It wasn’t the prettiest of efforts for the 49ers on Monday night, but it was a winning one.
Brock Purdy threw a touchdown in the first quarter, Christian McCaffrey ran for a touchdown in the third quarter and the 49ers defense made life difficult for Panthers quarterback Bryce Young in all four quarters of a 20-9 49ers win. The victory moves the 49ers to 8-4 ahead of their Week 13 trip to Cleveland to face the Browns.
Purdy’s touchdown went to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, but his first half was marred by three interceptions. It’s the third time Purdy has thrown three interceptions in a game and the second time that he’s thrown three in one half of a Monday night game. The other one came against the Ravens on Christmas in 2023.
Purdy finished the night 23-of-32 for 192 yards. McCaffrey ran 24 times for 89 yards and caught seven passes for 53 yards as the primary offensive force for the 49ers. Tight end George Kittle had six catches for 78 yards and Jennings had five catches for 41 yards.
Jennings was also involved in a brief postgame altercation with Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig. ESPN showed Moehrig deliver a blow below Jennings’ belt after a play during the game and there could be league discipline for both players later this week.
Young followed up one of Purdy’s interceptions by getting picked off by 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown in the end zone and the Panthers could only turn the other two into three points. Brown picked Young off again in the fourth quarter — officials appeared to miss a hold by 49ers cornerback Renardo Green on the play — and the 49ers were able to run out the clock after Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald missed a 57-yard field goal with 2:41 left to play.
The Panthers fell to 6-6 with the loss and they will be home to face the Rams next Sunday. They may not have cornerback Jaycee Horn for that game. Horn, who had two of the team’s interceptions, suffered a concussion late in the first half and the Panthers also had guard Chandler Zavala and cornerback Corey Thornton depart with injuries.
The Panthers offense took its time getting going on Monday night, but their biggest play of the night has brought them back within one score of the 49ers.
Quarterback Bryce Young hit wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan for a 29-yard touchdown with 49 seconds left in the third quarter. It was the longest play of the night for either team.
The 49ers were penalized on the extra point, so the Panthers decided to go for two points from the 1-yard line. Young’s pass to wide receiver Jalen Coker was incomplete, though, and the 49ers remain up 17-9.
Young is now 12-of-19 for 104 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Christian McCaffrey scored 50 touchdowns as a member of the Panthers and he scored his first touchdown against the team in the third quarter of Monday night’s game at Levi’s Stadium.
McCaffrey capped the first 49ers possession of the second half with a 12-yard touchdown run around the left end. Matt Gay’s extra point extended the 49ers’ lead to 17-3 with 4:42 left to play in the third quarter.
The 49ers running back has 16 carries for 69 yards and seven catches for 53 yards.
Carolina had the ball to start the second half and got a 17-yard run from Rico Dowdle on their first offensive play. A holding penalty stalled the drive, however, and the Panthers will need to find their offensive footing in a hurry if they’re going to have a chance at pulling out a win.
Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn had a pair of interceptions in the first half of Monday night’s game against the 49ers, but he may not be around for the second half.
Horn did not return to the field after halftime and the team announced that he is being evaluated for a concussion. The Panthers call him questionable to return.
Lisa Salters of ESPN reported that Horn was throwing up on the sideline after his second interception. Corey Thornton is seeing time at corner with Horn out of the lineup.
The Panthers have also lost linebacker Claudin Cherelus to a concussion. Krys Barnes has taken his spot in the lineup.
The 49ers led 10-3 at halftime and remain up by that score with more than six minutes off the clock in the third quarter.
UPDATE 9:59 p.m. ET: Horn has been ruled out for the remainder of the game.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy played a sloppy first half in Monday night’s game against the Panthers, but his team still leads 10-3 at the halftime break.
Purdy opened the game by leading a 15-play touchdown drive that ate up nearly nine minutes, but then threw interceptions on each of the team’s next three possessions. The 49ers defense had an interception of its own and held the Panthers to one field goal before the 49ers were able to drive for Matt Gay’s first field goal since joining the Niners.
The 49ers looked like they might be able to drive for even more points, but Purdy misfired on three straight passes before the 47-yard kick with a minute to play in the first half. Purdy ended the half 14-of-23 for 114 yards while Christian McCaffrey picked up 83 yards on 17 touches.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young wasn’t any better than Purdy in the first 30 minutes. He followed up Purdy’s first interception by trying to force a ball to tight end Mitchell Evans in the end zone and 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown picked it off to keep the Panthers off the board.
Young finished the half 6-of-10 for 28 yards and, per ESPN, the Panthers are the first team to trail at halftime after a three-interception half since Week 12 of the 2021 season. They’ll have a chance to start turning things around when they receive the opening kickoff of the third quarter.
