The San Francisco 49ers just capped off a three-game home stretch with another quality win, beating the Denver Broncos 24-14 on Sunday to start their season 4-0. What a grind, though! They only had 10 points through three quarters in what was a super low-scoring game. Despite the offensive struggles for most of the matchup, timely plays at the end secured San Francisco another double-digit victory, putting them atop the NFC West a quarter into the season.
Finishing Strong When It Matters
Man, the 49ers have really been testing everyone’s patience in the fourth quarter lately. The last two weeks saw them in close games after holding double-digit leads, but they’ve found ways to seal the deal. Last weekend, after the Cardinals cut their lead to two points, San Francisco got aggressive and marched for a touchdown drive that locked it down. This Sunday was no different. The Broncos pulled within three points with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, and the 49ers got the ball back with just over four minutes on the clock. Talk about making it count!
After picking up a crucial first down that edged them near midfield, Brock Purdy hit George Kittle for an explosive 56-yard touchdown. Kittle just flat outran the defense, putting the Niners up by 10. That’s the kind of play they’d been searching for all game. On Denver’s next drive, the 49ers defense forced multiple fourth downs. The Broncos opted for a field goal on 4th & 5 at the 40-yard line, trying to set up an onside kick, but Will Lutz’s kick sealed the win. No, this wasn’t pretty. The offense didn’t look great, with the Broncos defense neutralizing big plays and mostly shutting down the run game. But when it came down to it, Kyle Shanahan’s squad delivered with those timely plays.
Defense Held The Line, Mostly
Under Sean Payton and Bo Nix, the Broncos are typically a pass-heavy team. Still, with the 49ers’ defensive line being shorthanded, stopping the run was a big priority. And honestly, the unit did a pretty good job. They held Denver’s running backs to just 3.6 yards per carry and completely contained any explosive runs, with no carries for 10 or more yards. You gotta give it up to linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw too, who were absolutely swarming to the ball, combining for 19 tackles.
Now, let’s be real: San Francisco’s defensive line clearly needs more pass rush. Bo Nix is usually one of the best at avoiding sacks, but he had a ton of clean pockets on Sunday. Credit has to go to the 49ers secondary, though. They locked up well in coverage, preventing those big plays through the air, even with the D-line not getting home as much.
The 49ers are now sitting at 4-0, leading the NFC West. It wasn’t their most dominant performance offensively, but finding ways to win ugly games is what champions do. They got it done against Denver, and that’s all that matters right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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