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GAME ESSENTIALS: Buccaneers (6-6) vs. 49ers (8-4) at Levi’s Stadium, at 1:25 p.m. (PT). TV: FOX. Announcers: Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play), Greg Olsen (color commentary), Erin Andrews (sideline reporting).
ODDS: 49ers -3.5. OVER/UNDER: 38.5.
SERIES: 49ers lead 18-7. LAST MEETING: 49ers won 31-17 on Sept. 9, 2019.
Brock Purdy will start his first NFL game Sunday against the Buccaneers in counterpart Tom Brady’s 329th regular-season start.
The 49ers hope Purdy can be the first quarterback to beat Brady in his first career start, as all six who have come before him over Brady’s 23-year career have failed.
Tampa Bay is coming off a rousing Monday Night Football comeback in which two touchdowns in the game’s final three minutes turned a 16-3 deficit into a 17-16 win.
The 49ers, despite losing Jimmy Garoppolo to a foot fracture last week, enter the game riding a five-game win streak. Their skill-position stars from Deebo Samuel to Christian McCaffrey will aim to uplift Purdy, who has been calm and collected since entering last week’s win over the Dolphins. Those who know Purdy well from his high school days in Arizona and college playing career at Iowa State aren’t surprised.
Defensive player of the year candidate Nick Bosa was listed as questionable for the game on Friday’s injury report due to a hamstring injury, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday night that he is expected to play. Bosa had three sacks, including a late strip-sack, in last week’s win against Miami, and leads the NFL entering Sunday with 14.5.
On the Buccaneers’ side, two key starters were listed as doubtful: OT Tristan Wirfs (ankle/knee) and S Antoine Winfield (ankle). FS Mike Edwards (hamstring) was also doubtful, while RB Leonard Fournette (foot), DE Akiem Hicks (foot) and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (quadriceps) were questionable.
Follow along with our reporters Cam Inman and Jerry McDonald, columnist Dieter Kurtenbach and other analysts providing their thoughts about the game.
Source: www.mercurynews.com