Brock Purdy puts his perfect sack record on the line against Denver's surging defense as the undefeated 49ers battle injuries to secure their best start since 2019.
The San Francisco 49ers return home to Levi’s Stadium in Week 4 aiming to move to 4-0 on the season as they host the Denver Broncos. Fresh off a 36-30 divisional victory over Arizona, San Francisco sits in sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
However, Week 4 brings arguably the 49ers' toughest challenge of the young season. Denver arrives in Santa Clara riding the momentum of a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s cross conference showdown.
Key Storylines to Watch
1. Brock Purdy vs. Denver’s Aggressive Defense
Brock Purdy enters October as the freshly named NFC Offensive Player of the Month after throwing for 789 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 1 interception through three games. Most impressively, behind an offensive line that has seen frequent mid-game reshuffling, Purdy has yet to be sacked this season.
That pass protection will face a heavy test against a Broncos front led by Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto, who just forced three crucial turnovers in their second-half rally against Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
2. Re-Tooled Receiving Corps
With Mike Evans battling a rib injury and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling on Injured Reserve, San Francisco’s pass catching group continues to evolve. The 49ers promoted veteran speedster Brandin Cooks to the 53 man active roster on Thursday to provide immediate boundary help. Expect Purdy to lean heavily on George Kittle down the seam, Deebo Samuel on manufactured touches, and Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield.
3. Containing Bo Nix and Denver’s Fourth-Quarter Magic
Broncos second-year quarterback Bo Nix proved himself in Week 3, delivering three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) to spark Denver’s comeback over Los Angeles.
With Nick Bosa sidelined and San Francisco's secondary nursing bumps to Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, linebackers Fred Warner (who logged a career-high 17 tackles in Week 3) and Dre Greenlaw will be vital in keeping Nix contained inside the pocket and shutting down Denver's checkdowns.
Three Keys to Victory for San Francisco
- Protect the Football: Denver capitalized on key takeaways to flip the momentum against the Rams. Purdy must maintain his disciplined decision-making against Vance Joseph's blitz-heavy schemes.
- Establish McCaffrey Early: Keeping the offense balanced will relieve pressure on a banged-up offensive line and help set up Shanahan’s play-action concepts downfield.
- Generate Pressure Without Bosa: Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will need to scheme up creative blitz packages with Keion White and Ogbo Okoronkwo to disrupt Nix's timing.
Game Info
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 4 | 1:25 PM PT
- Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
