Can a banged-up San Francisco 49ers team keep finding ways to win? Look, the answer through four games is a resounding yes. The 49ers moved to 4-0 with a 24-14 victory over the Denver Broncos, and they did it with a roster that was badly injured heading into the matchup.

This was an excellent win for San Francisco. It keeps the Niners in sole possession of first place in the NFC West ahead of a big matchup next week against the Seattle Seahawks. I’ve got eight winners and two losers from this one. 

Offensive winners

QB Brock Purdy

Purdy completed 19-of-30 passes for 218 yards and two touchdown passes, and he finished with a passer rating over 100 yet again. It wasn’t the most eye-popping day from Purdy. Still, he did everything he needed to do and got the ball into his playmakers’ hands, which he has done all season. He should still stand atop the MVP ladder. 

WR Deebo Samuel

We got the full gadget experience from Samuel. He ran three times for 44 yards and added five catches for 26 yards and a touchdown. With injuries piling up around him in the receiver room, Samuel stepped right back into his typical role and delivered. I say it every time, but bringing him back may be the best move the Niners have made this year. 

WR Mike Evans

Evans led the 49ers with five catches for 76 yards. The fact that he even played was incredible, considering the rib injury he suffered last week. He’s a veteran, it’s early in the season, and he didn’t have to suit up. He chose to anyway, and he ended up as the team’s leading receiver. I can’t say enough good things about him. It was great to see the 49ers top target do his thing against the Broncos.

TE George Kittle

Kittle caught four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, and that touchdown was the dagger. His 56-yard screen touchdown came on a beautiful play dialed up by 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. Kittle hit the jets like a man that had never suffered an achilles injury at all. It was special to watch him accelerate on that play. 

The offensive line

Purdy was not sacked all day. San Francisco ran for 140 yards on 35 carries, and that total even includes a couple of kneel-downs from Purdy. The Niners averaged four yards a carry. The offensive line did its job, and that’s a big deal for a team this shorthanded. San Francisco’s offensive line has not allowed a single sack through the first four games of the season. The first time a team has done this since the Colts in 2005. It is an incredible feat for a unit that had plenty of questions surrounding them in the preseason. 

LB Dre Greenlaw

Greenlaw led the 49ers with 12 tackles. He was all over the field making his presence felt, and he even did a little yelling at Broncos coach Sean Payton along the way. There’s no doubt that Greenlaw was highly motivated to face his former team after a one year stint in Denver. He made it count. 

LB Fred Warner

Warner finished with seven tackles and two pass breakups. Per usual, he made some excellent plays in the open field to prevent extra yardage. Nobody does it better. He continues to make his mark as the best linebacker in football. He finds his name on this list every week.

Siran Neal

Now, Neal landed on my losers list a couple of weeks back because of a botch in the return game. He is a huge winner this time around. Neal made one of the most impressive special teams plays I’ve ever seen. He forced a fumble on a Marvin Mims punt return in the open field and recovered it himself. It was absolutely incredible, and it turned the tide of the game toward the 49ers.

Losers

Field Goal Unit

49ers Kicker Eddy Piñeiro went 1-of-2 on the afternoon with a tough miss due to a blocked kick by the Broncos. This game could have finished with a wider margin if it weren’t for that play. They’ve been a good unit on the year but today wasn’t their best. If this game was closer, that could have really hurt them. 

WR Jacob Cowing

Cowing drew only one target. He hasn’t been able to do much, and I figured he might step up and make some more plays on a day when San Francisco was this banged up. That opportunity was there, and it didn’t happen. Cowing was certainly expected to contribute mainly on special teams this year. Today seemed to be an opportunity to step up on offense and he wasn’t able to integrate himself. 

Up next for the 49ers

I’ll tell you this much: a team that can win like this without its full roster is a team to take seriously. San Francisco got contributions from the quarterback, the veterans, the trenches, the defense, and special teams. It took all three phases for the 49ers to beat the Broncos.

The 3-1 Seattle Seahawks are up next with first place in the NFC West on the line. If the 49ers bring this same toughness into that game, I think they leave that matchup still unbeaten. No doubt, it’s going to be their biggest game of the year yet.