The San Francisco 49ers are rolling into Week 4 undefeated at 3-0, sitting pretty atop the NFC West, and looking like one of the NFL’s top teams early in the season. After their comeback win against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday night, the Denver Broncos are now heading out on the road to face this formidable opponent. This isn’t just another game; it’s a massive challenge against a squad firing on all cylinders.
Purdy Is On A Heater, Can Denver Chill Him Out?
Let’s talk about Brock Purdy. The dude is on an absolute heater to kick off the season. In three games, he’s completing over 72 percent of his passes, already has nine touchdowns, and has thrown only one interception. He’s playing it safe with the ball, and get this: the 49ers’ offensive line has done such a great job that Purdy hasn’t even been sacked all season! Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, one of the best play-callers in the NFL, is putting Purdy in perfect spots, and it shows. Their offense is converting over 60 percent of their third-down attempts, which is the best mark in the entire league.
This is a tough, tough challenge for Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and his players. Last week, we all saw how Joseph’s defense struggled against Matthew Stafford in the first half. Sure, they made great halftime adjustments to shut down the passing game in the second half, but can they actually *start* strong this time? That’s the million-dollar question. A lot of it comes down to improving the pass rush. Without Jonathon Cooper and with John Franklin-Myers gone, Denver’s trench players haven’t been getting to the quarterback like they need to. If Denver wants any shot at toppling the undefeated 49ers, finding a way to rattle that fifth-year signal caller is absolutely crucial.
The Run Game Battle Is Going To Be Brutal
Broncos Country saw exactly how the Rams dominated time of possession in the first half on Sunday Night Football, racking up nearly 100 yards rushing. For whatever reason, they just abandoned that rushing success in the second half. That was a huge mistake for Sean McVay, and trust me, Kyle Shanahan won’t be repeating it. The 49ers are coming into Sunday with one of the best rushing offenses in the league, averaging over 135 yards per game on the ground and over five yards per carry. Christian McCaffrey and rookie Kaelon Black have both been performing at a high level.
Meanwhile, Denver’s defense has struggled immensely stopping the run in these first few weeks of the season. That absolutely has to change if they want to win on Sunday. And on the other side of the ball, Denver’s own rushing offense is one of the worst in the league, ranking in the bottom three for total yards and bottom five in yards per carry. This game is going to be a trench warfare battle, and Denver needs to step up big time on both sides of the run game.
This game is all about how Denver can slow down an offensive machine that barely makes mistakes and how they can finally get their own run game going. It’s a huge test on the road against an NFC West juggernaut, and it’s going to tell us a lot about where the Broncos really stand early in the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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