Grading the 49ers: Both Brock Purdy and the defense finally ace the exam

The 49ers can fully exhale after the frightening hit that briefly knocked Brock Purdy out of Sunday’s 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears.

The quarterback reported to work Monday without feeling any ill effects from the hit, delivered by Bears defensive end Darrell Taylor, that bent his neck backwards.

“He seemed fine, but you never know until the next day,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “But trainers talked to him, he felt good and no lingering issues from that play.”

Following a loss to the Seattle Seahawks last month, Purdy suffered through a markedly different day-after prognosis. The QB’s throwing shoulder had been sore during the game but he’d expected it quiet down by the subsequent Monday. That didn’t happen, and Purdy ended up missing the 49ers’ next game against the Green Bay Packers.

A healthy star quarterback is welcome and perhaps mandatory news for the 49ers, who host the Los Angeles Rams on a quick turnaround this week. The 49ers are slight favorites entering Thursday night’s showdown, a virtual must-win if they are to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Quarterback: Brock Purdy (57 snaps), Brandon Allen (4)
Game grade: A+

Purdy is almost back into the top five of ESPN’s QBR, which does its best to isolate a quarterback’s play from that of his team (to the extent that’s possible in such a team-based sport). Purdy finished No. 1 last season. He’s at No. 6 now — which is remarkably impressive considering all that’s gone wrong for the 49ers offense from an injury standpoint.

But in Sunday’s dominant performance, Purdy delivered efficiency that was comparable to some of his most explosive 2023 outings.

One more note on the log above: Look how much green and how little red there is. Over his first three seasons in the league, Purdy has been consistently good to great — at a borderline historic level.

Running back/fullback: Isaac Guerendo (34), Patrick Taylor Jr. (20), Kyle Juszczyk (21), Ke’Shawn Vaughn (3)
Game grade: A

This actually didn’t start as a run-heavy game for the 49ers since the Bears stacked the box and encouraged them to pass. Purdy, of course, made Chicago pay and the 49ers ended up with 34 rushes.

They only averaged 3.9 yards per carry on those runs, though. The 49ers’ backfield inflicted the brunt of its damage through the air. Guerendo, who converted to running back from receiver in college, logged two explosive receptions — first a check-down catch-and-run and then a deep grab off a play that Purdy checked into at the line of scrimmage.

Guerendo exited the game with a foot sprain that will be reevaluated throughout this week. Taylor scored his first touchdown since 2021 in Guerendo’s place.

Wide receiver: Jauan Jennings (45), Deebo Samuel (48), Ricky Pearsall (30), Chris Conley (15), Jacob Cowing (3)
Game grade: B-

Shanahan opened the game with a simple play for Jennings, a seven-yard out, that immediately thrust Purdy into rhythm. Jennings later delivered two touchdowns over his 90-yard performance. He ranks No. 5 among NFL wideouts in yards per route run. The Rams Puka Nacua, who’ll test the 49ers’ defense this week, is No. 1.

While Jennings thrived, Samuel and Pearsall were not nearly as productive. Purdy blamed himself for a miscommunication on a deep incompletion to Pearsall, who appeared to be open. Samuel, meanwhile, expressed some frustration via social media on Monday.

Samuel later added that he wasn’t “hating on any of my teammates.” It is worth noting that Samuel’s 72 touches are the second-most of any 49ers player, behind only running back Jordan Mason, who’s on injured reserve. Samuel is currently logging career lows in receiving yards per game, success rate, and yards per carry — though he’s been explosive on kick returns.

Tight end: George Kittle (52), Eric Saubert (17), Brayden Willis (4), Jake Tonges (3)
Game grade: A+

Kittle’s dominance above cannot be overstated. He’s now at exactly 800 receiving yards with four games to play. A second straight 1,000-yard season — which would be the fourth of Kittle’s illustrious career — is well within reach.

Shanahan’s ability to involve Kittle in the screen passing game was particularly important. The 49ers had been deficient there — Shanahan had called the fewest screens in the league up until last week — and they’re now making up for lost time. At Age 31, Kittle remains an absolute weapon with the ball in his hands.

Offensive line: Colton McKivitz (58), Dominick Puni (61), Jake Brendel (58), Ben Bartch (10), Jaylon Moore (61), Spencer Burford (51), Nick Zakelj (3), Sebastian Gutierrez (3)
Game grade: B

Sure, there were a couple blemishes. Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat beat McKivitz. Burford got pancaked right before Purdy’s sensational throw to Guerendo. The 49ers might’ve missed a couple run blocks against stacked Chicago fronts.

But this remained the second straight quality performance from the team’s front. Bartch suffered a high ankle sprain that’ll likely send him to injured reserve. Luckily for the 49ers, Aaron Banks has cleared concussion protocol, so he’ll step back into the left guard spot on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Puni is dominating on the other side — marking a massive change from 2023, when right guard was the 49ers’ biggest weakness.

Defensive line: Maliek Collins (30), Leonard Floyd (28), Yetur Gross-Matos (27), Sam Okuayinonu (39), Evan Anderson (14), Kalia Davis (14), Khalil Davis (14), Robert Beal Jr. (20)
Game grade: A

Chicago rookie Caleb Williams entered this game having been sacked more than any other NFL quarterback and he left it with an even wider lead. Gross-Matos relished in a three-sack performance. Floyd added two, running his season total to 8 1/2 sacks. The veteran entered this season having averaged 10 sacks over the past four seasons, so he continues to be a model of consistency. Collins also registered a big takedown of Williams, and the entire front was solid against the run.

The big question: Is there any way Nick Bosa can return in time for Thursday’s game? We’ll see this week.

Linebacker: Fred Warner (46), De’Vondre Campbell (34), Dee Winters (27), Jalen Graham (7)
Game grade: A

Pro Football Focus’ three highest-graded 49ers defenders were Graham, Campbell and Winters. With linebacker Dre Greenlaw very possibly making his return from a torn Achillles on Thursday night, this position group is rounding into solid shape.

The 49ers missed a season-low four tackles against Chicago. Warner accounted for two of those. But remember that he’s playing through a fractured ankle.

Defensive back: Deommodore Lenoir (46), Renardo Green (45), Charvarius Ward (44), Malik Mustapha (45), Talanoa Hufanga (39), Ji’Ayir Brown (15), Nick McCloud (7), Isaac Yiadom (9), Tashaun Gipson Sr. (7)
Game grade: B+

Hufanga’s return was undoubtedly massive for the 49ers. He started instead of Brown and helped set an excellent early tone. Mustapha praised how well Hufanga — an All-Pro in 2022 — communicated on the back end. Perhaps that’s a big reason why the 49ers defense was consistently in better position than during the previous two weeks, when Green Bay and Buffalo embarrassed the unit on the ground.

This time, the Bears offense managed only four net yards in the first half. The 49ers did let up two passing touchdowns after intermission — one against Ward and one against Brown — but this was a dominant, throwback defensive effort.

Special teams
Game grade: B-

All was good on field goals and punts. But Jake Moody was penalized twice on kickoffs for not reaching the landing zone on kickoffs. The 49ers continue struggling to deliver a completely clean special teams performance. Look out on Thursday: The Rams executed a fake punt against the 49ers back in Week 3 and blocked a punt on their way to beating the Bills yesterday.

The 49ers might need a complete game from their special teams unit on Thursday night.