SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As if things weren’t bad enough for the Patriots, turnovers finally caught up with the 1-3 squad Sunday in an embarrassing 30-13 loss at the hands of the 49ers.
The Patriots turned the ball over three times in the loss. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled for the fourth time in four games and lost his second fumble in as many weeks with 6 seconds left in the first quarter. The 49ers were able to respond by kicking a field goal.
On the Patriots’ ensuing drive, quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw his first interception of the season when 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, positioned in the middle of the field, leaped up and picked off a target to wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Warner landed on his back, got off the turf and ran 45 yards, diving for the pylon on the pick-six touchdown.
The third turnover came with 2:44 left in the game with the Patriots already trailing 31-13 when Brissett was strip-sacked at the 49ers’ 22-yard line by defensive end Nick Bosa. It was Brissett’s third fumble in the game but the first that he lost.
The Patriots’ defense and special teams did their best to match the offense in turnovers, but it wasn’t enough. Linebacker Christian Elliss forced and recovered a fumble on a kickoff to start off the second half, giving the Patriots the ball at the 49ers’ 27-yard line to set up a quick touchdown. Safety Jabrill Peppers picked off 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in the end zone for a touchback early in the fourth quarter.
The Patriots moved the ball to start the game, but it wasn’t enough to put points on the board. After picking up two first downs, a third-down pass from quarterback Jacoby Brissett to wide receiver K.J. Osborn was incomplete. The Patriots tried to draw the 49ers offsides on fourth down but took a delay of game penalty instead. Bryce Baringer’s punt pinned the 49ers inside their own 10 at the 7-yard line.
The Patriots’ defense held strong at the end of the 49ers’ 15-play, 90-yard drive that took 7:45 off the clock to force a field goal. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez made a key tackle on 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel after a 1-yard gain, and then undersized cornerback Marcus Jones had impressive coverage by 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings on a third-down incompletion before kicker Jake Moody knocked through a 22-yard field goal to go up 3-0.
Stevenson lost a fumble on the Patriots’ first play of their next series. Nick Leverett replaced center David Andrews at center with the captain down with a shoulder injury.
The Patriots’ defense again held strong with the 49ers taking over at New England’s 30-yard line. After allowing a 16-yard run to running back Jordan Mason, the Patriots forced an incompletion on third down, and Moody hit a 26-yard field goal to go up 6-0.
The 49ers quickly increased their lead to 13-0 after 49ers linebacker Fred Warner returned an interception of the season. It was Brissett’s first interception of the season. The veteran quarterback was targeting wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, but the All-Pro linebacker leapt in the air to snag the pick, fell on his back and got on his feet to return it 45 yards for the score.
The Patriots threatened on offense and made it down to the 49ers’ 20-yard line before being stopped on foruth-and-1 for a turnover on downs. Rookie offensive tackle Caedan Wallace got injured on the fourth-down play and was carted from the sideline to the locker room.
If you’d like to know how many Patriots defenders it takes to prevent a touchdown from 49ers tight end George Kittle, the answer is more than three. Purdy tossed a pass up to Kittle with three Patriots defenders in the area. Despite a lot of contact, Kittle came down in the end zone with the ball following a 10-play, 80-yard drive in which the 49ers lost 15 yards to penalties. The 49ers took a 20-0 lead.
After the Patriots and 49ers exchanged three-and-outs, the Pats got the ball back at the 49ers’ 39-yard line with 38 seconds before the half. The Patriots lost 6 yards but still put points on the board. Kicker Joey Slye broke a Patriots record with a 63-yard field goal to cut the 49ers’ lead to 20-3.
Elliss forced and recovered a fumble on the kickoff to open the second half, giving Brissett the ball at the 49ers’ 27-yard line. The Pats’ offense quickly got in the red zone and scored after a five-play, 27-yard drive. Brissett hit tight end Austin Hooper for a 5-yard touchdown on a successful fourth-and-1 conversion to cut the 49ers’ lead to 20-10.
It didn’t take long for the 49ers to make a three-score game again, however. Purdy hit Samuel on a 53-yard pass with cornerback Jonathan Jones in coverage. Three plays later, Mason scored from 4-yards out on a rushing touchdown to make the score 27-10.
Brissett hit rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk on a 21-yard pass to start their next drive before stalling and punting. The defense let up a massive 24-yard run to Mason to begin the 49ers’ next drive but otherwise held and forced a punt.
Slye hit a 54-yard field goal to cut the 49ers’ lead to 27-13 early in the fourth quarter after an eight-play, 32-yard drive.
Purdy connected with Jennings on a 45-yard bomb but couldn’t put anymore points on the board. Safety Jabrill Peppers picked off Purdy on a target into the end zone to Aiyuk.
Brissett nearly hit Polk for a deep contested catch with two defenders in coverage down the left sideline on fourth down coming off the takeaway, but the rookie wideout couldn’t get two feet in bounds before his shoulder landed out. The incompletion resulted in a turnover on downs.
The 49ers’ six-play, 14-yard drive resulted in a 41-yard field goal from Moody to make the score 30-13. The Patriots were driving on their ensuing drive before Brissett lost a fumble on a strip-sack.
UP
LB Christian Elliss: Elliss forced and recovered the Patriots’ kickoff to start the second half, giving them field position to quickly score their first touchdown of the game.
S Jabrill Peppers: Peppers prevented a touchdown by picking off Purdy in the end zone.
K Joey Slye: Slye set a team-record with a 63-yard field goal to end the first half. He also hit a 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and contributed with an extra point.
DOWN
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: Stevenson fumbled for the fourth time in four games and lost a fumble for the second time in two games. It’s been a inauspicious start to the season for Stevenson.
QB Jacoby Brissett: Brissett had done a nice job of avoiding turnovers through the first three weeks of the season. His first interception was a pick-six. He fumbled three times and lost one.
CB Jonathan Jones: Jones was involved in two of the 49ers’ biggest passing plays. He was one of three men in coverage on Kittle’s touchdown reception and allowed Samuel’s 53-yard catch.
RG Layden Robinson: The offensive line as a whole struggled in pass protection. Robinson had a particularly rough two-play series when he allowed Brissett to get hit hard on two plays.
