Riley Parker: "Purdy threw 6 touchdown passes in an afternoon while the 49ers managed 5 rushing yards total—a team that won 55-53 by abandoning the ground entirely and living in the air, which only works until it doesn't."

Denver put up 53 points and 571 yards and still lost by 2 to a team that ran the ball 9 times all afternoon—that is the entire season right there. Bo Nix threw 6 touchdowns and 420 yards, Courtland Sutton was uncoverable with 181 receiving yards, and it still was not enough because San Francisco's quarterback threw 6 of his own with 467 yards and the Niners simply scored more. The Broncos looked like they cared and moved the ball at will, but they turned it over 3 times and gave up nothing on defense, which means they beat themselves in a game they had every right to win.