Jake Moody found redemption on a 44-yard field goal as time expired as the visiting San Francisco 49ers finished off a 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in the return of Christian McCaffrey.
Moody had earlier missed field goals of 49, 50 and 44, with the final one of the bunch coming with 3:09 remaining.
Moody’s third miss led to Chase McLaughlin’s 26-yard field goal for the Buccaneers to tie the game 20-20 with 41 seconds remaining.
The Bucs drove to the 49ers’ 8-yard line to set up for the game-tying kick with the help of three penalties and a circus 8-yard completion by Baker Mayfield, who escaped pressure and fended off defensive end Nick Bosa long enough to get off a throw.
Purdy’s 13-yard pass to Jauan Jennings set up San Francisco’s game-winning field goal from Moody. Jenings had seven receptions for 93 yards.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan worked McCaffrey back into the offense mix immediately after missing the first eight games of the season with bilateral Achilles tendinitis. His presence also freed up opportunities for wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jennings – both of whom had been dealing with injuries – and tight end George Kittle.
McCaffrey, the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year, finished with 39 yards rushing on 13 carries and 68 receiving yards on six catches for San Francisco (5-4).
Purdy finished 25-for-36 for 353 yards with touchdown passes to rookie Ricky Pearsall and Kittle. Pearsall’s 46-yard TD reception in the first quarter, that gave the 49ers a 7-0 lead, was the first score of the rookie’s career and came after he was shot in the chest in a robbery attempt in August. He finished with four receptions for 73 yards.
Tampa Bay (4-6) lost All-Pro left tackle Tristen Wirfs to a knee injury in the first half.
Rachaad White’s 9-yard touchdown reception from Mayfield tied the game 10-10 just 55 seconds into the second half as Tampa Bay exploited a muffed punt by Jacob Cowing at the San Francisco 21.
Kittle’s 11-yard TD catch came after Purdy extended the play gave San Francisco a 20-17 lead with 7:02 left. The eight-play, 52-yard drive was helped by an over-the-shoulder catch by McCaffrey that went for 30 yards.
Tampa Bay took its first lead of the game 17-13 with 14:18 left against a defense withering in 90-degree heat. Running back Bucky Irving sliced in from 12 yards to cap a 12-play, 70-yard drive.
Mayfield finished 18 of 29 for 116 yards and one TD.
–Field Level Media
