Brock Purdy threw for five scoring touchdowns and Dee Winters intercepted Philip Rivers' final 74-yard pass to take the lead. San Francisco 49ers to a 48-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.
Purdy was 25 of 34 for 295 yards with one interception. Christian McCaffrey rushed 21 times for 117 yards, caught six passes for 29 yards and two scores. George Kittle had seven receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown.
The 49ers (11-4) picked up their fifth straight win to remain in contention for first place in the NFC, a day after clinching a playoff berth with Detroit's loss to Pittsburgh. San Francisco also snapped a five-game losing streak, defeating Indy for the first time since Jim Mora's infamous “playoff” speech in November 2001.
But the 44-year-old Rivers certainly didn't make it easy in San Francisco in his second game after a five-year layoff. He was 23 of 35 for 277 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Colts (8-7) have lost five straight and six of their last seven as their playoff hopes continue to fade.
Their defeat secured playoff spots for Buffalo, Jacksonville and the Chargers.
Rivers opened the scoring with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce, who had four receptions for 86 yards and two scores. Purdy responded with a 22-yard scoring pass to DeMarcus Robinson.
After the Colts fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Purdy connected with McCaffrey for a two-yard pass to make it 14-7 late in the first quarter. Rivers tied the game early in the second, neatly converting a 16-yard throw to Pierce in a tight window. Purdy broke the tie with an 11-yard pass to Kittle.
Indy and San Francisco then traded late field goals, and Eddie Pineiro's 64-yard shot hit the crossbar as time expired.
The Athletic meet continued in the second half as Purdy capped the first possession with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings to make it 31-17.
Jonathan Taylor's one-yard run early in the fourth quarter cut Indy's deficit to 34–27, but the 49ers capped it with a nine-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey with 7:37 to play and Winters' interception return with 3:26 to play.
