Inman: 5 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ preseason win at Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — As Brock Purdy stood in the visitors’ locker room in his super-comfortable toe socks, he was asked if any 49ers talked about returning to SoFi Stadium this season.

“Yeah, even Kyle said, ‘We’ll be back here in December,’ ” Purdy said about a Dec. 17 rematch with the Chargers, who they routed 41-17 in Thursday’s preseason game.

But wait, an even bigger return could come on Valentine’s Day, in Super Bowl LXI.

“Oh yeah, that, too. My bad. I’m just so locked in,” Purdy, a fifth-year veteran, wisely said.

Three years ago, by the way, the 49ers’ first preseason road trip was to Las Vegas, where Purdy & Co. returned for the Super Bowl (and an overtime loss to Kansas City).

Here are five things that jumped out in the 49ers’ rout of the Chargers, following a loss a week ago to Tennessee:

COWING’S TD RETURN

Jacob Cowing may have reclaimed the 49ers’ punt returner role by virtue of an 83-yard return for a touchdown, three minutes before halftime. Coach Kyle Shanahan isn’t going to call off the competition, however.

“Not yet, but I like that he’s making it easier,” Shanahan said.

Cowing’s teammates certainly celebrated his case. He was the 49ers’ 2024 returner before missing last season with four tears to his right hamstring.

“As soon as I got the ball in my hands, I made a beeline for the left sideline, used as much gas as I’ve got, trusted my guys with the blocks and tried to get in the end zone,” Cowing said. “I felt like I was in a dream just hearing the crowd go crazy and seeing my teammates running to me and seeing how happy they were. I was like, ‘Ain’t no way this is happening right now.’ It was a special moment for me with everything I battled last year and to come back healthy.”

Escorting Cowing was a calvary of teammates including KhaDarel Hodge, Josiah Deguara, Jalen Stroman and Sincere McCormick. Tatum Bethune and Brayden Willis threw key blocks, and Cowing was in the clear at midfield once he sidestepped JK Scott, who kicked off the ball.

“You can’t cut a guy that goes 84 yards. I’d say he’s going to make the team,” Dan Fouts said on the Chargers’ broadcast.

After Deebo Samuel made a surprise appearance as the 49ers’ returner on the Chargers’ first two punts, it was Cowing’s turn. His first one didn’t go great, as he lost the ball in the translucent roof and the punt rolled from the 35-yard line to the 13.

Once Cowing found the end zone on his next try, it was Samuel who sprinted off the 49ers’ sideline to celebrate – and to earn a penalty. Samuel has never returned a punt in his seven previous seasons, and he let the first one he saw Thursday night drop and roll to the 6-yard line. He made a fair catch at the 31 on the Chargers’ next punt.

“I said just try to catch it and make something happen, bro,” Cowing said. “In that stadium, especially how high the punter kicks it, you can lose it sometimes.”

Cowing figured to be this season’s front-runner to replace Skyy Moore, who left in free agency for Green Bay. Others who’ve auditioned are Jordan Watkins, Will Pauling and Jack Jones.

The 49ers infamously have not scored on a punt return in the regular season or playoffs since the 2011 opener, under Jim Harbaugh, who’s now the Chargers’ third-year coach. Victor Bolden had the 49ers’ last punt return for a preseason touchdown in 2017.

MORE STRIBLING

It was inevitable that De’Zhaun Stribling would drop a pass, and it so happened to come at the 5-yard line to squash a potential 33-yard touchdown pass from Mac Jones.

“Honestly a lot of us were like, dang, we thought he’d score that touchdown and go to the Niners’ hall of fame,” Purdy quipped. “It’s all good. He’s going to bounce back. He’s a baller. That play doesn’t define him. He has a bright year and career ahead of him.”

After Stribling caught 7-of-8 targets for 63 yards in his professional debut against the Titans, the 49ers quickly got him involved again, with Purdy completing all three of his targets to him. Mac Jones’ first pass went to, no surprise, Stribling for a 21-yard gain.

While Samuel caught 1-of-2 targets in his preseason debut, Mike Evans remained in street clothes after aggravating a quadriceps in Tuesday’s joint practice.

BACKUP QB REVIEW

Upon replacing Purdy after one series, Jones had a hot-and-cold outing in his first extended game action since a Nov. 9 home loss to the Rams. Jones, who went 5-3 as Purdy’s replacement starter last season, started hot Thursday night with completions to Stribling (21 yards) and Luke Farrell (13 yards).

Stribling’s drop of the potential touchdown toss marked the first of five consecutive incompletions for Jones. His next three passes were caught, including a 24-yarder by Jordan Watkins, who later snapped that streak by failing to catch a contested 34-yard pass at the goal line.

Jones finished 6-of-13 for 89 yards, and Adrian Martinez took over after halftime.

Martinez threw a third-quarter pick-six to Junior Colson, after Nadame Tucker rushed in unblocked past Austin Pleasants to rush a pass toward Cowing. Martinez avenged that play with a 9-yard touchdown scramble of his own in the fourth quarter, followed by a 17-yard scoring strike to Watkins for a 41-9 lead.

Kurtis Rourke did not play after sustaining fractured ribs in last Thursday’s start.

LEFT GUARD QUARTET

Austen Pleasants’ addition to the left guard competition may be fleeting. A right knee injury had him gingerly walk off with 5:47 left in the third quarter. He started at left tackle for Trent Williams then moved inside to left guard.

Veteran Rob Jones, who started there in last week’s preseason opener, was out with a calf injury. That left Carver Willis for Thursday night’s start, while another candidate, Connor Colby, opened at right guard in place of Dominick Puni (concussion). Willis returned at left guard once Pleasants exited.

Before Tuesday’s joint practice, Harbaugh was exasperated by the multiple questions asked from Chargers’ reporters about the left guard competition. Well, the 49ers have questions there, too.

PIÑEIRO IS PERFECT

Kicker Eddy Piñeiro made all his first-half field-goal attempts (48 and 45 yards) and both point-after kicks. What was also of note were his kickoffs, which he worked on this offseason in adding leg strength. His first four kickoffs went to the goal line, the end zone (touchback), the 4-yard line, and the 1-yard line.

Punter Corliss Waitman assumed kickoff duties in the fourth quarter, and Nick Martin forced a fumble on the Chargers’ ensuing return, with Hodge recovering the loose ball.

This game, as well as next Thursday’s preseason finale at Las Vegas, began at 7 p.m. PT, about 8 1/2 hours later than when the 49ers will open the regular season against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Sept. 11, 10:35 a.m. AEST; Sept. 10 at 5:35 p.m. PT).