoir and he returned the ball to the Rams 15 with 4:48 remaining, setting up a 26-yard field goal by Jake Moody for a 30-20 lead with 2:59 left.

Maher kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired for the 30-23 finale and the 12th straight regular season win by the 49ers over the Rams.

McCaffrey scored on a 14-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game for a 7-0 lead.

The Rams answered with a 43-yard field goal by Maher to make it 7-3 with 1:54 left in the opening quarter.

McCaffrey’s 51-yard run down the sideline set up a 27-yard field goal from Moody to extend the lead to 10-3 with 13:32 left in the first half.

The Rams evened the score at 10 on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to running back Kyren Williams with 9:49 left in the half.

Williams scored again on a 4-yard run with 1:45 to go in the half to give Los Angeles its first lead at 17-10.

Purdy dove across the goal line on a 1-yard run on the final play of the half to tie the score 17-17.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

49ers aim to continue regular-season dominance of Rams

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Rams look for their first regular-season win against San Francisco since 2018 when they host the 49ers on Sunday.

The NFC West rivals were both victorious on the road in Week 1, with the 49ers (1-0) winning 30-7 at Pittsburgh and the Rams (1-0) earning a 30-13 victory at Seattle.

The Niners have swept the last eight meetings with the Rams in the regular season and head to Inglewood, Calif., with a quarterback who has yet to lose in the regular season.

Brock Purdy completed 19 of 29 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, both to Brandon Aiyuk, during a wire-to-wire win against the Steelers last Sunday. Purdy, showing no ill effects from offseason elbow surgery, improved to 6-0 as a starter in the regular season in his brief career.

“Purdy shut some haters up,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said, per ESPN. “I think whenever a guy comes back from an injury, people kind of don’t expect him to make another leap in the second year. I’m just happy for him. He’s exactly who we thought he was.”

Purdy has thrown at least two touchdown passes in all six career starts.

“He’s a stud,” Rams coach Sean McVay said on his radio show Tuesday. “Really great ownership and understanding. … I think he plays fast, he’s able to process things, he can make quick decisions and he delivers the ball with accuracy and anticipation. It’s a scary combination with the guys that they have.”

The Rams’ only win against the 49ers since 2018 came in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 30, 2022, before their triumph in Super Bowl LVI.

The Rams haven’t seen Purdy yet, but they did get an eyeful of Christian McCaffrey in last year’s 31-14 loss at SoFi Stadium in Week 8. Making his first start for San Francisco after a trade with Carolina, McCaffrey had 149 yards from scrimmage with one rushing and receiving touchdown.

McCaffrey opened his first full season with the Niners by rushing for 152 yards and a touchdown (a 65-yard run) on 22 carries. He added three catches for 17 yards.

Defensively for San Francisco, Drake Jackson tied his 2022 season total with three sacks against Kenny Pickett and the 49ers held Pittsburgh to 239 total yards (41 rushing). Talanoa Hufanga and Charvarius Ward each had an interception.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is 2-7 in his career against the 49ers, including the playoffs and his time with the Detroit Lions. He kicked off his 15th season with 334 yards through the air against the Seahawks last Sunday.

With top target Cooper Kupp on injured reserve, rookie Puka Nacua and third-year wideout Tutu Atwell each had 119 receiving yards and Kyren Williams rushed for two touchdowns against Seattle. The Los Angeles defense limited the Seahawks to 180 yards and less than 21 minutes of possession.

“We expected this,” Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald said, per the East Bay Times. “Obviously, the world didn’t know, but this is what we’ve been seeing at camp — guys flying around, guys making plays, and we just translated that to the game. So we ain’t shocked. We ain’t surprised. The world might be, but we expected this.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey help 49ers dominate Steelers

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Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes to Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey scored on a long run and the San Francisco 49ers rolled to a 30-7 victory over the host Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in the season opener for both teams.

Purdy completed 19 of 29 passes for 220 yards and McCaffrey rushed for 152 on 22 carries as the 49ers controlled the contest. Aiyuk caught eight passes for 129 yards, Drake Jackson had three sacks and Charvarius Ward and Talanoa Hufanga had interceptions for San Francisco.

Kenny Pickett was 31-of-46 passing for 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Steelers, who were outgained 391 to 239. The 49ers sacked Pickett five times.

T.J. Watt recorded three sacks and forced two fumbles (recovering one) during a standout performance for the Steelers. Watt tied the franchise record for career sacks (80.5), set by James Harrison in 177 games with Pittsburgh. Watt played in his 88th on Sunday.

San Francisco star Nick Bosa had two tackles in his first action since ending his holdout Wednesday and signing a five-year, $170 million extension to become the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. Bosa is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

The Steelers lost six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (groin) in the second quarter.

The 49ers possessed the ball for 37:23.

San Francisco dominated the first 28 1/2 minutes of the game while scoring 20 consecutive points.

Purdy threw an 8-yard scoring pass to Aiyuk with 9:29 left in the first quarter and rookie Jake Moody added a 41-yard field goal with 4:38 remaining.

Just 90 seconds into the second quarter, Purdy and Aiyuk teamed up on a 19-yard score to make it 17-0. Moody tacked on a 32-yard field goal with 8:22 left in the half.

The Steelers had zero first downs and one yard of total offense when they took over with 1:35 left in the half. Helped by two penalties on San Francisco’s Deommodore Lenoir, Pittsburgh moved 95 yards on 12 plays with Pickett tossing a 3-yard scoring pass to Pat Freiermuth with 10 seconds remaining.

San Francisco re-established its superiority in the opening minute of the third quarter when McCaffrey ran 65 yards down the left side for a touchdown. Aiyuk’s block on Pittsburgh’s Damontae Kazee at midfield opened up the sideline for McCaffrey as he finished off a score that made it 27-7.

Moody finished off a 3-for-3 NFL debut with a 40-yard field goal with 5:30 remaining.

–Field Level Media

Jan 29, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) battles with Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) during the second quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

49ers DE Nick Bosa ready for normal workload vs. Steelers

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Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa said Friday that he expects his usual workload when the San Francisco 49ers visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Bosa reported to the team Wednesday after landing a five-year, $170 million deal, a record for NFL defensive players. He has proven to be in good shape despite his 43-day hiatus.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan also has taken notice.

“I’m not sure what Kyle’s plan is, but I would be up for a normal workload, for sure,” Bosa told reporters.

Shanahan hasn’t revealed his plan, but he doesn’t expect to see Bosa standing on the sidelines too often.

“He looked exactly how we were expecting him to look,” Shanahan said. “Looks in real good shape. Looks ready to go. We got an idea how we’re going to use him and I think he’ll do all right.”

Bosa led the NFL with 18.5 sacks last season and has 34 over the past two seasons.

He said he spent his holdout at home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., just waiting to see what would transpire.

“There’s certain points throughout it that are more stressful than others,” Bosa said. “But I trust the team around me and I know that they have my best interest in mind. And I trusted the 49ers organization and all of them to work well with my guys. I had trust all along, but it definitely was stressful.”

After reaching the agreement, Bosa flew to the West Coast and arrived late Wednesday night. He did side work and participated in individual drills on Thursday before participating again Friday in the team’s walk-through.

Also, San Francisco tight end George Kittle (groin) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (heel) are listed as questionable.

Kittle, a four-time Pro Bowler, has been bothered by the injury throughout training camp.

“He’s a great pass-game tight end and he’s a great run-blocking tight end, so obviously any time you’re missing a great player, it does change things,” Shanahan said of Kittle.

–Field Level Media