49ers Defeat Broncos 24-14 as Purdy Helps Fuel 4-0 Start

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos 24-14 on Sunday, October 4, 2026, with Brock Purdy throwing two touchdown passes as San Francisco extended its unbeaten start to 4-0. A matchup tied at halftime turned in the 49ers’ favor after the break, when they scored 21 points and held off Denver’s fourth-quarter push at Levi’s Stadium.

For the 70,776 fans in attendance, this Week 4 NFL contest offered two distinctly different halves: an early defensive struggle followed by a much busier scoreboard. Denver dropped to 2-2, with both of its losses coming on the road.

A Tight First Half Gives Way to San Francisco’s Surge

Denver scored the only three points of the first quarter, taking an early 3-0 advantage. San Francisco answered with three points in the second, leaving the teams level at 3-3 heading into halftime. Neither offense produced a touchdown before the break, and the Broncos remained firmly in position to challenge the unbeaten hosts.

The third quarter changed the balance. San Francisco outscored Denver 7-0, moving ahead 10-3 entering the final period. Just as important, the Broncos went scoreless in both the second and third quarters, giving the 49ers room to establish an advantage without needing a high-scoring first half.

Denver finally found more scoring production in the fourth, adding 11 points. But San Francisco posted 14 of its own in that quarter, ensuring the visitors’ late offense was not enough to complete a comeback. The teams combined for 25 fourth-quarter points after scoring only 13 across the first three periods.

The final margin was 10 points, and the game ended in regulation. The supplied summary does not identify individual scoring drives, turnovers, sacks, red-zone stops, fourth-down attempts or two-point plays, so those details cannot be assigned to specific moments.

Key Performers: Purdy, McCaffrey and Evans

Brock Purdy: San Francisco’s passing leader finished with 19/30, 218 YDS, 2 TD. He completed 63.3% of his attempts, providing the passing production behind the 49ers’ victory. His interception total was not included in the supplied stat line.

Christian McCaffrey: The rushing leader recorded 15 CAR, 52 YDS, 1 TD. His touchdown complemented Purdy’s two passing scores, while his 15 carries gave San Francisco a ground-game contribution alongside its aerial attack.

Mike Evans: Evans led the receiving totals with 5 REC, 76 YDS, averaging 15.2 yards per catch. His receiving yardage represented approximately 34.9% of Purdy’s passing total. A receiving touchdown total was not supplied.

NerdSports Stat: San Francisco scored 87.5% of its points after halftime—21 of 24—while outscoring Denver by 10 points over the final two quarters.

What Comes Next

San Francisco’s 4-0 start strengthens its early position in the NFC playoff picture ahead of a division matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, October 11, at 1:25 PM PDT. Denver, now 2-2, hosts the Los Angeles Chargers that day at 1:05 PM PDT, with a chance to move back above .500 and gain ground in the AFC West race.

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