Kawakami: Brandon Aiyuk is gone and the 49ers are doing just fine (paywall)
“Can Pearsall fully take over Aiyuk’s role as WR1? That’s unknown. But there’s no doubt that Pearsall’s teammates feel like something big is happening here.
You couldn’t miss the way McCaffrey’s eyes lit up on Sunday when he was asked about Pearsall’s potential impact on this team.
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“I’ve had the utmost respect for Ricky — he’s an unbelievable player,” McCaffrey said. “And as good as he’s done, he knows he can do more. Just watching him practice, really no one can cover him. He’s so good, he’s so shifty, he’s so fast, great hands.
“The best part about Ricky is he’s going to keep getting better, keep getting better. And I can’t wait to see when he eventually does pop off, because he’s a special player.”
Or the way Purdy spoke at length about Pearsall’s response to the previous three weeks:
“I love Ricky because he and I are honest with each other. … Ricky’s got such a good heart in terms of he just wants to do what’s best for the team. He’ll never be a guy that’s going to go out of his way (to) complain that ‘I didn’t get targets or the ball’ or whatever.
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“He’s about the team, man. And he understands that his moments and opportunities will come as we play. Today was just one of those days. But we’ve all been itching to get him involved since he’s been back from his injury.”
49ers top Titans 37-24, inch closer to clinching a playoff spot as races heat up (paywall)
“Jennings was asked if the team did anything special for Shanahan’s 46th birthday: “Got him a win. What else is there? We could’ve won by an extra (touchdown) or something.”…Pearsall came up hobbled after Purdy connected with him for an 8-yard completion on the 49ers’ first play from scrimmage. Subsequently evaluated for an ankle injury, the second-year wideout eventually returned to lead all players in receiving yards, before he limped into the medical tent once more with a knee injury late in the fourth quarter. Shanahan said Pearsall will undergo an MRI on Monday.
“I wouldn’t say I’m super concerned,” Pearsall said. “I don’t really know what’s going on with it, to be honest. I got to get some imaging done to it.”
As the Titans took the field pregame, their star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons leisurely strayed to the S.F. logo at midfield and kicked up some Levi’s Stadium grass with his cleats. What could be perceived as a rude gesture was largely forgotten when the Niners surged past that marker nearly every chance they got.“
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‘Glock’ Purdy dances, jumps, taunts and blitzes Titans in 49ers’ 37-24 win (paywall)
““I mean, after I did it, I was like, ‘Really? Why did I do that? ’” Purdy said. “First of all, he could have drilled me before I stepped out of bounds and then I did that to him. So I just thought it was disrespectful.”
His teammates, however, viewed it differently.
“He’s that Jesus Christ lizard,” tight end George Kittle said. “Running on water. No ball security. Fake pitching at the end of a (26)-yard run. Absolutely just diabolical behavior by our QB1. I love it.”…“He’s such a good f—ing quarterback,” right guard Dominick Puni said. “On script, in the pocket, he’s like the perfect quarterback. And usually quarterbacks like that get a little frazzled when everything doesn’t go as planned. But he might be even better off-script. It’s like he can make a play whenever he needs to.”
Another play that wasn’t quite how head coach Kyle Shanahan drew it up: Purdy had a jump-pass, 1-yard touchdown toss to Kittle — leaping to loft it over the outstretched hands of two defensive linemen — to give the 49ers a 31-10 lead late in the third quarter.
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“We give him crap for it a lot, but when it works, we call him Michael Jordan,” said Shanahan, noting he’s not always thrilled about the fundamentals of such a throw. “We like cleats in the ground and being able to drive the ball. But sometimes somebody’s got to use another club and it’s cool that he’s got that one.”
‘Diabolical’ Brock Purdy, 49ers roll to 10-4 after dancing to win over Titans (paywall)
“He did the Dougie (the first time) because he promised the guys that if he scored, he would do the Dougie, and he’s not a liar,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “The first time Brock scored in our stadium, his first preseason game… we were playing, I think, the Packers, he did the discount double check, and we had no idea he had a personality like that.
“So, I think he does do stuff on the field a lot, just he does it subtly. We love Brock.”
What Kyle Shanahan and others said after 49ers’ 37-24 win vs. Titans
“Any plans for your birthday?
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“Probably go home and have a couple drinks. I usually hate my birthday, not in general, but on Sundays. I haven’t had a lot of success on it, so it was nice to win a game on my birthday and actually now I can maybe enjoy it with my family tonight.”
Any chance you’ll take another Vespa ride?
“If they got me one, I will. They got me a Vespa in 2015 and the first time I rode it again after we moved from Cleveland was in Los Gatos in 2020 and I got pulled over because there was a 2015 license plate on it, so we got rid of it. So, hopefully they got me one today.”
