49ers clinch playoff spot, look for home-field advantage after dominant win over Colts

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers' last road trip of the regular season was a successful one.

The Niners clinched a playoff spot while in their hotel on Sunday, beat the Indianapolis Colts 48-27 on Monday night and returned home knowing they now have a chance to go on a Super Bowl run without hitting the road again until next season.

San Francisco (11-4) finishes the season with games at home against Chicago and Seattle. With wins in both of those, the 49ers would clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs and would be two wins away from playing in the Super Bowl in their home stadium on Feb. 8.

''I think that's obviously the reality of what could happen if we just take it one game at a time,'' quarterback Brock Purdy said. ''But for us, once we get in the playoffs and everything too, that's going to be a brawl in itself. So, that's a whole other road for us, man. We've got to go put on a good showcase and win the game on Sunday against Chicago.''

The 49ers were tested for a while against 44-year-old Philip Rivers and the banged-up Colts but a nearly flawless offensive performance led by Purdy and a late pick-6 by Dee Winters let them pull away for the comfortable win.

The competition will be tougher the next two weeks, but if Purdy and the offense can maintain this level they have a chance in any game. Purdy became the first San Francisco QB to throw at least five TD passes in a game since Steve Young had six in Super Bowl 29 against the San Diego Chargers in a signature performance.

''He's playing pretty consistent in how he's played,'' coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I think Brock has played a pretty high level since he got in this league, and I honestly think, I think he's playing very well, but I think he's always played pretty good.''

That kept punter Thomas Morstead on the sideline for the second straight week as San Francisco went back-to-back games without punting for the first time in franchise history.

What's working

Passing game. Purdy was nearly perfect against the Colts outside of a late interception when he threw high over the middle in the fourth quarter. He finished 25 for 34 for 295 yards, throwing touchdown passes on San Francisco's first three drives of the game. Purdy has thrown 13 TD passes in five games since returning from a toe injury, leading the Niners to wins in all five.

What needs help

Shanahan's replay challenges. Shanahan fell to 1 for 4 on replay challenges this season when he threw the flag following a completion to Michael Pittman in the third quarter. The initial replays made it look like a clean catch and the call was upheld, costing San Francisco a timeout. Shanahan then didn't challenge a potential TD throw to Jake Tonges that was ruled out of bounds even though a replay showed he might have dragged his second foot in the end zone. It ended up not mattering when Purdy threw a TD pass to McCaffrey on the next play.

Rookie defensive linemen. The Niners got the first career sacks from rookies Alfred Collins and C.J. West, raising the team total to an NFL-low 18 on the season. This marked the first time since 2016 that San Francisco got sacks from two rookies in the same game with DeForest Buckner and Ronald Blair doing it in Week 16 that season against the Rams.

Stock down

Pass defense. San Francisco got carved up for much of the night by Rivers. After throwing for just 120 yards in his first game out of retirement, Rivers threw for 277 yards and two TDs against the Niners, leading the Colts to three touchdowns and two field goals on their first six drives.

Injuries

TE George Kittle left the game with an ankle injury and didn't return. Kittle said after the game that he believed he avoided a high ankle sprain but the team is uncertain whether he will be able to play this week.

6 — The 49ers became the sixth team in the regular season or playoffs since at least 1960 to go back-to-back games without punting. The Colts did it earlier this season.

Next steps

The 49ers host Chicago on Sunday night.

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