49ers report card: rating offense, defense in decisive NFC West win
SEATTLE — Brock Purdy certainly didn’t do it all alone.
But the rookie quarterback did enough — more than enough, actually — to allow the 49ers to travel home after a 21-13 victory about the Seattle Seahawks as NFC West Champions.
Purdy, who was battling oblique and rib issues, didn’t throw a pass this week until he threw the ball a bit on Thursday during a haul in a hotel ballroom.
Purdy was uncomfortable, to be sure, but he and his teammates handed the Seahawks a painful loss that severely hurts their postseason hopes.
Here’s a look at the 49ers’ report card from their Week 15 game:
hasty offense
The 49ers mounted Christian McCaffrey in the first half as he had 13 rushing attempts for 57 yards and a touchdown. He touched the ball in two-thirds of the team’s first-half plays.
Then, when the 49ers needed big yards to keep the ball away from the Seahawks, they turned to a couple of rookies. Purdy hit a big 3rd-and-1 with a rollout and reached for the ball forward as he slid to stay in bounds.
Then came Jordan Mason with runs of 6, 2 and 55 yards to finish off.
The 49ers finished with 170 rushing yards on 34 carries for a 5.0-yard average. McCaffrey finished with 108 yards on 26 attempts.
Grade: B-plus
passing offense
Quarterback Brock Purdy continued to do what was asked of him while keeping the 49ers’ offense moving. Purdy had touchdown passes of 28 and 54 yards to tight end George Kittle. The second touchdown came on a play where Kittle was Purdy’s fourth read.
Purdy’s worst pitch did no harm, as Seattle free safety Quandre Diggs dropped a suspected interception in the second quarter.
Purdy finished 17 of 26 completions for 217 yards with two touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 117.0 passer rating.
Kittle finished with four receptions for 93 yards.
Grade A
hasty defense
The 49ers looked set to make the Seahawks one-dimensional early in the game with their solid run defense. But Seattle started to get some yards against the 49ers, though not enough to make a difference.
The Seahawks averaged 5.0 yards per carry but only had 70 yards on 14 rushing attempts.
Linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw each had eight tackles for the 49ers’ run defense.
Grade: B-plus
defense pass
Seattle quarterback Geno Smith was under constant pressure, making it difficult for him to connect on any play down the field. Greenlaw came up with a great play when he forced a Travis Homer fumble after a short pass. Charvarius Ward returned the fumble 40 yards to set up a short 49ers touchdown drive.
Smith had a solid game, completing 31 of 44 attempts for 238 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers got their hands on the ball a couple of times, but Greenlaw and Hufanga had potential interceptions that went wide.
Deommodore Lenoir had a pick-six in the third quarter that was nullified by Nick Bosa’s penalty for roughing the passer when he landed on Smith with his full body weight, referee Alex Kemp ruled.
Bosa if I record a sacktying his career high of 15.5.
Grade: A-minus
special teams
Returner Ray-Ray McCloud contributed to the field position play, including a 39-yard kickoff return.
Kicker Mitch Wishnowsky had a solid 38.8 net average on six punts, while kicker Robbie Gould missed a 43-yard field goal attempt from right in the fourth quarter.
Grade: B-minus
Training
Coach Kyle Shanahan plotted things open in midfield to take advantage of some of the Seahawks’ pass coverage shortcomings. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans mixed it in with pressures, including Hufanga’s sack for three and out on Seattle’s third possession.
The 49ers haven’t missed a beat after Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury forced Purdy into action. Purdy deserves the most credit, but he also shows how well the coaching staff has prepared him.
Grade A
General
The 49ers seemed to be in control from the start. It was probably a little closer than it should have been, but wins in Seattle don’t come easy for this organization.
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The Seahawks stayed, and when the 49ers needed to make plays late in the game to close the door, that’s exactly what they did.
Grade A-