Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-05 · by Josh Dubow The Associated Press
In Sunday’s game, Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to a 24-14 victory over the Denver Broncos, keeping the 49ers undefeated at 4-0. Purdy threw two touchdown passes while Christian McCaffrey added another score as the 49ers capitalized on turnovers and defensive injuries to outscore Denver in the second half. Despite initial struggles, San Francisco’s offense erupted for touchdowns on three consecutive possessions after halftime, sealing their win with George Kittle's game-clinching 56-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In Week 4 of the NFL season, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos by a score of 24-14 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Despite initial struggles and injuries to key players like linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback K’Coy Dupree, the 49ers' offense took advantage when the Broncos lost both starting cornerbacks, Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss, due to non-contact injuries late in the first half. Quarterback Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes, including a crucial one-yard toss to Deebo Samuel that gave San Francisco the lead for good early in the third quarter. The 49ers' defense also stepped up despite its own injuries, contributing to their undefeated start to the season at 4-0.
Written for “Broncos vs 49ers Game Updates” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Once the San Francisco 49ers got going on offense, Brock Purdy and crew once again couldn’t be stopped.
asserted
Purdy → go → offense
Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and Christian McCaffrey ran for a score as the 49ers scored touchdowns on three straight second-half possessions to beat the Denver Broncos 24-14 on Sunday to remain undefeated.
asserted
49ers → throw → Sunday
Both offenses struggled to generate offense on a hot day in the Bay Area, but the 49ers (4-0) took advantage of a fumbled punt return by Marvin Mims Jr. to set up a short touchdown drive in the third quarter that gave them the lead for good.
asserted
that → struggle → lead
San Francisco had been held to three points on seven possessions before the takeaway that set the stage for three straight touchdowns as the Niners took advantage of injuries that knocked out both of Denver’s starting cornerbacks, including two-time All Pro Patrick Surtain II.
asserted
that → hold → II
“We wanted to break through whatever that was and just be ourselves,” Purdy said.
asserted
Purdy → want → ?
“I’m glad we could get some momentum going in the second half.
uncertain
momentum → ’m → half
That’s why it’s a four-quarter game.”
asserted
it → ’ → ?
Purdy capped the 28-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel that made it 10-3 late in the third quarter.
asserted
it → cap → quarter
He then engineered a 74-yard drive that McCaffrey finished with a 1-yard run to extend the lead to 17-6 midway through the fourth after the Broncos (2-2) had settled for a field goal on fourth-and-2.
asserted
Broncos → engineer → fourth
Bo Nix, who has thrived in late-game comeback situations, tried to mount another for Denver with his 13-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle cutting the Niners’ lead to 17-14 with a 2-point conversion with 4:05 to play.
asserted
who → thrive → 4:05
But the 49ers sealed the win when Kittle took a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage and outraced former teammate Talanoa Hufanga for a 56-yard touchdown with 2:15 to go.
asserted
Kittle → seal → 2:15
“Any time you see green grass, I think I ran the entire time with a smile on my face,” said Kittle, who’ll turn 33 on Friday.
asserted
who → see → Friday
“Always outrunning younger, old teammates is always a good time, especially when they’re (27).”
asserted
they → outrun → teammates
Purdy finished 19 of 30 for 218 yards and avoided taking a sack for a fourth straight game and had no turnovers.
asserted
Purdy → finish → turnovers
Nix struggled to push the ball downfield most of the game with Denver’s running game unable to loosen up the defense.
asserted
game → struggle → defense
He finished 25 of 42 for 214 yards and one touchdown.
asserted
He → finish → yards
“We just didn’t have enough offense to get a lead and then go beyond that,” coach Sean Payton said.
asserted
Payton → have → that
“We just didn’t have enough answers to get past that and get a lead.”
asserted
We → have → lead
The 49ers came in scoring touchdowns on nearly half of their possessions, but struggled to move the ball against Denver’s stout defense.
asserted
49ers → come → defense
They punted on two of their first three possessions with Purdy getting stopped on a fourth-down sneak on the other.
asserted
Purdy → punt → other
San Francisco got on the board with a 24-yard field goal to tie it late in the first half, but had a chance to take the lead thwarted when a field goal was blocked on the final play of the first half to keep the game tied at 3.
asserted
game → get → 3
“I think we had plays to be made,” Nix said.
asserted
Nix → think → plays
“I think as a team there were plays out there for us that needed to be made.”
asserted
that → think → us
Broncos: Surtain (ankle), CB Riley Moss (ribs) and WR Pat Bryant (ankle) all left with injuries and didn’t return.
asserted
Surtain → leave → injuries
Payton had no immediate word on the extent of the injuries.
asserted
Payton → have → injuries
FB Kyle Juszczyk left with a sprained knee injury after being hit by Jahdae Barron and didn’t return.
asserted
Juszczyk → leave → Barron
S Marques Sigle (ankle) and CB Upton Stout (shoulder) also left.
asserted
Sigle → leave → ?
Shanahan had no immediate word on the extent of the injuries.
asserted
Shanahan → have → injuries
The Aporia
