With the San Francisco 49ers entering their bye week at 9–4, it’s hard not to appreciate how impressive that record is considering all the adversity they’ve battled through.
It’s time to acknowledge the three wins that shifted the 49ers from a potentially losing season to legitimate playoff contenders.
Week 11: 41-22 win vs Arizona Cardinals 
Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates a touchdown in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
The Week 11 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals stands out. Let’s be clear, the Cardinals are bottom of the NFC West for a reason, their roster simply isn’t playoff caliber.
But with all of the 49ers’ offensive weapons finally fully healthy, the team showed what it can truly do. Brock Purdy had a quarterback rating of 133.5, Christian McCaffrey delivered the goods as always, but the performance of George Kittle will be remembered forever.
Kittle rose to fifth all-time in career touchdowns, trailing only Davis (55), Gene Washington (59), Terrell Owens (81), and Jerry Rice (176). He’s also behind Owens and Rice with 500+ receptions and 50+ touchdowns.
Week 13: 26-8 win vs Cleveland Browns
Nov 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) makes a pass during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The 49ers’ last encounter with the Cleveland Browns showed a swagger that had been missing since 2023. Everything about Cleveland suggests an interchangeable roster and tough conditions, yet the 49ers pulled through, holding the Browns to just 8 points.
Purdy delivered his best performance in tough conditions, but the entire unit really dug deep to secure the victory. Contextually, this marked the 49ers’ first win in Ohio since the 1980s, and the franchise set the momentum perfectly to gear up for the final four games of the season.
Week 5: 26-23 OT win vs Los Angeles Rams 
Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
But there was only one choice for the best win of the season: travelling to SoFi Stadium to face a far-superior Los Angeles Rams and pulling off a victory in overtime.
It was a statement win over the 49ers’ long-famed rivals, despite early-season woes from injuries and other adversities, with a well-crafted plan masterminded by head coach Kyle Shanahan to secure the victory. It was executed to absolute perfection and will go down as a defining win in the Shanahan era.
Even while banged up, Mac Jones delivered the game of his career, proving he belongs as a franchise quarterback. Kendrick Bourne made an immediate impact and played like Jerry Rice, Jake Tonges exceeded expectations basically straight from the practice squad, and McCaffrey was, as always, brilliant.
And last but not least, Eddy Piñeiro’s clutch field goal erased memories of Jake Moody’s past misses and sealed the win.
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