San Francisco 49Ers

A quintet of franchises capitalised on what many considered to be an historic class at the position to select the prospects they hope will prove to be the long-term future of their respective teams.

However, so much of a quarterback's success is dependent on situation and it is likely the quarterback from this crop of rookies that initially stands out will be the one with the best supporting cast around them.

The consensus is that Trey Lance, the third overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers, is in the best spot. For now, he will have to play second fiddle to Jimmy Garoppolo and settle for only sporadic action as the Niners look to make use of his running threat.

When Lance does take over full-time, he will be playing the most important position on a roster that was seven minutes from Super Bowl glory two seasons ago.

While he may have landed in the most favourable scenario, 11th overall pick Justin Fields appears to have been dealt the worst hand, with the Chicago Bears unwilling to risk putting him out there in Week 1 with a talent-poor offense against the Los Angeles Rams despite a strong preseason.

Do the numbers back up the statements that Lance is in the best situation with Fields in the worst? And where do Trevor Lawrence, first overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets rookie Zach Wilson and New England Patriots starter Mac Jones stack up in terms of supporting cast?

Stats Perform analysed its advanced metrics to find out.

RUNNING GAME

1. Patriots 2. 49ers 3. Jaguars 4. Jets 5. Bears

The running game can be an excellent safety net that takes the pressure off a quarterback's shoulders.

Rushing the ball effectively is contingent on an offensive line that can open the holes and a back that can not only take advantage of those lanes but also create for himself.

In terms of run blocking, the Patriots are the standouts among the teams to select a signal-caller. Second in Stats Perform's projected offensive line rankings, put together using combined run blocking and pass protection data over the past three seasons, only two offensive lines league begin the season better prepared to provide the foundation for a successful ground game than that of New England.

Led by center David Andrews - whose run disruption rate allowed of 5.3 per cent was the best in the NFL at his position - and right guard Shaq Mason (6.3%), the Patriots' O-Line is one that should continue to excel at creating running lanes.

Damien Harris showed his ability to take advantage of those lanes last season when he averaged 3.11 yards before contact from a defender, 10th in the NFL, while making things happen for himself with 3.15 yards per carry on attempts where there was a run disruption from a defender.

When Jones makes his first start against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, he should have full confidence in being able to lean on Harris and the line to make his life easier.

The 49ers, whose starting running back Raheem Mostert averaged 3.28 yards before contact last season, might have a strong case for having the top running game should Lance's dual-threat ability take their ground attack to the next level.

Third-round pick Trey Sermon (4.85 yards before contact, 2.77 yards after contact for Ohio State in 2020) could prove an astute selection, though an offensive line 18th in run blocking in Stats Perform's rankings will need to take a step forward.

Still, their position is significantly more favourable than that of the Bears, who rank last in run blocking, making David Montgomery's 1,000-yard 2020 season all the more surprising.

Yet Montgomery was below the league average in yards before contact (2.54 per attempt) and after contact (1.84), hardly inspiring confidence that he can lighten the load on Fields when the Bears finally commit to him as the starter.

PASS CATCHERS

1. 49ers 2. Patriots 3. Jets 4. Bears 5. Jaguars

There isn't much use investing in a potential franchise quarterback if you cannot put weapons around him upon whom he can rely.

In terms of players he can target and trust, Lance has the edge over his fellow rookies, though no team to take a quarterback in the first round landed in the top half of Stats Perform's rankings by collective open percentage.

The Niners landed 18th on that list but conventional wisdom says they will be much higher should tight end George Kittle and top wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk stay healthy.

All three endured injury-hindered 2020 seasons, though Kittle still led all tight ends in adjusted open percentage (45.03%). He was first among tight ends with 3.9 burn yards per route (a burn is a target where the receiver wins his matchup with a defender).

Samuel's burn yards per route rate of 3.0 was particularly eye-catching because his average depth of target of 2.3 was the lowest in the NFL, the former second-round pick showing his skills with ball in hand with 12.1 yards after the catch per reception, best in the NFL.

Aiyuk, meanwhile, produced a big play on 33.1 per cent of his targets, third among rookie receivers with at least 50 targets, a breakout year appears on the horizon for the second-year wideout.

With an elite tight end and two promising wideouts, the Niners' situation is substantially better than Jacksonville's. The Jaguars' pass-catchers ranked last by collective open percentage.

Late free-agent addition Tyron Johnson is the sole wide receiver on the Jaguars' roster to have posted a burn percentage above the average of 62.5 per cent last year.

Johnson did so on 69.2 per cent of his targets and was first in burn yards per target (19.89) and second in burn yards per route (3.6) with an average depth of target of 20 yards.

This evidently skilled deep separator will be tasked with stretching opposing defenses while D.J. Chark (30.33% adjusted open) and Laviska Shenault (27.44%) must do a better job of beating coverage and taking advantage of the stress Johnson can put on opponents to lift this group from the cellar and give Lawrence more to work with.

PASS BLOCKING

1. Patriots 2. Jets 3. Jaguars 4. 49ers 5. Bears

Though most accept Fields is the most exciting quarterback on the Bears' roster, Matt Nagy's decision to not start him and protect him from an offensive line that can hardly protect anyone may be an astute one with Chicago facing Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and the Rams Week 1.

Eventually, Fields will have to take his lumps. There are good defensive players across the NFL by which he will one day be confronted, but a reticence to put him out there behind a line ranked 30th in pass protection by Stats Perform is understandable.

Starting left tackle Jason Peters is 39 and allowed a pressure rate of 12.4 per cent last term, the 10th-worst in the league. The interior of the line is also a substantial concern.

Right guard James Daniels is coming off a year where he gave up a pressure on 11.3 per cent of pass protection snaps. Cody Whitehair is at left guard having played center in 2020, when only three players at his former position allowed a higher adjusted sack rate than his 1.9 per cent. One of those players was this year's starting center Sam Mustipher (2.3%).

While Fields would have the NFL equivalent of a turnstile in front of him. Jones will head on the Gillette Stadium field with an O-Line that is the definition of solidity.

Though not quite the brick wall he had the benefit of at Alabama, the Patriots' line should provide Jones with excellent protection, ranking fifth in pass blocking.

Mike Onwenu ranked as the best pass-protecting left guard in the NFL and in Trent Brown, credited with one adjusted sack allowed on 162 pass-block snaps in his final season with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Isaiah Wynn, the Patriots have a solid pair of tackles to give Jones the time to prove his pre-draft doubters wrong.

The left side of the Jets' line could rival that of the Patriots. Mekhi Becton's pressure rate allowed of 5.5 per cent was ninth among left tackles in 2020. On his inside shoulder, rookie left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker conceded only five pressures on 387 pass protection snaps the last time he played that spot for USC in 2019. Wilson can afford to have great faith in that duo.

DEFENSE

1. 49ers 2. Bears 3. Patriots 4. Jets 5. Jaguars

Defense is often neglected when it comes to talking about a quarterback's supporting cast but, if a team has one that can stifle opposing attacks, it leaves more wiggle room for a young quarterback to endure the 'rookie mistakes' and not sink his team's chances of competing.

Lance's performances during the preseason, while exciting, indicated he is a quarterback who could be a little turnover-prone as he adapts to reading defenses at the NFL level.

San Francisco's is a defense that is strong up front and better than given credit for in the secondary. The 49ers ranked eighth in pass coverage grade, which was produced by multiplying each player's coverage baseline by a projected target share for 2021 with the results then aggregated at the team level.

On the front, Stats Perform projected the average Niners defender to produce a pressure on 11.5 per cent of pass rush attempts, putting them fourth in the NFL.

Though there is great depth on the defensive line, much of that projection is built on Nick Bosa, getting back to his Defensive Rookie of the Year levels of 2019, when he had a pressure rate of 28.3 per cent, after suffering a torn ACL in Week 2 last year. With Bosa healthy and Fred Warner the premier all-round linebacker in the NFL, the Niners have a defense that could help them contend amid bumps in the road for Lance.

The Bears don't have many areas where they can be considered to be the best in the NFL, yet their front seven has a strong claim. The average Chicago pass rusher is projected to produce a pressure on 11.4% of pass rush attempts and the average run defender is forecast to cause a run disruption 10.2% of the time.

While Chicago's front may be well-rounded, their secondary looks extremely shaky, as illustrated by the Bears' ranking of 22nd in pass coverage grade. Jaylon Johnson enjoyed an encouraging rookie season at corner yet, with Kindle Vildor set to start across from him having only started one game in his brief career, there is clear a potential weakness for opponents to target.

The Patriots have no such problems on the back end, at least when the absent Stephon Gilmore is on the field. New England are seventh in coverage grade, and with linebacker D'Onta Hightower returning and the addition of edge rusher Matthew Judon, they will hope their front seven can dramatically outperform the projection of a pressure from a defender on just 9.51% of attempts.

New York's pass rush suffered a substantial blow when free agent signing Carl Lawson, who had a pressure rate of 22.3% that was seventh in the NFL last season, was lost for the year due to a ruptured Achilles. Without him, the average Jets defender is predicted to cause pressure 10.34% of the time, and there is an even greater onus on defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to carry his 2020 emergence into this year.

The Jets' hopes of the defense offering support to Wilson may be dashed should the front prove unable to lift a secondary bereft of talent beyond safety Marcus Maye, New York entering the season 23rd in pass coverage grade.

A lack of pass-rushing options beyond Josh Allen, who took a step back in an injury-affected 2020, contributed to the Jaguars' mediocre projected pressure rate of 10.18% and, with Jacksonville just above the Jets and Bears in 21st in coverage grade, they need cornerback Shaquill Griffin to live up to his lucrative free agency pricetag to elevate the play in the defensive backfield and ensure Lawrence is not tasked with coming through a shootout every week.

OVERALL

1. Patriots 2. 49ers 3. Jets 4. Bears 5. Jaguars

Aided by an offensive line that excels in both facets, a running back seemingly primed for a breakout year and a defense restocked with players returning from opt-outs and quality free agents, Jones will head into his NFL debut with the top supporting cast of any of the rookies.

The most important thing in Jones' favour, though, is his head coach, as he will benefit from playing for the greatest coach of all-time in Bill Belichick, whose incredible expertise on the defensive side of the ball should prove a significant help to the former Alabama star as he adapts to different looks from opponents.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan's play-calling acumen will give Lance an advantage most quarterbacks in the league do not enjoy when he hits the field, with the weapons they boast on both sides of the ball meaning he will likely take over a team headed for the playoffs when he eventually displaces Garoppolo.

Wilson has the luxury of playing for two Shanahan disciples in head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. The early signs have been promising in terms of him settling into LaFleur's offense but Saleh will need to do a particularly impressive coaching job on defense to turn them into a unit capable of making Wilson's life easier.

Fields may get help in that respect from the defensive front and will have one of the most underrated wide receivers in the NFL in Allen Robinson. He and Lawrence were deemed by many to be the best quarterbacks in the 2021 class, however, due to the holes on both sides of their respective rosters, it is they who have the most obstacles to immediate success in front of them.

Thursday marked the 20th anniversary of the quarterback's first NFL start. On Sunday, he needs only 68 yards to pass Drew Brees for the most passing yards in league history.

"It's definitely a special record because it speaks to the longevity that he's been able to experience and the level that he's been able to play at," Brees said at the start of the week.

Of course, that record will fall as Brady takes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back to Foxborough to play the New England Patriots for the first time.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion made history time and again in 19 years with the Pats and does not look like stopping now in the pick of the Week 4 Sunday matchups, broken down by Stats Perform.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New England Patriots

A win for the 2-1 Bucs would make Brady only the fourth starting quarterback to defeat all 32 NFL teams across their careers, joining Brees, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.

The QB comes into this game in form, having thrown for at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns through his team's first three games of the year for the second time, having also done so with New England in 2011. No other QB has achieved that feat twice.

The Pats will hope they have found a long-term successor in Mac Jones, whose 81 completions are the third-most by any QB in the Super Bowl era through three career games – after Joe Burrow (91) and Kyler Murray (84).

Tampa Bay have a poor record against New England, too. The Pats are 7-2 in this matchup all-time and have held the Bucs to 11.9 points per game – the fewest any current franchise has averaged against another.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks are in a spot of bother in the NFC West with a 1-2 record, but they are 14-3 over their past 17 games against the 49ers, making them the first team to beat San Francisco 14 times over a 17-game span since the Los Angeles Rams between 1973 and 1981.

Russell Wilson will hope his team-mates can catch up this week, having become the first QB in the Super Bowl era to complete at least 70 per cent of his passes for 250 yards and no interceptions in each of his first three games of a season. In fact, Seattle's back-to-back defeats marked the second time in franchise history they have lost consecutive games with no turnovers in either (also November 2008).

If nothing else, expect this game to be tight, with the 49ers' past seven games all decided by eight points or fewer – tying a franchise record – although San Francisco certainly have the talent to hurt the Seahawks.

The Niners have had touchdowns from 11 different players this year, tied for the most in NFL history through three games (also the 1964 Houston Oilers, 1987 Chicago Bears and 2002 Patriots). Deebo Samuel is the chief threat right now, though, with his 334 receiving yards the most by a 49er through three team games since Jerry Rice's 341 in 1995.

Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams

The four NFC West teams are playing among themselves for the coming two weeks, meaning another mammoth matchup as the division's two 3-0 starters meet at SoFi Stadium in a series the Rams have dominated with eight straight wins against the Cardinals. That is their longest winning streak against a single opponent since a run of nine against the 49ers from 1976 to 1980.

A 4-0 start brings back contrasting memories for these two teams. The Rams made the Super Bowl after winning their first four in both 2018 and 2001, but the last time Arizona jumped out to such a start in 2015 they lost 11 of their remaining 12 games to finish 5-11.

Cardinals QB Murray makes for an entertaining watch, with at least one interception and one rushing TD in each of his first three games in 2021. It is only the third time a player has done that since 1960, with Murray accounting for one of the other two examples in 2020 (also Charlie Frye in 2006).

Crucially, Murray has more options through the air this year. Arizona have a league-leading six players with 10 or more receptions, having only had eight players reach that mark in the entirety of the 2020 campaign – tied for the fifth-fewest in the NFL.

Elsewhere...

The Kansas City Chiefs visit the Philadelphia Eagles looking to avoid losing three in a row for the first time since Patrick Mahomes became a starter. Back-to-back defeats to the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers already represent the Chiefs' worst run since a pair of losses in Weeks 5 and 6 in 2019.

Dak Prescott is in top form as the Dallas Cowboys prepare to host the Carolina Panthers, but that game may be decided on defense. The Panthers have allowed a league-low 3.8 yards per play this season, while the Cowboys' 6.7 yards allowed per play is fewer only than the Chiefs (7.0) and the Minnesota Vikings (6.8).

The Denver Broncos have made the most of a kind schedule to join the Panthers at 3-0 but now face a first real test against the Ravens. Teddy Bridgewater will aim to maintain his high standards, having become the fourth player in the past 60 years to complete at least 75 per cent of his passes in the first three games of a season, along with Brady (2007), Brees (2018) and Philip Rivers (2020). Brady did so in four straight.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won five consecutive regular season games against the Green Bay Packers going back to 1998, but veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger has made an unconvincing start to the campaign. He is one TD shy of 400 in the NFL – Aaron Rodgers was the seventh and most recent man to that mark.

New England Patriots quarterback Brady is set to enter free agency for the first time in his career when the new NFL league year begins on March 18.

It remains to be seen whether Brady will ultimately remain in New England or move to pastures new.

However, there is growing talk of the 43-year-old linking up with the 49ers, the team he supported as a boy growing up in San Mateo, 19 miles outside of San Francisco.

Speculation has mounted despite Garoppolo, Brady's former backup in New England, leading the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV - where they suffered an agonising defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs - in his first full season as a starter after they traded a second-round pick for him in 2017.

The Niners' star tight end Kittle made it clear in an Instagram post on Wednesday that he is focusing on another bid for the Lombardi Trophy with Garoppolo under center.

Alongside an image of he and Garoppolo celebrating, Kittle wrote: Let's run it back, 10!," in a reference to Garoppolo's jersey number.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch issued a staunch defence of Garoppolo, criticised for his inability to get the Niners over the line in a Super Bowl that saw them lose a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, at the Scouting Combine last week.

"The most exciting thing about him is the room for growth. He's not come close to hitting his ceiling," Lynch said.

"The room for growth, the more experience he gets in this system, the more experience he gets playing in general, we think the arrow’s up, and that’s a good thing."

At this stage in his career, Brady's room for growth appears limited by comparison and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said on Wednesday that he had not been able to "substantiate any interest from the 49ers' standpoint besides saying like, 'Yes, theoretically anything is possible.'"

The league also revealed when and where Aaron Rodgers will make his highly anticipated debut with the New York Jets, who will host the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills on Monday, Sept. 11 in a nationally televised primetime game on ESPN.

Detroit will visit Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 7 to officially start the NFL's 2023 campaign, with the game to be broadcast on NBC beginning at 8:20 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs will also be playing at home on Christmas Day with a matchup against their longtime AFC West foes, the Las Vegas Raiders. The NFL announced on Wednesday that the reigning champions will host the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year's Eve in a rematch of last season's conference championship game, which Kansas City won 23-20 on a late field goal.

Also announced is a clash between two of the NFC's marquee teams in Week 5, when the San Francisco 49ers will host the Dallas Cowboys in prime time on Oct. 8 as part of NBC's "Sunday Night Football" package.

The entire 2023 schedule for all 32 teams will be revealed Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. The NFL announced dates and times for eight games, including five International Series matchups that will take place in either London or Germany, on Wednesday.

Reigning Super Bowl champions the Chiefs needed overtime to see off the Los Angeles Chargers 23-20 in Week 2.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens powered past the Houston Texans 33-16 on the road.

Meanwhile, Kyler Murray dazzled for the high-flying Arizona Cardinals and Russell Wilson sparked the Seattle Seahawks.

MAHOMES' CHIEFS OUTLAST CHARGERS

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs stayed perfect thanks to Harrison Butker's 58-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining in OT.

Butker drilled three field goals for the day as he tied a Chiefs record for distance, while becoming the second kicker in NFL history to make a pair of 58-yard kicks in the same game.

It completed a rally for the Chiefs, who overturned a 17-6 deficit in the third quarter to survive an impressive NFL debut by Chargers rookie Justin Herbert.

Herbert threw 311 yards to become the ninth player since the merger to top 300 in his first game. He was 22 of 33 for a touchdown and interception.

As for former MVP and last season's Super Bowl MVP Mahomes, the Chiefs quarterback finished 27 of 47 for 302 passing yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 54 yards.

RAVENS PRESERVE UNBEATEN RUN

The Ravens overcame a slow start to extend their regular-season winning streak to 14 games – the longest run since the Carolina Panthers reeled off 18 successive victories in 2014-15.

Reigning MVP Jackson threw for 204 yards and a touchdown, while he rushed for 54 yards in Houston, where the Ravens led 20-10 at half-time.

The Ravens rushed for 230 yards compared to the Texans' 51 as Mark Ingram II had 55 and a touchdown.

"We feel like we have the best backfield in the league. We just try to prove that, week in, week out," Ingram said.

MURRAY HAS CARDINALS SOARING

Murray continues to show why the Cardinals were so desperate to draft him with the number one pick last year after inspiring a 30-15 victory against the Washington Football Team.

Second-year quarterback Murray finished with 286 yards and a touchdown, while he ran for two TDs in a stunning display.

Murray – a dual-threat – put on a show as he ran with the ball and went for 14 and 21 yards to help the Cardinals improve to 2-0.

"As soon as I leave the pocket I survey the field," Murray said. "Seeing how the blocks were set up, they were set up pretty perfectly. Once I get a guy one on one, I like my chances."

Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins had eight catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Wilson fuelled the Seahawks to a 35-30 win over the New England Patriots.

Wilson was 21-of-28 for 288 yards and five touchdowns as the Seahawks made it two victories from two games.

It condemned Can Newton and the Patriots to their first loss of the season after Tom Brady's QB replacement in New England finished 30 of 44 for 397 yards, a touchdown, interception and a sack in Seattle.

Week 2 scores:

Chicago Bears 17-13 New York Giants 
Dallas Cowboys 40-39 Atlanta Falcons 
Green Bay Packers 42-21 Detroit Lions 
Tennessee Titans 33-30 Jacksonville Jaguars 
Indianapolis Colts 28-11 Minnesota Vikings 
Buffalo Bills 31-28 Miami Dolphins 
San Francisco 49ers 31-13 New York Jets 
Los Angeles Rams 37-19 Philadelphia Eagles 
Pittsburgh Steelers 26-21 Denver Broncos 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-17 Carolina Panthers
Arizona Cardinals 30-15 Washington Football Team
Kansas City Chiefs 23-20 Los Angeles Chargers
Baltimore Ravens 33-16 Houston Texans
Seattle Seahawks 35-30 New England Patriots

The 49ers advanced to their second-straight NFC Championship Game, and third in the past four seasons, with the victory.

Purdy, who only got his chance as starting QB following injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance, completed 19 of 29 passes for 214 yards, with the 49ers focusing on their run game to combat the Cowboys' strong defense.

Last week Purdy became the first rookie to throw for 200 yards with no interceptions in a postseason game and he backed that up again.

The 23-year-old quarterback is now 7-0 in starts this season, with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, and has a legitimate claim to being the 49ers' starting quarterback next season.

"You see it every day in the day he prepares, you see it in practice, and in games, he has just been an impressive guy to be around in the huddle," McCaffrey told reporters about Purdy. 

"I'm not shocked anymore – it's just who he is now."

McCaffrey scored the game-winning touchdown to cap a drive in which Purdy linked up with George Kittle, who hauled in a superb catch for a 30-yard gain.

"That was unbelievable," McCaffrey said. "That was one of the best catches I've ever seen.

"That's a special player doing special things. And plays like that definitely boost momentum."

Kittle said he was not the primary for the play where he juggled Purdy's threaded pass, with the QB intending to hit receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a crossing route, with Deebo Samuel and Kyle Jaszczyk his other options. Instead, with none of those options open, Purdy improvised.

"I'm not in the read at all," Kittle said. "Brock is a good quarterback who keeps his eyes up when the play is falling apart and his No. 1 and his No. 2 wasn't open so for him to look back inside to see a white glove hand fly up and give me a shot at the ball, that's just really good quarterback play."

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan did not get carried away with Purdy's game, in a contest that he expected to be tight against the Cowboys.

"He made a number of plays today," Shanahan said. "By no means was anything perfect, for the whole offense and the whole team, but it seemed like playoff football in that game.

"We were going against a team we've been watching all week, and we had a feeling it would be this type of game. That's why we were stressing the run game on both sides.

"We were stressing to protect the ball and try to get turnovers – we accomplished both of those things – but you do that stuff and you still have to make a number of plays."

San Francisco will face the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday for a place at Super Bowl LVII.

Playing in only his second game for the Niners following his blockbuster trade from the Carolina Panthers, McCaffrey made a huge impact at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

The star running back ran for a touchdown, took a pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to score another and also picked out Brandon Aiyuk with a 34-yard pass for a rare treble.

McCaffrey is the first NFL player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to achieve a touchdown trifecta feat.

He racked up 94 rushing yards and 55 receiving yards, as well as turning provider for wide receiver Aiyuk.

The 49ers stormed back in the second half to move to 4-4 ahead of their bye week and McCaffrey says the victory was more important than personal achievements. 

"Obviously, those things are really cool," McCaffrey said. "I think the biggest thing is coming out with a win and playing a second half like that, too.... But I'm just proud to be a 49er and it felt good to get a win today."

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan knows he is fortune to have McCaffrey after they got back on track despite being without Deebo Samuel.

"I think everyone knows how good of a player he is, but I just like how consistent he is and under control in what he does," Shanahan said.

"He's a very smart player, and he makes a lot of plays and stuff, but it's the consistency of how he plays his game. I feel like he was a great guy to add for us."

A win for the Niners leaves them second in the NFC West ahead of the 3-4 Rams.

With Garoppolo described as having a "way outside chance" of returning for the playoffs after breaking his foot, the 8-4 Niners' Super Bowl hopes rest in part on the shoulders of a seventh-round pick, who was taken with the final selection of the 2022 draft.

The historical omens for a San Francisco victory in Purdy's first start are very good.

The Buccaneers have a 3-12 (.250) all-time record on the road against the 49ers. Among those with at least five all-time road games versus the Niners, no team has a worse record there than Tampa Bay. 

San Francisco's prospects of improving their already extremely impressive home record against Brady, playing on the road against the Niners for only the second time his glittering career, hinge not only on Purdy, but also a stacked cast of offensive weapons and the NFL's best defense.

Arguably the leading light among those weapons is a player they only acquired in October.

Running back Christian McCaffrey made his first start for the Niners following his trade from the Carolina Panthers in a Week 8 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Since that first start, McCaffrey has 67 rushes for 269 yards and 31 catches for 258 yards.

He is one of two NFL players over that span with 60+ rushes and 30+ receptions (Rhamondre Stevenson being the other).

McCaffrey will likely continue to see a significant number of touches as the primary safety net for Purdy, who will also have significant support from a defense that forced four turnovers against one of the NFL's most explosive offenses in the win over Miami.

The 49ers prevailed 33-17 in that Week 13 clash. They have won five straight games while holding opponents to 17 or fewer points in each contest. It is the fourth such streak in team history, and the first since a six-game streak in the 1992 season.

With Tampa Bay averaging just 18.1 points per game, the 49ers should be confident of limiting Brady and Co.

Even if they do so, they may still need Purdy to ensure the game is not close in the fourth quarter, Brady having led the Bucs back from a 13-point deficit in the final period against the New Orleans Saints on Monday.

Brady has thrown nine of his 16 touchdowns (56.3 per cent) in the fourth quarter this season. Among 27 quarterbacks with at least 10 passing touchdowns this season, Brady is the only one with at least half of his touchdowns coming in the final frame.

After being acquired in a trade from the Carolina Panthers less than two weeks ago, McCaffrey showed exactly why he is considered arguably the best running back of his generation.

Against the reigning champions, he became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to score a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in the same game.

His first score came through a trick play in the second quarter, as what appeared to be a regulation toss play to the right-hand side turned into a halfback pass as McCaffrey dialled up a 34-yard rainbow pass to Brandon Aiyuk in the end zone.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had his side leading 14-10 at half-time after a one-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown and a 16-yard toss to Cooper Kupp, but McCaffrey put the 49ers ahead with a nine-yard touchdown catch late in the third period.

It was followed by a quick Rams punt, before McCaffrey put the exclamation point on his day by punching in a one-yard touchdown to begin the fourth quarter.

The 49ers offense fired on all cylinders, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo completing 21 of his 25 passes for two touchdowns and no turnovers, as Aiyuk and George Kittle also caught touchdown passes.

McCaffrey finished with 18 carries for 94 yards on the ground, eight catches for 55 yards through the air, and completed his only pass attempt for 34 yards.

King Henry continues to own the Texans

Tennessee Titans workhorse Derrick Henry was unstoppable against the Houston Texans, carrying the ball 32 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns in a grinding 17-10 win.

Incredibly, it is the fourth consecutive matchup against the Texans where Henry has posted at least 200 yards and two touchdowns, and the sixth total time of his career against all teams. No other player in the history of the league has more than three career games of at least 200 yards and multiple touchdowns.

With his second touchdown, Henry – who had such a significant workload due to rookie quarterback Malik Willis making his debut start in place of the injured Ryan Tannehill – broke the Titans' career touchdown record with his 75th.

McCaffrey only joined the 49ers at the end of last week in a trade from the Carolina Panthers, and was thrown straight into the action against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

The Chiefs ran out 44-23 winners at Levi's Stadium, with McCaffrey only involved in 21 snaps, making 38 yards from eight carries.

The 26-year-old All-Pro was clearly still getting used to the idea of swapping Carolina for San Francisco, but said after the game he wants to get up to speed quickly.

"This was a weird week for me and for [the team]," he told reporters. "I didn't know what to expect. I know I had a certain list of plays that were up.

"For me, mentally, this was just 'focus on everything I can control and get rolling'. Obviously losing's frustrating, but I'm still getting to know these guys, I gotta do my job, I gotta make a few more plays here and just learn the offense as quick as possible.

"I'm just trying to control what I can control right now and get going."

The Niners are 3-4, having lost their last two games, and tight end George Kittle warned that McCaffrey cannot be expected to "be the saviour".

"He's not going to be the saviour, but he's definitely going to help us out," Kittle said. "I think these next two weeks are going to be huge for Christian to understand our offense and be comfortable out there not to think at all, just go out and run because that's what he's really good at.

"Like I said, penalties, turnovers, giving up big plays on defense, we've got to be better than that. We weren't today. That's how you lose football games."

All-Pro running back McCaffrey joined the 49ers in a blockbuster trade from the Carolina Panthers back in October.

His arrival has served as a catalyst for a surge from San Francisco that has seen them win seven successive games to move to 10-4 and clinch the division title for the first time since 2019, despite losing top two quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance to injury and being forced to turn to rookie Brock Purdy.

McCaffrey was the focal point of the attack as the 49ers sealed the NFC West with a 21-13 road win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday.

He rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added another 30 yards receiving on six catches.

The former eighth overall pick finds himself in the thick of the Super Bowl hunt, having been traded from a Panthers team that started 1-5.

Asked about his campaign, McCaffrey said: "It's hard to put into words. It's been a wild rollercoaster, and obviously we still have a lot more left.

"But it's nice to be able to celebrate this one with an amazing group of guys, and I'm just so fortunate to be a part of this team."

While the 49ers enjoyed raucous celebrations and sported their division title hats and t-shirts, they still have many more mountains to scale in pursuit of an elusive sixth Super Bowl title.

"This isn't our final goal by any means," head coach Kyle Shanahan said.

"I'm very proud of our team and what we accomplished throughout the year to get to this.

"Our goal is to get into the tournament [the playoffs], and we accomplished that today, but now it's all trying to set that up to be the best situation we can and hopefully get some of our guys back, too, in the process."

The Niners' running game came to the fore in the second half, taking the lead for the first time with 7:54 remaining in the fourth quarter after Christian McCaffrey's touchdown.

San Francisco went 12-0 in the second half, turning around a 16-10 half-time deficit, ending the Chargers' five-game streak against them. The win means San Francisco claimed back-to-back victories to improve to 5-4, while the Chargers dip to 5-4 having lost two of their past three games.

The Niners enjoyed more possession, rushing for 157 yards compared to the Chargers' 51, with Elijah Mitchell (89 yards on 18 carries) and Deebo Samuel (27 yards on four carries) contributing well on their returns from injury.

Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo completed 15 of 23 passes for 197 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, although he ran in a TD late in the first half.

Garoppolo linked up with Brandon Aiyuk, who had six receptions for 84 yards, on a 24-yard pass leading to McCaffrey's decisive rushing two-yard TD.

The Chargers scored on the opening drive of the game when QB Justin Herbert pinpointed DeAndre Carter on a 32-yard deep left pass.

In the final two minutes, a one-handed Josh Palmer could not reel in a desperate fourth-down pass from Herbert, who finished the game on 21-of-35 passing for 196 yards with one TD and one interception, before Robbie Gould made it a six-point game with a 20-yard field goal.

Former All-Pro running back McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers from the Carolina Panthers on Thursday for second, third and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-rounder in 2024.

The tight turnaround initially made it look unlikely McCaffrey would be overly involved in a rematch of Super Bowl LIV from the 2019 season.

However, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, McCaffrey will play and the 49ers will have a package of plays ready for him.

The Chiefs will have a new lead runner in their backfield, with rookie Isaiah Pacheco set to get the bulk of the carries over 2020 first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Kansas City's closest rivals in the AFC West, the 4-2 Los Angeles Chargers, face NFC West opponents themselves in the form of the Seattle Seahawks.

They had hoped to have wide receiver Keenan Allen back from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Week 1, but his status was still up in the air heading into Sunday.

Star Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett is set to play having been listed as questionable with a hamstring injury of his own.

The Baltimore Ravens, another prospective AFC contender, have been boosted with tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) and Rashod Bateman (knee) both active for their meeting with the Cleveland Browns. 

The Dallas Cowboys will not have to defend D'Andre Swift in Dak Prescott's return to action. Detroit Lions running back Swift is once again inactive because of ankle and shoulder injuries.

Detroit's division rivals the Green Bay Packers are looking to end a two-game losing run and get their offense back on track against the Washington Commanders.

Yet they will be without oft-injured left tackle David Bakhtiari because of a flare-up in his knee. The Packers have remodelled a struggling offensive line, shifting Elgton Jenkins from right tackle to left guard. Yosh Nijman takes over at right tackle, with rookie Zac Tom filling in for Bakhtiari.

Wide receiver Sammy Watkins will return from a knee injury as Aaron Rodgers desperately searches for targets he can trust.

San Francisco crushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 in Week 14 in a dream first start for rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. That victory, combined with the Seahawks' surprise home loss to the Carolina Panthers, gave the 9-4 Niners a two-game lead atop the division.

The 49ers beat the Seahawks 27-7 way back in Week 2, their largest win over Seattle since a 38-7 triumph in Week 4 of the 1988 season. If they complete a season sweep of Seattle for the first time since 2011, the 49ers will have a three-game lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks with three games remaining, securing them a second successive trip to the postseason.

Kyle Shanahan's team went all the way to the NFC Championship Game last season, surrendering a fourth-quarter lead to the Los Angeles Rams, and the 49ers look to have the potential to contend for the Super Bowl again this year, even after losing their top two quarterbacks, Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, and being forced to turn to Brock Purdy, the last pick in this year's draft.

The Niners are on a six-game winning streak, with their last four victories each coming by at least 13 points. They are the only team to win four straight games, all by 13+ points, this season.

In the 28-point win over the Tom Brady-led Bucs, Purdy became the first quarterback to beat a former Super Bowl-winning QB by more than 10 points while making his first career start. Purdy is looking to be the sixth Niners QB to win his first two career NFL starts.

Purdy picked up where he left off in the 49ers' Week 13 win over the Miami Dolphins, in which he replaced the injured Garoppolo, going 16 of 21 for 185 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score. He continued to display poise, decisiveness, accuracy and the ability to defeat pressure. Through just under two full games, Purdy has a well-thrown rate that is superior to that of Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence, the former Iowa State signal-caller delivering an accurate, well-thrown ball on 83.3 per cent of his pass attempts.

But in the famously raucous road environment in Seattle, the 49ers have plenty of reason to take the game off the arm of Purdy against a Seahawks run defense that has allowed 677 rushing yards over its last three games.

The 49ers averaged 6.1 yards per rush last week against the Bucs, with Christian McCaffrey and rookie Jordan Mason each excelling on the ground.

McCaffrey had 119 yards rushing and a touchdown on 14 carries, as well as two receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown, while Mason averaged 5.1 yards per carry as the 49ers cruised in the second half after building a 35-0 lead.

Since his debut for the 49ers in Week 7, McCaffrey is averaging 106 scrimmage yards per game, the seventh-most in the NFL. With versatile wide receiver Deebo Samuel out with a high ankle sprain, McCaffrey is the undisputed focal point of the offense.

On a short week in what is sure to be a hard-fought divisional game, the 49ers might not be able to rely too heavily on McCaffrey, meaning Mason may see a larger share of the workload. 

The Niners clinched the NFC West and the number one seed in the conference in the regular-season finale in Seattle in 2019 with a dramatic late goal-line stand.

They will need their defense, ranked first in the NFL by success rate (35%) to stand tall again versus a dangerous Seahawks' offense led by Geno Smith, but if the 49ers can control possession and move the ball on the ground against a defense that appears ill-equipped to stop McCaffrey and company, San Francisco will be a strong position to punch their ticket to the postseason.

It was another strong start at quarterback for the last pick in this year's NFL Draft, as Brock Purdy remained without a turnover through his first two starts.

Purdy completed 17 of his 26 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions, leading a touchdown drive in each of the first three quarters.

He was helped out with some terrific performances from his skill-position players, with tight end George Kittle getting on the receiving end of both touchdown passes, finishing with four catches for 93 yards.

Elite running back Christian McCaffrey was at his best as well, handling 26 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while also adding six catches for 30 yards through the air – with five of those catches coming in the first quarter.

The Seahawks scored their only touchdown of the game when Geno Smith connected with Noah Fant on an 11-yard pass with 3:35 remaining to cut the margin to one score, but the 49ers could have added another touchdown of their own in the final seconds, instead deciding to kneel it out from the two-yard line.

With the win, the 49ers improved their record to 10-4, continuing their incredible run of seven consecutive wins after opening the season 3-4.

Monday night's 24-9 loss saw the Rams fail to capitalise on several touchdown opportunities, with McVay pointing to "self-inflicted wounds".

San Francisco's Deebo Manuel caught six passes for 115 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown, and when the Rams were still in the game, at 17-9 in arrears, quarterback Matthew Stafford was intercepted by Talanoa Hufanga. That pick-six summed up the Rams' night.

"I liked the way our guys battled, they competed and got it to a one-possession game," said McVay.

"But the story of the night from an offensive perspective was self-inflicted wounds, above-the-neck errors where we're not doing things we're capable of, and I expect us to be better than that.

"Defensively, I know we continue to battle, we gave ourselves a chance. We can tackle better, you credit them for making the plays, and I thought special teams hung tough, but overall we didn't do enough to win the football game.

"I'm not going to make any excuses. We've got to play better. A lot of it was just things where guys we were counting on didn't do what they were supposed to do."

McVay took his share of the blame, saying: "I put us in some bad spots.

"However you want to cut it, we have to be better collectively, coaches and players.  There's no other way around it and no way I know how to fix it other than go back to work."

The Rams will face the Dallas Cowboys, who are on a three-game winning streak, in Week 5.

"Everybody needs to be able to look inward," said McVay. "In the red area, to have three good drives and only come away with nine points in a game that was a back-and-forth battle like that, that ended up being the difference.

"And when you do make it a one-possession game and you've got some momentum, a couple of game first downs and we throw an interception for a touchdown on a screen, those are the things that don't help you win games."

Metcalf enjoyed the best game of his career, the wide receiver finishing with 12 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle's 37-27 win over the 49ers at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.

It gave Metcalf – who showed incredible speed to chase down Budda Baker on his 90-yard interception return in Week 7 – new career bests in both receptions and yards as NFC West leaders the Seahawks (6-1) bounced back from their overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar and four-time NBA champion James posted an Instagram story, which read: "WE BUILT DIFFERENT!! @DKM14 AKA BABY BRON."

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said: "What a fantastic game he played. Just so tough and so physical.

"Just a dominant player out there today, with a couple of touchdowns, and just big plays, one right after another."

"He's just so freakin' tough," Carroll said. "Whether he's blocking guys, or whether he's catching the ball, or they smack him when the ball arrives, and he stands over those guys when they fall off of him.

"When he caught the ball on the crossing route, I started screaming that they weren't going to get him, right when he was way over there, because he's just too fast. He just circled the whole defense and put it in the end zone, and I don't even think they touched him. It was a great play.

"We're so lucky to have him, and to have him growing and emerging into such a dominant football player. He's really something."

After Seattle's Tyler Lockett had 15 catches, 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns last week, the Seahawks became the first team ever to have different players with 12/150/2 or better in back-to-back games, per Stats Perform.

"Tyler actually told me on the field, 'Man, we have the best duo in the league,'" Metcalf said. "We feed off of each other very well … We don't care who gets the credit or who gets the shine one week, because he has my back no matter what and I have his no matter what.

"And like I said, shout out to D-Mo [David Moore] and Freddie [Swain]. They come up clutch every time they come into the game. It just speaks highly of our receiver room and the standard that we hold each other to."

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was 27-of-37 for 261 yards and four touchdowns, without an interception against the 49ers.

Wilson regrouped after throwing three interceptions against the Cardinals, boosting his MVP candidacy.

"The Russ for MVP train is back on the tracks," Seahawks team-mate and wide receiver Metcalf said. "Let's go."

"Russell played terrific today," Carroll said. "He knew how this game was going to go; we had to throw the ball quick, and a lot of short stuff and all that... He did a great job throughout the day."

Mostert's representative, Brett Tessler, this month revealed his client had requested a trade after "months of unproductive talks" about adjusting his contract.

However, the impasse between the two sides has now ended.

Tessler wrote on Twitter: "Just finalised a new deal for Raheem Mostert with the San Francisco 49ers. Happy we got things worked out and looking forward to him having another great season there. Thanks to the organisation for taking care of him."

Mostert had failed to stick with six different NFL teams before finding a home with the 49ers in 2016.

He enjoyed a stunning second half of the 2019 season as the 49ers reached Super Bowl LIV, where they lost 31-20 after a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback by the Kansas City Chiefs.

No running back in the NFL averaged more than Mostert's 5.6 yards per carry in 2019. 

In the 49ers' NFC Championship game win over the Green Bay Packers, Mostert ran for a franchise-record 220 yards and four touchdowns.

Mostert signed a three-year deal with the 49ers in 2019 and was due to earn $2.875million in 2020.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the reworked deal includes achievable incentives and a signing bonus that mean he can double that salary.

Mostert rushed for 220 yards as he ran in all four of San Francisco's touchdowns to send the team into a February 2 showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs, who earlier beat the Tennessee Titans 35-24.

Jimmy Garoppolo threw just eight times for 77 yards as the 49ers relied on their ground game and a blistering start at Levi's Stadium to win through to their first Super Bowl appearance since 2012.

San Francisco led 27-0 at half-time and, though Aaron Rodgers was able to guide Green Bay back to within striking distance, the home team's only concern will be the shoulder injury that forced Tevin Coleman to sit out the second half.

Star running back Mostert finished the game as the only player in NFL history to record 200 or more rush yards and at least four TDs in a playoff clash.

He began it in ominous fashion, rushing 36 yards to put the 49ers ahead with just under six minutes left on the clock in the first quarter.

Mostert scored twice more either side of Robbie Gould's two field goals before the Packers finally got on the board, Aaron Jones running in after catching a Rodgers pass to complete a 10-play drive.

San Francisco's star running back continued to take his team forward and his fourth TD inside the final five minutes of the third quarter ballooned the margin back out to 27 points.

There was time left for a second Jones score and one from Jace Sternberger to reduce the deficit to 14 points in the fourth, but another Gould field goal and a late Richard Sherman pick made sure of the result.

After an excellent regular season, the 49ers will hope to seize the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the sixth time when they square off against the Chiefs in Miami.

Arizona travel to play NFC West rivals the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, looking to bounce back from suffering their first loss of the year against the Green Bay Packers.

Murray threw multiple picks and no touchdowns in a game for the first time in his career as Arizona lost 24-21 to the Packers, ending the only perfect record left in the NFL.

The Cardinals (7-1) could be without their starting quarterback and leading wide receiver on the road against the Niners.

Murray (ankle) and Hopkins (hamstring) both missed the open section of practice on Friday, having also not been involved on Wednesday or Thursday.

"He is progressing but we will see how he feels Sunday and go from there," Kingsbury said about Murray.

"I know he wants to play. He knows how important a divisional game is [but] we are not going to put him out there if he can't function.

"I don't know if [Hopkins] will go full speed or not."

Arizona (7-1) got a 17-10 win at home over San Francisco (3-4) this season, but that was the only game in which they have not scored at least 21 points this year. 

Murray has had a spectacular year so far, putting himself in the MVP conversation.

The third-year QB ranks second for completion percentage (72.7) and has 17 touchdown passes to seven interceptions, as well as a further three scores on the ground.

Murray's 24 passing plays of 25-plus yards are tied for the most in the NFL with Tom Brady, and he leads an efficient offense which has led him to the fourth-highest passer rating (110.4) in 2021.

Veteran backup Colt McCoy will play if Murray is unable to take the field.

Hopkins leads the team in catches (35) and receiving yards (486), but at 60.8 yards per game is operating well below his production from last season (87.9) amid his injury struggles.

The Cardinals also put wide receiver A.J. Green on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week.

The 49ers, meanwhile, beat the Bears 33-22 in Chicago last week, snapping a four-game losing streak and scoring their most points since a 41-33 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 1. 

In an unusual sequence of results since the start of last season, the Niners are 1-10 at home and 8-4 on the road.