By admin 
The 49ers made up for their rough showing in their preseason opener with a blowout win in their second exhibition game Thursday over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
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San Francisco rumbled to a 41-17 win after scoring just 13 points last week against the Tennessee Titans. Some of the starters played, and a number of players got action after not playing last week.
Top two quarterbacks get some action and target the rookie
The 49ers gave their top two quarterbacks playing time after both sat out the preseason opener.
Brock Purdy played just one series, completing 4-of-6 passes for 29 yards, adding a 3-yard scramble in 12 snaps. Three of his completions went to rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who continues to have a strong start to his pro career. The drive ended in a punt and went just 39 yards.
Purdy’s backup Mac Jones had one of the best throws of the early going when he targeted Stribling on a deep pass near the end zone, but Stribling had the ball bounce off his hands. The drive resulted in a 48-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro. Jones in his preseason debut completed 6-of-13 for 89 yards.
Adrian Martinez went 8-of-17 with a passing touchdown, rushing touchdown and two interceptions.
Stribling caught four of his five targets for 46 yards and only played the first two series. Three of his catches were third-down conversions.
In roughly two preseason quarters combined, Stribling has caught 11 of 13 passes thrown his way for 109 yards.
That Stribling only played two series is a strong sign the coaching staff is expecting him to be a major part of the offense.
Running backs play a big role
Rookie third-round pick Kaelon Black made his debut after returning to joint practice against L.A. on Tuesday. He showed why the 49ers drafted him.
Black ran for 33 yards on eight carries, showing off the burst and decisive running that made Kyle Shanahan like him enough to call him the second-best running back in April’s draft. Black, on a 9-yard run in the first quarter, appeared to be stopped behind the line of scrimmage, but squeezed through a small hole and turned a short gain into a positive play. He also did well in pass protection, which will surely endear him to the coaching staff.
The 49ers are still waiting for second-year pro Jordan James to return from a rib injury. Otherwise, Black is the favorite to be Christian McCaffrey’s primary backup. So far, he appears to have a lot more juice than last year’s No. 2, Brian Robinson Jr.
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San Francisco scored three rushing touchdowns coming from Sincere McCormick, Khalil Herbert and Martinez. McCormick and Herbert appear on the outside of the roster bubble but could stick around to provide depth on the practice squad.
The 49ers finished Thursday’s win with 146 rushing yards on 36 carries.
Cowing finally makes his mark
Third-year receiver Jacob Cowing is on the roster bubble, so it wasn’t a great sign for him that Deebo Samuel was called on to return the game’s first two punts.
Cowing, who missed all of last season with a severe hamstring injury, will likely have to contribute in the return game if he’s going to make the team. He’s been the team’s most consistent punt returner in practice when he hasn’t been sidelined with a hip injury, so giving those opportunities to Samuel looked like a vote of no confidence in Cowing.
But then Cowing took over after Samuel exited the game. And in his second opportunity, he took a 52-yard punt from JK Scott 83 yards the other way while showcasing his 4.38 speed en route to a touchdown along the left sideline. To be fair, it included Scott making a business decision and avoiding making a tackle when he had a clear chance to do so.
The 49ers drafted Cowing in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, but he hasn’t appeared in a game since his rookie season when he logged only four catches. Solidifying a role as a punt returner would go a long way toward making the roster.
A new name added to the left guard battle?
It appeared that Austen Pleasants was throwing his name into the mix to start at left guard. But he suffered an apparent leg injury in the third quarter and was quickly ruled out.
Pleasants got the start at left tackle in place of Trent Williams, with rookie fourth-round pick Carver Willis working at left guard. Pleasants moved to left guard soon after, and finished out the first half there and continued into the second when he got hurt. Then Connor Colby saw time at left guard in the fourth quarter. Colby started the game at right guard in place of Dominick Puni, who’s been out with a concussion.
It’s all very fluid and unclear.
It could be that Willis is the favorite given he started the game and was only expected to play a couple series. The team will return to the practice field Saturday, where they will likely have a better idea of Pleasants’ injury and the first-team offense will provide another look at who’s getting time at left guard.
Defense gets revenge?
The reports from Tuesday’s joint practice indicated the Chargers’ offense had its way with San Francisco’s defense.
It means very little — this is still preseason football — but the 49ers defense showed up in the game. L.A. managed just 229 total yards and didn’t score an offensive touchdown until 1:03 in the fourth quarter. Their only other score came on a pick six early in the third quarter from Martinez to linebacker Junior Colson. The 49ers had the advantage in first downs (20-8), total plays (72 to 54) and rushing yards (146-68).
Former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance led the Chargers in pass attempts, completing 10 of 16 for 73 yards. He added two runs for 42 yards, showing more speed than he ever showed during his brief time with San Francisco.
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