Protection helps in Brock Purdy’s beginning debut

SANTA CLARA – Right here is how the 49ers (9-4) graded in Sunday’s 35-7 home win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7):

PASS OFFENSE: A

Perhaps all of us knew issues would go Brock Purdy’s manner in his first begin when he audibled right into a first-snap sack, solely to be rescued by a roughing-the-passer penalty that nullified his solely sack of the day. He tried solely three passes after their 28-0 halftime lead and completed 16-of-21 for 185 yards, with two landing passes, a 2-yard scoring scramble, and no interceptions. Masterful debut by No. 262 (his anchor-leg spot on this 12 months’s draft). Purdy distributed the ball to the 49ers’ nice variety of playmakers, and it was Deebo Samuel who accrued a team-high 43 receiving yards (4 catches) earlier than exiting with a second-quarter ankle sprain (no fracture). Like final recreation, a third-down conversion by George Kittle gave Purdy and the offense confidence to get shifting. Purdy got here away with an indirect harm to fret about, the worth to pay for hits like a blitzer delivered on Purdy’s 32-yard landing toss to route-master Brandon Aiyuk earlier than halftime. Eight completely different receivers caught a go, together with Danny Grey’s first profession reception (10-yard, fourth-down conversion from Josh Johnson to kill the clock).

RUN OFFENSE: A

That October commerce for McCaffrey is saving the 49ers’ season, or no less than their offense, all correct respect to their protection. He delivered his first 100-yard dashing efficiency (119 yards on 14 carries) and he set the blowout tone with a 21-yard to the 13 on the primary drive, to not point out back-to-back 13-yard sprints on their second landing drive, adopted by his 38-yard landing jaunt. The 49ers’ blocking was stupendous, as evident on Deebo Samuel’s 13-yard landing run the place Kittle and Mike McGlinchey cleared the best way to the correct sideline. With out Samuel and Elijah Mitchell for maybe the remainder of the common season, rookie Jordan Mason should proceed to make strides, and he averaged 5.1 yards per carry Sunday (11 carries, 56 yards). Subsequent males up after him: Ty Davis-Value and Tevin Coleman, the latter of whom figures to hitch the 53-man roster off the observe squad.

PASS DEFENSE: A

How a lot swagger do the 49ers have, deservedly so? A lot that Dre Greenlaw took the footbalsl he and Tashaun Gipson intercepted and had Tom Brady autograph them. As dismal because the Bucs seemed, the 49ers deserve credit score for Sunday’s domination and keeping off Brady’s inevitable comeback try. Interceptions got here Gipson and Greenlaw on the Bucs’ opening two drives after halftime. Brady didn’t get sacked, and Bosa got here closest when he had a grasp of Brady’s decrease legs on a third-down throwaway. The 49ers hit Brady seven occasions, by Kerry Hyder (two), Bosa, Samson Ebukam, Arik Armstead, Jordan Willis and Jimmie Ward, the latter being an unheralded drive at nickel again.

RUN DEFENSE: A

Not one of the Bucs’ 19 runs became something longer than a 9-yard achieve, and so they completed with 69 yards (3.6-yard common). The 49ers didn’t enable a dashing landing for the third straight recreation. Good factor for the 49ers’ sake they prolonged Greenlaw’s contract earlier than the season as a result of his monster 12 months continued with 15 tackles that matched his profession excessive. Fred Warner, Charvarius Ward and Jimmie Ward every had eight tackles, and that run help from defensive backs displays the unit’s swarming mentality, as preached by coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B+

Ray-Ray McCloud returned a poor opening kickoff to the 34-yard line, and, voila, so started the 49ers’ rout. McCloud’s sure-handed potential on 5 returns — in moist circumstances — ought to breed confidence. The protection models excelled aside from an apparent hiccup: permitting a 54-yard kickoff return to open the second half. Robbie Gould made all 5 point-after kicks and didn’t try a subject objective.

COACHING: A