San Francisco

49ers

Purdy said after the game that he got hit on the backside of his elbow, and that his arm was “on fire.” He couldn’t throw on the sideline after that, making just a few half-hearted attempts before putting the ball down. Josh Dobbs took over and sure sounds to be in line to make a Week 18 start for the 49ers against Arizona. Initial tests showed that Purdy’s UCL ligament is intact. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan called it a “nerve issue” after the game.

It’s the responsible move after the 49ers down year. The 49ers have been consistently messaging that nothing will happen, of course, but to get it straight from the owner’s mouth is notable. Shanahan has a career 70-61 record with the 49ers and has appeared in two Super Bowls while winning the division three times. The 49ers suffered an unfortunate run of bad injury luck this year and, with a fourth-place schedule, will probably be a good bet to rebound in 2025.

Samuel saw three early carries that resulted in 16 yards but managed just one target following the team’s first possession, taking a significant backseat to rookie Ricky Pearsall, who set a career high with 141 yards and a touchdown, George Kittle, who went for 112 yards, and Jauan Jennings, who tied for the team lead with 10 targets. For Samuel to be so little involved when quarterback Brock Purdy set his own career high with 377 pass yards speaks volumes to Samuel’s pedestrian season this year. Further complicating matters for Deebo was the departure of Purdy with a throwing arm injury with under a minute to play, something that could force backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs to start in the team’s season finale against the Cardinals.

Jennings tied for the team lead in targets with 10 but was vastly overshadowed by rookie Ricky Pearsall, who set a career high with 141 yards and a score, and tight end George Kittle, who caught all eight of his targets for 112 yards. Further complicating matters for Jennings heading into a Week 18 divisional tilt against the Cardinals was the departure of starting quarterback Brock Purdy with a throwing arm injury with under a minute to play. Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs was Jennings’ teammate in college, something that could influence target dispersal should Dobbs start against the Cardinals.

Kittle remained Mr. Consistency as he caught all eight targets thrown his way, seven of which were thrown by starting quarterback Brock Purdy and one of which was thrown from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs following Purdy’s departure with a throwing arm injury late in the fourth quarter. The nature of the injury and timing, with the team playing on Monday night, could lead to Dobbs starting under center in Week 18 when the 49ers take on the Cardinals. Dobbs has been known to target tight ends frequently throughout his career, something that late-season gamers would do well to take note of should he start next week.

Pearsall served as the team’s top option through the air throughout, scoring his touchdown on the team’s first possession on a three-yard strike from Brock Purdy. He would then see consistent usage the rest of the way en route to a career-high game, which coincided with a career-high night from Purdy in pass yards with 377. Pearsall could see one more game of featured usage in Week 18 against the Cardinals, although it could come with Joshua Dobbs throwing him the football after Purdy went down with an injury to his throwing arm with under a minute left to play against the Lions.

It was never overly likely that Guerendo would find much room on the ground against the stout Detroit defensive front, but he more than overcame those shortcomings with a solid receiving line through the air. Guerendo entered the season as the third running back behind Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason, starting three games in his rookie season after the top two options experienced season-ending injuries. He performed well when called upon, most notably showcasing his receiving chops after converting from wide receiver in college. Guerendo should get one more start under his belt to end the regular season against the Cardinals in Week 18.

Dobbs came on in relief of the injured Brock Purdy with just under a minute left to play in the fourth quarter after Purdy apparently inured his throwing arm on a sack. There wasn’t an update passed from the team on Purdy’s status with the injury occurring so late, but it could be enough for Dobbs to grab a Week 18 start for the 49ers against the Cardinals.

The 49ers took a 21-13 lead into the half after going toe-to-toe with the then 13-2 Lions before Detroit flipped the script after the break. Purdy set a career high with 377 pass yards but two costly second half interceptions allowed the Lions to sneak out of the Bay Area with a victory. Purdy was injured on the team’s final possession of the game on a two-minute drive, after which Joshua Dobbs and led the team to a touchdown with under a minute to play. The team would fail to recover an onside kick, ending the game. The six-point losing margin also looks worse when you consider 49ers’ kicker Jake Moody missed two field goals and an extra point in the contest. Either way, the 49ers drop to 6-10 at the tail end of a disappointing season, with Purdy’s late injury potentially resulting in a Dobbs start to end the season in Week 18 with the team on a short week. If Purdy’s season ended today, the former Mr. Irrelevant finishes 2024 with 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Greenlaw was shut down by the team for the remainder of a lost season while Charvarius Ward is inactive as he and his girlfriend await the birth of their child. The 49ers limp toward the end of the 2024 season having been eliminated from postseason contention.