Brock Purdy throws three picks in loss to Chiefs – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

BOX score

SANTA CLARA – The Kansas City Chiefs' control of the 49ers continued Sunday at Levi's Stadium.

Andy Reid's team, the NFL's only undefeated team, edged past the 49ers in a Super Bowl LVIII rematch that looked more like a mismatch.

It was a tough day for the 49ers' offense as they played most of the game without their top three wide receivers and suffered a 28-18 loss to the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.

The 49ers struggled particularly on third downs as Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo had all the answers. The 49ers converted just 2 of 11 of their third-down attempts.

The loss leaves the 49ers at 3-4 in the 2024 NFL season and one game behind the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West standings.

Here are the takeaways from the 49ers' Week 7 loss:

Undermanned at wide receiver

The 49ers welcomed rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall to the game on Sunday. And they didn't have the luxury of including him in the action.

San Francisco played the second half without its top three receivers, and the biggest concern is Brandon Aiyuk. He was carted off the field at halftime after suffering a knee injury late in the second quarter.

Brandon Aiyuk remained on the field after a heavy blow 🙏 pic.twitter.com/MVy0Glk5Bx

– 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 20, 2024

The 49ers ruled out Aiyuk's return early in the third quarter, usually an ominous sign when it is quickly discovered that he has suffered a knee injury.

The 49ers have already been without two of their three top receivers.

Deebo Samuel suffered an unspecified illness and was unavailable for most of the game. He was ejected midway through the third quarter. And Jauan Jennings was inactive for the game due to a hip injury he suffered in the 49ers' Week 6 game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Therefore, the 49ers were forced to turn to Pearsall, Chris Conley, Jacob Cowing and Ronnie Bell to play receiver for most of the game against one of the NFL's best defenses.

Inevitably, Pearsall played most of the game. He caught three passes for 21 yards.

Ricky Pearsall makes his first career NFL catch 🙌 pic.twitter.com/abDi99n63n

– 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 20, 2024

Now the 49ers may need Pearsall more than ever with Aiyuk's long-term status unclear. While Samuel is expected to be back next week, Jennings' availability for the Week 8 game against the Dallas Cowboys is questionable.

Rest day for Mahomes, Purdy

Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL by any measure.

It certainly didn't look like that for most of Sunday's game.

Mahomes struggled against the 49ers' defense and the Chiefs also made things difficult for Purdy.

But Mahomes used his legs to help secure his team's sixth straight win in their season opener. Mahomes had a 33-yard run that missed linebackers Fred Warner and Dee Winters. He then scored a touchdown from one yard out, giving Kansas City a 21-12 lead early in the fourth quarter.

MAHOMES ran through him for six seconds 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/TeQBBvUjyv

– FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024

Purdy and the 49ers' decimated offense had a tough game.

In the third quarter, with the 49ers fighting for possible starting points, Purdy's pass intended for Ronnie Bell was intercepted by Chris Roland-Wallace. It wasn't immediately clear whether Purdy was off target or whether Bell had taken the wrong route.

Christian Roland-Wallace gives the Chiefs their second INT of the day!

(above @NFL)pic.twitter.com/eClsLX1zqV

– FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024

On the 49ers' next possession, Purdy was hit by Kansas City defensive end George Karlaftis while throwing and safety Jaden Hicks hit the pick in the end zone.

A HAVE TRICK OF PICKS 🪄 pic.twitter.com/rp3Nq7Q4N2

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 20, 2024

For the game, Purdy completed 17 of 31 pass attempts for 212 yards and zero touchdowns with three interceptions and a passer rating of 36.7. Purdy ran for two 1-yard touchdowns.

Mahomes didn't exactly shine either, as he increased his career record against the 49ers to 5-0.

He completed 16 of 27 pass attempts for 154 yards and zero touchdowns with two interceptions and a passer rating of 44.4.

49ers are getting younger on defense

On the game's most important downs, the 49ers started with at least four players with less than two years of NFL experience.

The 49ers made two major changes to their nickel defense. Rookie cornerback Renardo Green replaced veteran Isaac Yiadom on passing downs, and Winters, a second-year player, took over for De'Vondre Campbell as every-down linebacker.

Rookie safety Malik Mustapha had a big day for the 49ers, making his third rookie start in place of the injured Talanoa Hufanga. He led the 49ers with 12 tackles.

The 49ers defense played well for most of the game as Kansas City did not have a stellar offensive performance.

The 49ers have gradually integrated young players into the mix, and Sunday was their biggest step toward more speed on the defensive side of the ball.