It wasn’t pretty, but the 49ers handled business at home against the Buccaneers in a 27-14 win.
They went up 27-7 in the second half, but allowed the Bucs to claw back to stay in the game to make things more difficult than they needed to be.
Still, the 49ers did what they needed to do in getting the victory to move to 7-3 on the year and stay atop the NFC West.
Here are our observations from each quarter:
First quarter
– Good throw down the middle from Brock Purdy to George Kittle for a big completion on the second play of the game. It looked like Bucs LB Lavonte David didn’t get enough depth and Purdy layered it over him nicely.
– Purdy holds the ball way too long on a third-and-8 and he eventually goes down for a sack. Not a good first series for San Francisco’s offense.
– Now a special teams miscue by George Odum who ran into Tampa Bay’s punt returner on a fair catch. Also not a good first snap for San Francisco’s special teams.
– Excellent play by Deommodore Lenoir on Mike Evans on the Bucs’ first play on offense. He was in the slot and nearly came up with a one-handed interception. It’s Charvarius Ward and Ambry Thomas on the outside again this week.
– Whew. Ward had one-on-one coverage on a deep shot down the right side on Tampa’s third down. Pressure forced QB Baker Mayfield to throw flat footed and his toss sailed out of bounds. That might’ve been a touchdown with a better throw.
– Devin White in coverage on Deebo Samuel is probably not a thing the Buccaneers want to do a lot of.
– A blatant pass interference by a Bucs CB on Kittle goes uncalled. It feels like the 49ers don’t get a lot of favorable PI flags on offense.
– There’s the Christian McCaffrey touchdown. It’s his first TD since Week 8 after his 17-game streak was snapped in Jacksonville. He found space wide open on the right side after a play action. McCaffrey is up to 50 yards on eight touches already. It’s 7-0, 49ers.
– A screen on a third down gets a first down for the Bucs. It looked like the 49ers had it sniffed out, it was just really well blocked.
– Talanoa Hufanga was offsides because he ran too close to the line of scrimmage while trying to show blitz. That is just not a thing that can happen.
– Another screen works. The 49ers are so susceptible to those and their inability to adjust is a problem.
– Javon Kinlaw came up with a nice run stop to end the first quarter. He got up the line of scrimmage and hit RB Chase Edmonds for a short gain.
End of first quarter: 49ers 7, Buccaneers 0
Second quarter
– Nick Bosa just got tied up on a block by Mayfield. That’s embarrassing for Bosa.
– Now Bosa comes up with a sack and Fred Warner punches the ball out. Clelin Ferrell recovers. That’s back-to-back weeks with a strip sack for the 49ers defense. Tampa Bay was nine plays into its drive and approaching the red zone. That was a really nice time for a takeaway.
– Elijah Mitchell begins the drive after the takeaway with a 13-yard carry. He followed that up with two-yard run and a six-yard run to get San Francisco in a third-and-short.
– Really decisive run by Purdy on third-and-short. That’s great awareness in that spot to hit the top of his drop, see room to run, and take off for a first down.
– Woof. Protection breakdown on a second-and-7 in the red zone leads to a sack and a third-and-long. San Francisco settled for a 37-yard field goal after a short completion to Samuel. The red zone is becoming a little bit of an issue for the 49ers. Jake Moody’s kick made it 10-0, 49ers.
– Charvarius Ward got beat by rookie WR Trey Palmer on a sick throw from Baker Mayfield. It was a deep out, Ward had great coverage, but Mayfield put it high and away in a spot only Palmer could get it.
– There’s Arik Armstead who came up with a sack after Chase Young created pressure from the outside. That probably won’t be the last time this year that this happens.
– Ouch. Wide open TE Cade Otton for a 27-yard gain down the seam. Not sure if that was on Dre Greenlaw, who didn’t get any depth with the TE, or on Hufanga who wasn’t really covering anyone.
– Now an end around goes for 17 yards to the 49ers’ 1. This is an abominable defensive showing by San Francisco’s run defense. They’re allowing 4.5 yards per carry to a team that averaged 3.1 yards per carry entering the day.
– There’s Mike Evans. His first catch of the day is a one-yard TD grab. That’ll make it 10-7 with less than two minutes left in the half. Ambry Thomas was in coverage there, but Evans is not an easy guard in space.
– Well, that’ll work. 37 yards on a catch-and-run for Aiyuk on first down puts the 49ers in business with 1:33 left in the half.
– Not really sure what Aiyuk was doing on a third-and-short. He made a catch on an underneath route, headed toward the sideline, then stopped and went down in bounds, forcing the 49ers to use a timeout with 32 seconds left.
– Another failed red zone trip for the 49ers ends in a 28-yard field goal by Moody. That makes it 13-7, but it’s a disappointing end to a drive that began with a lot of promise.
Halftime: 49ers 13, Buccaneers 7
Third quarter
– An easy first down for the Buccaneers on two runs to open the second half. They’re finding too much success on the ground.
– What a play by Charvarius Ward on a third-and-3 to break up a deep shot down the sideline. He got a hand in and ripped the ball away from WR Trey Palmer.
– Good play design on a second-and-long from their own 3. Brock Purdy went play action and found George Kittle wide open for a 21-yard gain and a first down. More importantly it gives San Francisco some breathing room after starting the series at their own 2.
– Wow. A 76-yard strike from Purdy to Brandon Aiyuk goes for a touchdown. What a throw to cap a 98-yard drive. It’s 20-7, 49ers.
– Heck of a play by Ward to sniff out a quick throw to Palmer in the flat. He blew past a blocker and wrapped up for a sure tackle that set up a third-and-11.
– Another sick throw from Mayfield on a third down to Mike Evans that beat perfect coverage by Ward.
– Bucs tried a little shovel pass thing to Chris Godwin and Fred Warner had it tracked for an easy tackle and no gain.
– Oof. A dropped interception by Dre Greenlaw would’ve been a potential game-sealing moment on a third down. Instead the Bucs punt. Greenlaw will have nightmares about that one.
– Kittle has had so much success off play action. He’s just finding room on easy out routes after faking a block to the other side. This is exactly where he and the 49ers’ offense are at their best.
– Good play on a scramble by Purdy. He got outside the pocket and found a wide open Deebo Samuel just before the defense got to him for a sack.
– Three touchdown passes for Purdy after he found Kittle for six. The TE was wide open in the back of the end zone to cap a nine-play, 79-yard drive. It looked like a Tampa Bay LB was supposed to go with him, but he ran past two of them and neither moved. It’s 27-7, 49ers.
– Talanoa Hufanga is banged up. Rookie S Ji’Ayir Brown is in for him.
End of third quarter: 49ers 27, Buccaneers 7
Fourth quarter
– Yikes. Ji’Ayir Brown got walloped in coverage for a 41-yard gain that puts the Bucs near the red zone. That was a rookie mistake if ever there was one. He ran to a spot and stopped when the WR ran past him.
– Now a pass interference on Fred Warner puts the Bucs at the 1. Brutal.
– Easy rushing TD for Rachaad White makes this one a ball game again. The 49ers are now up 27-14.
– Not a good time for a three-and-out for the 49ers offense. A false start on Kyle Jusczczyk put them behind the sticks to start and they never recovered. This is a huge series for San Francisco’s defense.
– Great play by Fred Warner to knock down a first down throw from Baker Mayfield.
– Warner is single handedly trying to keep the Bucs from scoring on this series. He’s been all over the place. Tampa is driving with under 10 minutes left. They’re in 49ers territory.
– Ward, on the other hand, is having a tough series. He’s gotten beat for three completions and two have gone for first downs.
– Sheesh. Third-and-5 and a blitzing Warner gets a hand on the throw. That’s two PBUs on this series for him.
– Fourth-and-5 completion to Mike Evans goes for 11 yards. He beat Ambry Thomas after the 49ers pass rush couldn’t get home.
– Oh man. Mayfield tried throwing another interception but Tashaun Gipson ran into Ward and couldn’t hold onto the ball. That’s a couple INTs San Francisco has dropped.
– Ward was banged up and had to leave the game for a snap. Isaiah Oliver is in the slot with Deommodore Lenoir kicking outside on a huge fourth down.
– WOW. It’s the rookie Brown with a massive pass breakup against Evans in the red zone. He was one-on-one with Evans and got a hand in to knock it away at the last second. A 17-play drive results in no points.
– Purdy just took a horrible sack on a second-and-long. That was maybe the worst pocket awareness he’s ever shown.
– Another special teams miscue allows a big punt return that puts the Bucs deep in the red zone. That’s exactly what they could not let happen.
– Another huge play by Brown as he hits TE Cade Otton to keep him from hauling in a touchdown.
– Now Brown comes up with an interception. Unreal start for the rookie who has two PBUs and an interception since entering the game for Hufanga. That was created by Dre Greenlaw who broke on the throw and had it bounce off of him toward Brown.
– Love the 49ers on a fourth-and-2 near midfield trying to ice the game. Something other than a McCaffrey run up the middle would’ve been fun. He got stuffed short. It’s not a lot, but Tampa has some life.
– Back-to-back sacks by Dre Greenlaw and Chase Young should just about snuff out any bit of life the Bucs had.
– Hail Mary on fourth-and-forever is incomplete. 49ers win.
Final score: 49ers 27, Buccaneers 14
