The Write Zone

That felt phenomenal to watch the Niners pull off a win like that. I mean, blowing out a division rival like the Cardinals 41-22 was a spark of hope for the Niners fans, giving the idea that maybe the offensive line can be shaped into something that rivals the 2023 one. Let’s dive in.

It really shows you exactly how much Brock Purdy affects the team. Mac Jones was a great backup in his absence, but Purdy pulls the offense together in a way that Jones couldn’t. I was there, at Levi’s Stadium, to witness the first Niners-Cardinals game, and I saw Jones play decently. He was fine. But when I saw Brock Purdy light up the scoreboard today, I thought, “That’s why Kyle Shanahan had no problem addressing the rumors that he might dump Purdy and keep Jones. Because Brock Purdy pulls this injury-riddled team together, and today, they looked like that 2023 team that nearly dethroned the Chiefs.”

Yes, Jones would probably be a wonderful starter, and trading him to the Jets or Raiders or honestly any other struggling team in the off-season is possible. But as Kyle Shanahan said, “This is Brock’s team … if Brock’s good to go and everything … there’s no decision to be made.” I like Mac Jones enough- don’t get me wrong- but watching the difference between this and the week three game, its clear that Purdy is the better QB for this team. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He said, per ESPN, “Coming in, I didn’t want to think about (the toe) at all … I just went out and played quarterback like I’ve always played. It feels great now.”

Another aspect to look at is that yes, the Cardinals have a lot of injuries. But that doesn’t mean the defense played so much better. I mean, that interception by Deommodore Lenoir? (If you didn’t see it, click the link and agree that it was totally acceptable on my part to dance around my living room as I watched it live) And rookie Upton Stout also pulled off a fumble that he didn’t recover but he allowed Keion White to snatch it up.

Kittle had two touchdowns, and some rather nice plays, with six receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns. Christian McCaffery proved that he is still the best RB in the league, with 81 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, along with 40 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown on five catches. Even though he didn’t do that much, it was great to see Ricky Pearsall back out on the field, and I hope he can turn into the superstar he was in his first few games of 2025. Also, let me highlight Skyy Moore, who on the opening kick ran 98 yards but was tackled slightly short of the line. That was an incredible return.

I’m going to finish with this: The playoffs are tough, because its not always who’s the better team overall- its who’s the better team during that game. If I watch the Niners continue to play like they did against the Cardinals, I’m going to be one of the few who have hope for them. They are able to do it- their offense is great- but now they need to focus on getting the defense to play like they did today consistently.

See you at the next snap,

Tatum.