The San Francisco 49ers beat the Indianapolis Colts 48-27 on Monday Night Football, securing their spot in the NFC playoffs and improving their chances of getting the top seed in the conference. Brock Purdy threw five touchdowns for the first time in his career, completing 25 of 34 passes for 295 yards and one interception against a Colts secondary that was already hurt. This big win, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win over the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks’ win over the Los Angeles Rams, puts the 11-4 49ers in a good position to win the NFC West and home-field advantage by winning their last two games against the Chicago Bears and Seahawks.
Christian McCaffrey ran for 117 yards on 21 carries, breaking the 49ers’ seasonal slump against Indianapolis’ run defense and giving him his fifth career 1,000-yard season. George Kittle caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, and Dee Winters sealed the rout with a 74-yard interception return touchdown off Philip Rivers’ last pass. The 49ers might be able to stay home through the playoffs because Super Bowl LX is at Levi’s Stadium.
Philip Rivers threw for 277 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in his first game since Daniel Jones left the Colts. They are now on a five-game losing streak and have a 2% chance of making the playoffs. But defensive problems and injuries killed them. Their four-man rush and man coverage fell apart, leaving them open to attack before a must-win game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers are now focused on the Bears, who want to win the playoffs.
