SANTA CLARA — The 49ers reported more than their fair share of injuries in a 35-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But even with the uncertainty of several players, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel, the 49ers feel pretty good about their new quarterback and their overall team performance.
“We’ve got a quarterback,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said of rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, who became the first player to win an NFL game against a Tom Brady-led team. Quarterback for the first win.
He had a fulfilling day, as did many of his teammates.
Here are the transcripts from the 49ers’ sweeping win over Tampa Bay at Levi’s Stadium in Week 14:
charge
The 49ers tried to soften the Buccaneers defense by emphasizing passing to open up the game. Christian McCaffrey scored his first field goal for the 49ers in Game 5 of scrimmage, completing a 21-yard run.
The 49ers dominated the game on the ground, rushing for 209 yards and three touchdowns on 36 attempts.
Samuel got the 49ers up on the pitch, turning and somehow getting into the end zone.
McCaffrey finished the game with a 38-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. He finished with 119 yards on 14 carries. Rookie Jordan Mason came on and added 56 yards on 11 carries.
Grade: A
pass attack
Purdy did everything the 49ers asked of him in his first NFL start. . . and then some more.
He showed off his athleticism early in the second quarter when he ran for a 2-yard touchdown. On the 49ers’ next play, he shook off the rush and found Samuel for an 18-yard play.
Purdy completed 16 of 21 attempts for 185 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. He had a 27-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey and a 32-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers’ offensive line protected Purdy well, as he was not sacked during the game.
Grade: A
rush defense
The Buccaneers averaged 3.6 yards per game and the 49ers let Tampa Bay one-dimensional. Rachaad White gained 56 yards on 13 attempts and Leonard Fournette gained 13 yards on 4 attempts, which is definitely a non-factor.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw was omnipresent in the 49ers’ defense with 15 tackles.
Late in the game, Jimmy Ward forced a fumble from White, and linebacker Aziz Arshal covered the fumble, giving the 49ers their third run.
Grade: A
pass defense
Tom Brady had a very tough day against the 49ers’ defense.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion threw for 253 yards against the 49ers’ defense, but he lost a lot of skin when he got there.
Brady completed 34 of 55 pass attempts, including a touchdown pass and two interceptions. Tashaun Gipson and Greenlaw recorded interceptions as Brady posted a passer grade of just 63.7 in the game.
The 49ers didn’t get sacked against Brady, who stuck to the short passing game. But San Francisco is putting enough pressure on him to make things extremely difficult.
Grade: A
special team
Robbie Gould was drafted for points, not field goals. No one on the 49ers complained about how things turned out.
Returning player Ray-Ray McLeod had a great day, averaging 14.3 yards on three punts and 27.0 yards on two kicks.
Punter Mitch Wishnowsky’s three-bet average was 44.7 (37.7 margin).
Grade: A
counseling
The 49ers have a strong game plan on offense and defense against the NFC South-leading Buccaneers.
Coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense took advantage of Purdy’s offensive skills. He saw something in the second quarter that prompted him to call a play that wasn’t in the game plan. The result was a 32-yard touchdown pass by Purdy.
Defensively, the 49ers kept Brady in trouble and deprived the Buccaneers of their ability to make a big impact.
Grade: A
comprehensive
The 49ers and Buccaneers are two teams that appear to be making the playoffs.
The 49ers took a 35-0 lead without question on Sunday and held on for the final 29 minutes of the game.
RELATED: Where 49ers are in NFC playoff photos after Week 14
After Samuel went down with an ankle injury, the 49ers didn’t blink as the team showed an ability to stay focused in the face of adversity.
Grade: A
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