San Francisco overcomes a chaotic injury wave to remain undefeated, powered by a masterclass from their scrambling quarterback and a dominant fourth-quarter takeover by their star tight end.
The San Francisco 49ers improved to 3-0 on Sunday with a 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. While the game descended into late-stage chaos due to a flurry of injuries, Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades paint a clear picture of how Kyle Shanahan's offense managed to put up 36 points despite losing key contributors along the way.
Here is the analytical breakdown of the 49ers' offensive performance from Week 3.
Top 5 Offensive Performers
| Player | Position | PFF Grade |
| Brock Purdy | QB | 96.6 |
| George Kittle | TE | 90.2 |
| Kyle Juszczyk | FB | 83.1 |
| Demarcus Robinson | WR | 80.8 |
| Mike Evans | WR | 80.0 |
Note: Wide receiver Jordan Watkins earned an overall 86.3 offensive grade, but it came on just 15 offensive snaps.
Bottom 5 Offensive Performers
| Player | Position | PFF Grade |
| Colton McKivitz | RT | 63.8 |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | 63.1 |
| Deebo Samuel | WR | 58.4 |
| Jacob Cowing | WR | 53.5 |
| Luke Farrell | TE | 44.1 |
Quarterback: Brock Purdy Operating at an Elite Level
Brock Purdy turned in another masterpiece, finishing 15-of-27 for 297 yards, 4 touchdowns, and a 133.8 passer rating. Overall, Purdy earned a 78.8 offensive grade and a 71.2 passing grade, but where he truly shone was on the ground.
For the third consecutive week, Purdy earned the game’s highest rushing grade among all players at 83.4, scrambling twice for 34 yards. Most impressively, behind a shifting offensive line, Purdy was not sacked a single time, which extends his sackless streak across all three games this season.
(For comparison, Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett finished with an 80.1 overall offensive grade and a 76.6 passing grade after going 38-of-52 for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns).
Pass Catchers: Kittle Clutches Up on Bobblehead Day
George Kittle was the highest-graded pass catcher in the entire game, pulling down a stellar 90.2 receiving grade. Kittle dominated when it mattered most, catching six passes for a team-high 82 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Among wideouts:
- Jordan Watkins made the most of his limited action, earning an 83.2 receiving grade.
- Mike Evans (80.0) and Demarcus Robinson (80.8) were both highly efficient before exiting due to injuries.
- Kyle Juszczyk recorded the game’s lowest receiving mark (49.4) after failing to haul in either of his two targets.
- Zero Drops: San Francisco’s pass catchers did not drop a single pass on the afternoon.
Offensive Line & Pass Protection
San Francisco’s offensive line surrendered five of the team’s six total pressures on the day:
- Connor Colby (LG) & Trent Williams (LT): 2 pressures allowed each
- Dominick Puni (RG): 1 pressure allowed
- Christian McCaffrey (RB): 1 pressure allowed in pickup
The Highs:
- Jake Brendel led the entire game in pass protection, posting an 84.0 pass-blocking grade without allowing a single pressure across 32 pass-blocking snaps.
- Trent Williams posted a team-high 70.5 offensive grade among starting linemen before exiting with a stinger, allowing just two pressures on 21 pass-blocking snaps.
- Luke Farrell struggled overall (44.1), but dominated in the run game with a game-high 87.3 run-blocking grade, highlighted by his key downfield block on Deebo Samuel’s 82-yard hook-and-ladder touchdown.
- Colton McKivitz led the starting O-line in run blocking with a 72.7 mark.
The Lows:
- Backup left tackle Vederian Lowe suffered a brutal afternoon after stepping in for Williams. Lowe finished with a team-low 35.4 overall grade, a staggering 8.8 pass-blocking grade, and a team-worst 48.8 run-blocking grade.
Rushing Attack: McCaffrey & Deebo Held in Check
The Cardinals focused heavily on slowing down San Francisco’s perimeter run game, leading to lower PFF grades for the star playmakers:
- Christian McCaffrey earned a 64.4 rushing grade (and a 63.1 overall mark), running 15 times for 75 yards and a leaping touchdown (5.0 YPC).
- Deebo Samuel finished with a 56.6 run grade and a 58.4 overall grade, managing 14 yards on two carries despite his massive 82-yard receiving touchdown.
- Arizona rookie Jeremiyah Love was the highest-graded running back in the game, posting a 75.6 run grade on 21 carries for 90 yards.
