The San Francisco 49ers closed out their three-game homestand with a 24-14 Week 4 win over the Denver Broncos at Levi's® Stadium, improving to 4-0 for the third time since 2019.
After a defensive battle left the game tied 3-3 at halftime, San Francisco found its rhythm in the second half. The 49ers scored three touchdowns after the break, while the defense and special teams came up with key plays to help secure the team's fourth straight win.
Sunday also marked head coach Kyle Shanahan's 167th regular-season game with San Francisco, passing Bill Walsh for the most regular season games coached in franchise history.
Here are five takeaways from the 49ers Week 4 win over the Broncos:
1. Defense Sets the Tone
With points hard to come by early, San Francisco's defense kept the team in the game. The 49ers held Denver to just three points in the first half and kept the Broncos out of the end zone until the final four minutes of the game.
S Malik Mustapha helped shut down a Denver drive in the second quarter with a pass breakup on third down, forcing the Broncos to punt. LB Dre Greenlaw was all over the field, leading the team with 12 tackles and forcing a fourth-quarter fumble.
"He had an unbelievable game," Shanahan said of Greenlaw. "Unbelievable season so far... It's good to be able to get a family member back."
2. Siran Sparks the 49ers on Special Teams
DB Siran Neal provided the game's biggest momentum-changing plays in the third quarter. On a 61-yard punt from P Corliss Waitman, Neal forced a fumble from Broncos returner Marvin Mims Jr. and recovered it himself at the Denver 28-yard line.
The turnover gave the 49ers the ball in scoring territory, and the offense took advantage. Nine plays later, QB Brock Purdy connected with Deebo Samuel Sr. for a one-yard touchdown to give the 49ers their first lead of the game, 10-3.
3. 49ers Offense Finds Its Rhythm in the Second Half
After a low-scoring first half, the 49ers offense found the end zone three times after halftime. Purdy completed 10-of-16 passes for 89 yards in the opening two quarters before going 9-of-14 for 129 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. He finished the afternoon 19-of-30 for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
WR Mike Evans also made an impact while playing through a rib injury that had him listed as questionable entering Sunday. Evans led San Francisco with 76 receiving yards on five catches, including a 17-yard catch that set the 49ers up at the one-yard line ahead of RB Christian McCaffrey's fourth-quarter touchdown.
Shanahan praised Evans for battling through the injury during the week, after being unsure earlier if he would be available for the game.
"He never grimaced, never changed his stride or anything, how he's carrying himself," Shanahan said. "It was really, really impressive today what he did."
4. Kittle Puts the Game Away
With Denver cutting San Francisco's lead to three late in the fourth quarter, TE George Kittle delivered the final blow.
With a little over two minutes remaining, Purdy connected with Kittle, who broke into open space and raced 56 yards, beating Denver S Talanoa Hufanga to the end zone. The touchdown extended San Francisco's lead to 24-14.
Kittle finished with four receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.
5. O-Line Keeps Purdy Clean as the 49ers Move to 4-0
For the fourth straight game, the 49ers offensive line kept Purdy from being sacked.
The group also helped the 49ers rush for 140 yards on Sunday, with McCaffrey leading the way with 52 yards and a touchdown. Samuel Sr. added 44 yards on three carries, including runs of 22 and 20 yards. He also caught five passes for 26 yards and a touchdown.
"I thought Deebo was huge today," Shanahan said. "Those two runs in the first half that he had, I don't think many people get the amount of yards that he got on that... but he does something amazing to get over 20 on both of them."
Up Next
With the win, San Francisco closes out its three-game homestand undefeated. The 49ers will hit the road for the first time since their season-opening trip to Melbourne when they travel to Seattle for a Week 5 NFC West matchup against the Seahawks. It will mark San Francisco's third divisional game through the first five weeks of the season.
