49ers overcome Brock Purdys early struggles, defenses injuries to remain perfect

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers felt the heat Sunday.From the temperatures on the field that flirted with 90 degrees, one of the hottest games on record in the decade they’ve called Levi’s Stadium home.And from the Denver Broncos, who entered Levi’s Stadium representing the biggest challenge Kyle Shanahan’s team has faced to date and lived up to the billing.Brock Purdy overcame a slow start, the 49ers defense withstood a slew of injuries and San Francisco held on to remain unbeaten through four games.Final score: 24-14.Here are the takeaways from the 49ers’ fourth consecutive win:Coach Kyle Shanahan doesn’t typically call for a quarterback sneak unless the yardage is all but guaranteed, so the playcall on a long fourth-and-1 was already out of character.It didn’t work out, resulting in a turnover on downs, and it was fair to wonder if that’s all that went wrong.

Purdy came away from the pile with both shoulder pads exposed and acting as if he was shook up on the sneak, shaking his throwing arm as he moseyed back to the sideline.Purdy didn’t miss a snap, but he wasn’t the same pinpoint quarterback that put himself in the MVP conversation through the first three weeks.He was off-target on a handful of throws that resulted in incompletions, including one to Mike Evans on third-and-goal, settling for a field goal.Whether Purdy received treatment at halftime, or benefited from the Broncos’ top cornerback, Patrick Surtain II, leaving with an ankle injury, Purdy was more of himself in the second half.Purdy had completed only half of his first 20 attempts but connected on nine of his final 10 passes, including all four on a nine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that put them up 17-6 with 8:52 to play and a 56-yard strike to George Kittle that sealed the win on their next drive.Perhaps most importantly, even when Purdy wasn’t on target, he took care of the football and the 49ers took care of him.

For the first time this season, the Broncos defense failed to ...