Christian McCaffrey was named the NFC player of the week for his performance against Atlanta on Sunday Night Football, rushing for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and adding 72 receiving yards. The output represents what might have been a breakthrough for the 49ers, who had struggled rushing until last week. The game in Houston represents a homecoming for left tackle Trent Williams, who resides there in the offseason and appeared to be back in top form Sunday night.
Peterson feared Williams could be adversely affected by the NFL's offseason lockout. "He saved my career because, I mean, you don't know what you've got to train for," Williams said Wednesday in an exclusive interview with this news organization. Williams, 37, is midway through his 16th year in the NFL. He's heading for his fourth and perhaps final playoff push since coming to the 49ers in 2020. Sunday will mark only his second-ever game in Houston, his offseason home.
I'd like to welcome Pete, Devon, and the Briger family to the San Francisco 49ers, said Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers. Alongside my family and our existing owner partners, we know the Briger family shares our unwavering commitment to the long-term success of this organization and creating unforgettable moments for our fans.
PASS OFFENSE: C- Mac Jones, already battered through three starts, was sacked six times and intercepted twice but threw for 347 yards with a sore oblique and knee. Coach Kyle Shanahan didn't blame Jones for getting intercepted on the opening possession's third down, seeing how Kendrick Bourne apparently turned the wrong way on his route. Bourne, to his growing credit, did rack up 142 yards for a second straight game.
The strangeness of the 2025 Niners is just getting started, but somewhere between a quarter and a third of the way through the season, this felt an appropriate time to review some of my preseason predictions. And while excuse me while I pat myself on the back I nailed a few of them, there are a few others that I wish I could have back. We deal in facts here, and the facts are forcing a few painful mea culpas.
By virtue of a 4-1 overall record and 4-0 mark against NFC teams, the 49ers sit atop the conference for the first time since the 2023 season. That conference mark is a key tiebreaker come January's playoff seeding, after sizing up head-to-head battles, divisional games, and common opponents. Other 4-1 NFC teams are the 49ers' hosts this Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1 NFC), as well as the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) and the Detroit Lions (2-1).
The script is familiar. Fourth quarter or overtime. Rams trail or are tied. On comes Matthew Stafford. The veteran quarterback is the master of comebacks. And he appeared to be on the verge of doing it again on Thursday night against the rival San Francisco 49ers. But the 49ers stopped running back Kyren Williams on a fourth-and-one play at the 49ers' 11-yard line,
Brock Purdy and his troublesome toe are returning to the 49ers' bench. Mac Jones will start at quarterback as Purdy is sidelined for the third time in four games Thursday night when the 49ers (3-1) visit the Los Angeles Rams (3-1). Purdy will have company on the SoFi Stadium sideline: wide receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee), Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle) and Jordan Watkins (calf) also got ruled out Wednesday.
There's simply not enough luck in the football world to overcome the kind of slop the Niners put on the field Sunday against the Jaguars. Four turnovers, a punt return allowed for a touchdown, and an offense that couldn't move the ball on the ground all combined into a 26-21 Jacksonville win at Levi's Stadium. The only good news for the 49ers? They won't have time to dwell on all their errors.