INDIANAPOLIS — The 49ers just beat the Indianapolis Colts 48-27 and won their 11th game of the season. Last season, they lost 11 games. Which means there’s something different and special about this team.
With that in mind, here are the 49ers’ grades for this performance.
QUARTERBACK: A-PLUS
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Brock Purdy was practically perfect. He threw for 295 yards, 5 touchdown passes and just one interception. It was one of the best performances of his career. Granted, he got touched only once, and he’ll have to face better pass rushes in the playoffs.
Still, when Purdy finds that balance between being cautious and aggressive, he’s elite. If he keeps it up, the 49ers definitely can win the Super Bowl this season. He just outplayed a future Hall of Famer.
RUNNING BACKS: A
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This was Christian McCaffrey’s best game since 2023. He had 146 yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns. He also looked more explosive than he has in two years. Who knows, maybe he was pacing himself for this stretch run?
WIDE RECEIVERS: A
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Ricky Pearsall didn’t play and the 49ers didn’t miss him. In fact, they might have been better without him. That’s because Jauan Jennings was excellent, and Skyy Moore and Kendrick Bourne got involved as well. The offense is so much better when everyone gets involved.
TIGHT ENDS: A
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George Kittle was the best player on the field before leaving the game with a sprained ankle. If he was a bit more durable, he would catch 150 passes every season. But he plays with such violence that the 49ers usually protect him from himself by throwing him the ball sparingly. It will be interesting to see if he’ll be ready to play against the Bears in a few days. He has a short week to recover.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: A
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They gave up just one quarterback hit and paved the way for 147 yards on the ground. In addition, Dominick Puni absolutely shut down DeForest Buckner, which is impressive. In addition, Spencer Burford held his own as well. The 49ers’ offensive line has improved dramatically since he became the left guard.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: B
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They shut down the best ball carrier in the NFL, Jonathan Taylor. Additionally, rookies Alfred Collins and CJ West both recorded sacks. This unit should be really good next season when Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams return from ACL injuries.
LINEBACKERS: B-PLUS
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They also shut down Taylor, plus Dee Winters sealed the victory with an incredible pick-six in the fourth quarter. His running mate, Tatum Bethune, finished with a game-high nine tackles. They’re an above-average duo.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: C
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They were good against the run, but were lost against the pass for most of the game. To be fair, they played a lot of zone and gave up lots of short catches. Still, they also gave up two touchdown catches and committed multiple penalties. Someone in this group needs to step up down the stretch.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A
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Eddy Pineirio missed his first field goal of the season — a 64-yarder before halftime. We’ll let this one slide.
COACHES: A-MINUS
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Kyle Shanahan’s offense hasn’t punted since November. He’s finally using all of his personnel, and he’s hitting his stride at the perfect time. This might be his best season yet.
Robert Saleh struggled in the first half. His defense shut down Jonathan Taylor, which is impressive, but it didn’t expect the Colts to have such a pass-heavy game plan. As a result, they gave up a passer rating of 124.1 in the first half. In the second half, Saleh adjusted and allowed a passer rating of 56.3. He’s an oustanding coach and the 49ers are lucky to have him this season.
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