49ers Offense Rolls in 35-16 Win
Behind stellar performances from CMC and Brock Purdy the 49ers cruised to their 4th straight win on the year after taking down the scrappy Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers entered Week 4 as one of the three remaining undefeated teams in the NFL and left it as one of two, following the Dolphins loss to Buffalo on Sunday. Their 35-16 win over an Arizona Cardinals team that has been exceed expectations, was a result of elite level offensive production. The surface level counting stats were fantastic with 35 points and a total of 395 yards. San Francisco gained an eye popping 30 first downs on 53 total plays, that’s 56% of their plays going for a first down! For reference in the Miami Dolphins historic Week 3 where they dropped 70 points that number was 43%, obviously different offensive styles but still very impressive. The advanced analytics were just as good for the 49ers, with a 0.52 EPA/P and a 66% Success Rate, 48% on rushing plays and 88% on passing plays.
The run game was once again carried by star RB Christian McCaffery who continued his hot start to the season with 106 rushing yards at 5.6 yards a pop. He was able to find the the endzone on 3 separate occasions while also being explosive (5 10+ yard runs) and difficult to bring down (6 Missed Force Tackles).
However, what made CMC so special on Sunday was his impact through the air, where he logged 7 catches for 71 yards and another score. His average depth of target was only 2.6 yards but he got the ball in a variety of creative ways. Whether it was out of the backfield or as a motion player, San Francisco got the ball to him out in space routinely.
He was also extremely successful when asked to split out wide versus an outmatched linebacker.
McCaffery was able to convert time and time again through the air versus this Cardinals defense. All 7 of his catches ended up going for first downs, continually keeping the offense on pace. Through four weeks McCaffery is the NFL rushing leader by a significant margin and Week 4 was just another notch his cap as he aims for not only for Offensive Player of the Year but potentially an MVP award.
McCaffery was not the only 49ers player who showed out on Sunday. QB Brock Purdy had arguably his cleanest game of the year and one of the best in his young career. Finishing the day 20/21 with 283 yards and 2 scores (1 rushing) he entered some rarified air statistically.
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It does have to be acknowledged that the Cardinals do not have the most fearsome pass rush and the San Francisco offensive line only gave up 3 pressures all game. Despite his stacked deck Purdy’s tape is just as impressive as the strong face value numbers. On the rare occasion the 49ers had to convert a 3rd or 4th down (SF was 4/6 on 3rd/4th Down on Sunday) Purdy stepped up. On this 4th down conversion in the first half Purdy calmly finds his ideal matchup in TE George Kittle and delivers a perfect ball to move the chains.
He also displayed an excellent ability to quickly work through his progressions and play a fantastic game of point guard, something vital to running a Shanahan offense, especially in the Red Zone.
On the rare occasion Arizona forced Purdy to escape the pocket and play out of structure he showed no panic and did an excellent job finding open receivers.
It was another strong game for the 2nd year quarterback as he continues to demonstrate an elite ability to captain one of the most high octane offensive units in all of football.
Up next for San Francisco is an old NFC rival the Dallas Cowboys, a team that should bring a far stiffer test on both sides of the ball. The 49ers will need both McCaffery and Purdy to keep up this tremendous pace on offense if they want to secure a big win for the NFC standings on Sunday Night.