Purdy throws 4 TD passes to lead the injury-depleted 49ers to a 36-30 win vs. the Cardinals

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw four touchdown passes, with the first coming on a trick play, and the injury-depleted San Francisco 49ers held on for a 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

San Francisco lost wide receiver Mike Evans to a rib injury in the first half and left tackle Trent Williams to a stinger in the second half, but still managed to hold on to start 3-0 for the third time in the last four seasons.

The game began well for the Niners before the injuries started mounting and they found themselves in a tight game against the Cardinals (1-2), who have lost 22 of their last 26 games in the division.

Purdy helped ice it when he threw a 20-yard TD pass to George Kittle with 1:31 to play. The Cardinals added a late field goal, but Deebo Samuel recovered an onside kick to seal the win.

Coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a hook-and-ladder call on San Francisco’s third play from scrimmage to turn a precarious third-and-12 from deep in 49ers territory into an 82-yard score. Purdy threw a quick 6-yard pass to Evans, who flipped it back 4 yards to a sprinting Samuel as he was being tackled well short of the first down. Samuel then sprinted down the sideline, broke a tackle near midfield and scored to make it 7-0 on an 82-yard play.

Purdy then connected on a 23-yard TD pass to Evans on the second drive and the Niners built the lead to 23-6 when Christian McCaffrey scored on a 1-yard run on the opening drive of the second half.

But Arizona fought back as Jacoby Brissett threw two TD passes on the next three possessions, connecting on a 5-yarder to Michael Wilson and a 1-yarder to Jeremiyah Love after the Niners lost the ball on a muffed punt.

But the 49ers answered with a touchdown drive that was aided when Josh Sweat was called for roughing the passer after an apparent third-down stop. Purdy then found Kittle on a 10-yard score to make it 29-20 even though Eddy Pineiro missed his second extra point of the game.

Purdy finished 15 for 27 for 297 yards.

Brissett scored on a 1-yard sneak with 2:51 to play to make it 29-27, but the Niners managed to run out the clock and hold on for the win.

Injuries

49ers: The injury to Evans is most concerning as San Francisco is already without receivers Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson. … Williams returned to the sideline after being taken off on a cart, but didn’t come back into the game. … LB Dre Greenlaw left in the second half with a quadriceps injury.

Up next

Cardinals: Visit the New York Giants on Sunday.

49ers: Host Denver on Sunday.

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