Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was far from easy for the San Francisco 49ers. After three missed field goals and botched drives, sophomore kicker Jake Moody finally made a game-winning field goal for secure a 23-20 victorybringing the 49ers record to 5-4.

This isn’t exactly where the 49ers envisioned being at this point in the season, but the team has been hit hard by injuries. Sunday marked running back Christian McCaffrey’s debut in the 2024 season following his battle with Achilles tendinitis. Meanwhile, the offense remains without wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is out for the remainder of the season.

Quarterback Brock Purdy, however, had an impressive statistical outing. While not always consistent, his 353 passing yards and two touchdowns – one to rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and another to veteran tight end George Kittle – were enough to carry the 49ers to a victory in the Raymond James Stadium.

This season brought challenges for Purdy as he worked to develop chemistry with teammates who were forced into larger roles.

“The new guys, stuff with Ricky and Jordan Mason, JJ (Jauan Jennings) running other routes that are new to him at a different position, for me I had to see how those guys move and all that,” he said. Purdy said. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated after the match. “Having BA and Christian and (WR) Deebo (Samuel) and George the last two years, I know where these guys are supposed to be, and I know our connection. It’s been good. But it’s the NFL. Everybody is not always going to be healthy.

“So for me as a quarterback, how do I overcome that and follow my reads and my progressions and move the ball and win without those guys on the field?”

Critics have often called Purdy a product of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system, boasting an abundance of offensive weapons. And, indeed, the 49ers offense has struggled at times without some of these key players. Still, Purdy remains on track to surpass 4,600 passing yards, which would break the single-season franchise record of 4,280 yards that he set last season.

How have the 49ers fought through so much adversity?

“We just went to work, practiced, did reps,” Purdy said. “Ricky and I stay after practice to do reps, do more reps with JJ, then get my guy Christian back and some healthy stuff and reps out of practice. Coming into this game, I felt pretty good at this stuff. But it doesn’t matter until you’re in the heat of the moment and executing.

Pearsall scored his first NFL touchdown, a 46-yard catch-and-run that showcased his big-play potential. He hopes this is just the beginning for him and Purdy.