49ers Fall to the Chiefs in Week 7; Five Takeaways from #KCvsSF

In a battle of NFL heavyweights, anything goes. The Chiefs attempted a fake punt on 4th-and-two on their opening drive and were stopped in their tracks by safety Ji’Ayir Brown and defensive lineman Jordan Elliott. After the turnover on downs, San Francisco took over at Kansas City’s 45 yard line.

In the second quarter, the special teams unit put up the first points of the game. Kicker Anders Carlson, who was signed on Tuesday due to injuries to Matthew Wright in Week 6, kicked a 55-yard field goal through the uprights to make it 3-0 San Francisco with a minute left to play in the first quarter. He later drilled a 24-yard field goal attempt but missed the extra point attempt following the 49ers first touchdown of the day.

Defensive Line Stacks the Plays Early

San Francisco’s defensive line made their impact early in Sunday’s showdown. The line’s string of splash plays began on the second defensive series as Kansas City was driving down the field and just inside the red zone. Nick Bosa sacked Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for a loss of five yards. On the very next play, third-year defensive lineman Kalia Davis, who has battled through multiple knee injuries early in his career, tipped and came down with Mahomes’ pass to register his first-career interception.

The next time the defense took the field, defensive lineman duo Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd got home on Mahomes for a loss of four yards to force a three-and-out. As a result of their stout defensive play, Kansas City went scoreless in the first quarter.

Rookie Receiver Snags His First-Career Reception

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall completed his comeback from the Non-Football Injury list on Sunday. The 49ers first-round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft was sidelined early in the year after suffering an injury in an attempted robbery in late August. He caught his first pass, a six-yard completion on second-and-10, in the final minute of the second quarter. That catch garnered a huge cheer from the crowd at Levi’s® Stadium and helped fire up San Francisco’s offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy and company were able to drive down the field and close out the drive with a 24-yard field goal.

Secondary Steps Up in the Third Quarter

Fourth-year defensive back Deommodore Lenoir spoiled the Chiefs opening drive of the second half intercepting a pass intended for Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy. Lenoir was able…