SEATTLE -- The 49ers just beat the Seattle Seahawks 32-29. Here are the 49ers' grades for this performance.
QUARTERBACK: C-PLUS
Brock Purdy was clutch against an elite defense, and he gets credit for that. When the game was tight in the fourth quarter, Purdy played his best because he threw repeatedly to Mike Evans, his only good wide receiver. That was smart. Earlier in the game, Purdy got intercepted because he forced a pass to his worst wide receiver, Jacob Cowing. That was not smart. Overall, Purdy did the best he could with a depleted supporting cast, and eventually found the Seahawks' weakest link -- cornerback Josh Jobe. As opposed to Sam Darnold, who essentially lost the game for the Seahawks with his two turnovers. Purdy didn't have to win this game -- he just had to let the Seahawks lose it, and they did.
RUNNING BACKS: A-MINUS
Kaelon Black continued to struggle, but Christian McCaffrey averaged a whopping 6.2 yards per carry without Kyle Juszczyk leading the way. It's almost as if Juszczyk's impact on the offense is extremely overstated. The 49ers didn't miss him at all in this game.
WIDE RECEIVERS: A-MINUS
The 49ers had just one quality wide receiver -- Mike Evans -- but he was all they needed. He finished the game with 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. And when the 49ers needed to put together their first long touchdown drive of the game, they called his number repeatedly and he came through. As long as Evans stays healthy, the 49ers offense will be extremely difficult to stop unless the opposing team has three outstanding cornerbacks. Still, Deebo Samuel left the game with a hamstring injury that could sideline him for a few weeks, which means the 49ers desperately need to trade for a wide receiver, preferably a young, fast one who can replace Jacob Cowing in three-receiver formations and on special teams.
TIGHT ENDS: C
George Kittle came down with flu-like symptoms last night and struggled as a receiver in this game -- just 24 receiving yards on five catches. But he and Luke Farrell were a big reason that McCaffrey was so successful running the ball. Unfortunately for the 49ers, Farrell is a horrendous receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: C
I guess this group isn't the best offensive line in the league. Today, they faced their first real test, and gave up three sacks. Left guard Connor Colby in particular gave up two. He remains the weakest link on this line. Still, this group more than held its own in the run game.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: A
This group is playing so much better than it has any business playing. Gracen Halton forced a fumble at the goal line and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. He looks like he's going to be a great player one day. Osa Odighizuwa, Sebastian Valdez, Keion White and Mykel Williams played well, too. Suddenly, the defensive line doesn't look like the position the 49ers need to upgrade before the trade deadline, particularly if Nick Bosa comes back. They need a wide receiver instead.
LINEBACKERS: A-MINUS
Draymond Greenlaw got ejected after hitting Sam Darnold out of bounds and then head-butting a Seahawks player who wasn't wearing his helmet. Greenlaw is entirely too old to continue making that same mistake. He really is the 49ers' version of Draymond Green. He might get suspended for next week's game against the Commanders. And if he can't play, the 49ers will still win, because they have Fred Warner, one of the best linebackers of all time. Of course, he recorded 10 tackles and a forced fumble in this game. Just another day at the office for him.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: A
Renardo Green is becoming an All Pro cornerback. Today, he intercepted two passes and broke up three. No wonder the 49ers don't have Deommodore Lenoir shadow the other team's best receiver -- he's the second-best cornerback on the team. No disrespect to him, but Green is better. Lenoir gave up a long catch to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first half. And despite how well this group played, the Seahawks were one dopped Smith-Njigba pass on the final drive away from tying the game. These teams are so evenly-matched.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D
The 49ers need a new punt returner. Jacob Cowing muffed a punt and the Seahawks recovered it, which kept them in the game. The 49ers might also need a new kicker. Eddy Pineiro missed another kick today, and now has missed five this season. He's becoming the new Jake Moody.
COACHES: B-PLUS
Raheem Morris' defense won the game. It forced four turnovers, held the Seahawks to field goals five times, and got the game-winning stop at the end when they pushed Cooper Kupp out of bounds an inch before the first-down marker on fourth-and-10. To be fair, the defense got to face two of the worst running backs you'll ever see in the NFL because the Seahawks arrogantly thought they could replace Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker. Still, Raheem Morris has been an outstanding hire, and he's a huge reason the 49ers remain undefeated. In hindsight, he was one of the best hires of the offseason for any team.
Kyle Shanahan's offense was another story. It had just two drives of 25 or more yards. They had touchdown drives of 18 and 11 yards. Their defense scored a touchdown. Their run game worked when Christian McCaffrey got the ball but Shanahan didn't stick with him. Other than that, nothing Shanahan called worked particularly well until he put Evans on Jobe in the fourth quarter. That was the game-winning matchup for the 49ers. Give Shanahan credit for finding it eventually. In the future, he needs to do a better of using Purdy's legs and getting him out of the pocket and establishing someone other than Evans as a threat in the passing game. Still, it's been two weeks in a row that Shanahan has saved his best for the end of the game. That's clutch. His team clearly is the best one in the NFC.
Add us as a preferred source on Google