The last time San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy played in Seattle, he could lead an injury-laden 49ers team to only two field goals in a 35-point playoff loss to the Super Bowl-bound Seahawks.
uncertain
he → play → Seahawks
On Sunday, Purdy led San Francisco to a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of a 32-29 win, handing Seattle its first home loss in 371 days.
asserted
Purdy → lead → days
Is San Francisco headed to the Super Bowl next?
asserted
Francisco → head → Bowl
There’s a long way to go, but the 49ers are 5-0 for the third time under coach Kyle Shanahan — and the last two times they were still playing in February.
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they → ’ → February
Sunday’s game was an instant classic, a matchup filled with wild moments and playoff intensity.
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game → fill → moments
The teams combined for a whopping seven turnovers and multiple personal fouls, and one player — San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw — was even ejected.
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player → combine → turnovers
The defenses largely dominated until the fourth quarter.
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defenses → dominate → quarter
That was when Purdy, perhaps the MVP favorite through the first four weeks and change of the NFL season, stepped up.
asserted
Purdy → step → season
Trailing 26-21, Purdy led the 49ers on a 12-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a 7-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans.
asserted
that → trail → Evans
Purdy then threw to Evans again to convert a 2-point attempt to put San Francisco ahead 29-26.
asserted
Purdy → throw → Francisco
After a Seattle field goal, the 49ers traveled 43 yards in eight plays for a 44-yard field goal that proved to be the game winner.
asserted
that → travel → goal
“I thought Brock did an unbelievable job finding a way there to win at the end,” Shanahan said.
asserted
Shanahan → think → end
On the Seahawks’ final possession, the offense couldn’t convert a fourth-and-10 — though whether receiver Cooper Kupp was able to stretch the ball for a first down on the play seemed up for debate.
asserted
was → convert → debate
While neither quarterback was great Sunday, Purdy had some impressive moments considering the circumstances.
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Purdy → have → circumstances
Facing the NFL’s second-best defense in expected points added per play, Purdy capitalized on early turnovers before he managed the two scoring drives in the fourth.
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he → face → fourth
And he did so with a depleted receiving corps.
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he → do → corps
The 49ers entered Sunday with four receivers on injured reserve.
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49ers → enter → reserve
Then Deebo Samuel and Jacob Cowing were injured during the game.
asserted
Samuel → injure → game
“We got a bunch of warriors,” Shanahan said of the backups who stepped up.
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who → get → backups
“Everyone knows the talent and the stars of some of the guys on our team.
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Everyone → know → team
What makes our guys special is how much they love football, how much they give it up every week.”
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they → make → it
Among those who played key roles Sunday was Evans, who caught a season-high seven passes for 113 yards and a score, plus the 2-pointer for good measure.
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who → play → measure
“He’s a game-changer,” Purdy said.
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Purdy → ’ → ?
“As a quarterback, any time I have to go to him it always feels good.”
asserted
it → have → him
Evans told Fox after the game: “We knew it was going to be a dogfight.
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it → tell → game
They’re a great team, and we came out here and showed we’re a great team, as well.”
asserted
we → ’re → ?
Purdy finished with a so-so stat line by his standards: 19 of 29 passing for 189 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
asserted
Purdy → finish → touchdowns
More important, though, he outplayed his counterpart, Sam Darnold, and found a way to shepherd two go-ahead drives in the game’s biggest moments.
asserted
he → outplay → moments
The 49ers now have the league’s most impressive résumé through five weeks.
asserted
49ers → have → weeks
San Francisco has the best point differential in the NFL, and three of its five wins have come against teams with winning records.
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three → have → records
And two of those wins came against teams that are both legitimate championship contenders and divisional rivals: Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams.
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that → come → teams
After the Week 5 win, he has now thrown for 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
asserted
he → throw → touchdowns
Sunday’s game was the only one this season in which he has posted a passer rating under 100, and he still posted a mark of 92.5.
asserted
he → post → 92.5
The 49ers have done all of that despite being beset with injuries.
asserted
49ers → do → injuries
While the Seahawks were down some of their own key players Sunday, San Francisco ultimately pulled out an ugly win on the road against a team that hadn’t lost at home in over a year — a sign of how much stronger the 49ers look compared with a season ago.
asserted
49ers → pull → year
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