{"id":7440,"date":"2026-08-21T19:39:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T19:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7440"},"modified":"2026-08-21T19:39:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T19:39:24","slug":"inman-5-things-that-caught-my-eye-in-49ers-preseason-win-at-chargers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7440","title":{"rendered":"Inman: 5 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ preseason win at Chargers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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INGLEWOOD, Calif. \u2014 As Brock Purdy stood in the visitors\u2019 locker room in his super-comfortable toe socks, he was asked if any 49ers talked about returning to SoFi Stadium this season.<\/p>\n

Read more Another dreamy weather weekend in store for Bay Area<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, even Kyle said, \u2018We\u2019ll be back here in December,\u2019 \u201d Purdy said about a Dec. 17 rematch with the Chargers, who they routed 41-17 in Thursday\u2019s preseason game.<\/p>\n

But wait, an even bigger return could come on Valentine\u2019s Day, in Super Bowl LXI.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, that, too. My bad. I\u2019m just so locked in,\u201d Purdy, a fifth-year veteran, wisely said.<\/p>\n

Three years ago, by the way, the 49ers\u2019 first preseason road trip was to Las Vegas, where Purdy & Co. returned for the Super Bowl (and an overtime loss to Kansas City).<\/p>\n

Here are five things that jumped out in the 49ers\u2019 rout of the Chargers, following a loss a week ago to Tennessee:<\/p>\n

COWING\u2019S TD RETURN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jacob Cowing may have reclaimed the 49ers\u2019 punt returner role by virtue of an 83-yard return for a touchdown, three minutes before halftime. Coach Kyle Shanahan isn\u2019t going to call off the competition, however.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cNot yet, but I like that he\u2019s making it easier,\u201d Shanahan said.<\/p>\n

Cowing\u2019s teammates certainly celebrated his case. He was the 49ers\u2019 2024 returner before missing last season with four tears to his right hamstring.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as I got the ball in my hands, I made a beeline for the left sideline, used as much gas as I\u2019ve got, trusted my guys with the blocks and tried to get in the end zone,\u201d Cowing said. \u201cI 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, \u2018Ain\u2019t no way this is happening right now.\u2019 It was a special moment for me with everything I battled last year and to come back healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t cut a guy that goes 84 yards. I\u2019d say he\u2019s going to make the team,\u201d Dan Fouts said on the Chargers\u2019 broadcast.<\/p>\n

After Deebo Samuel made a surprise appearance as the 49ers\u2019 returner on the Chargers\u2019 first two punts, it was Cowing\u2019s turn. His first one didn\u2019t go great, as he lost the ball in the translucent roof and the punt rolled from the 35-yard line to the 13.<\/p>\n

Once Cowing found the end zone on his next try, it was Samuel who sprinted off the 49ers\u2019 sideline to celebrate \u2013 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\u2019 next punt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said just try to catch it and make something happen, bro,\u201d Cowing said. \u201cIn that stadium, especially how high the punter kicks it, you can lose it sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowing figured to be this season\u2019s front-runner to replace Skyy Moore, who left in free agency for Green Bay. Others who\u2019ve auditioned are Jordan Watkins, Will Pauling and Jack Jones.<\/p>\n

The 49ers infamously have not scored on a punt return in the regular season or playoffs since the 2011 opener, under Jim Harbaugh, who\u2019s now the Chargers\u2019 third-year coach. Victor Bolden had the 49ers\u2019 last punt return for a preseason touchdown in 2017.<\/p>\n

Read more White House aide Natalie Harp gushes to \u2018guardian and protector\u2019 Trump in new letters<\/a><\/p>\n

MORE STRIBLING<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was inevitable that De\u2019Zhaun 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly a lot of us were like, dang, we thought he\u2019d score that touchdown and go to the Niners\u2019 hall of fame,\u201d Purdy quipped. \u201cIt\u2019s all good. He\u2019s going to bounce back. He\u2019s a baller. That play doesn\u2019t define him. He has a bright year and career ahead of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019 first pass went to, no surprise, Stribling for a 21-yard gain.<\/p>\n

While Samuel caught 1-of-2 targets in his preseason debut, Mike Evans remained in street clothes after aggravating a quadriceps in Tuesday\u2019s joint practice.<\/p>\n

BACKUP QB REVIEW\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2019s replacement starter last season, started hot Thursday night with completions to Stribling (21 yards) and Luke Farrell (13 yards).<\/p>\n

Stribling\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Jones finished 6-of-13 for 89 yards, and Adrian Martinez took over after halftime.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Kurtis Rourke did not play after sustaining fractured ribs in last Thursday\u2019s start.<\/p>\n

LEFT GUARD QUARTET<\/strong><\/p>\n

Austen Pleasants\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Veteran Rob Jones, who started there in last week\u2019s preseason opener, was out with a calf injury. That left Carver Willis for Thursday night\u2019s start, while another candidate, Connor Colby, opened at right guard in place of Dominick Puni (concussion). Willis returned at left guard once Pleasants exited.<\/p>\n

Before Tuesday\u2019s joint practice, Harbaugh was exasperated by the multiple questions asked from Chargers\u2019 reporters about the left guard competition. Well, the 49ers have questions there, too.<\/p>\n

PI\u00d1EIRO IS PERFECT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kicker Eddy Pi\u00f1eiro 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.<\/p>\n

Punter Corliss Waitman assumed kickoff duties in the fourth quarter, and Nick Martin forced a fumble on the Chargers\u2019 ensuing return, with Hodge recovering the loose ball.<\/p>\n

This game, as well as next Thursday\u2019s 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).<\/p>\n

Read more A Bay Area Catholic Diocese\u2019s liability for latest wave sex abuse litigation could rest on this case<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jacob Cowing’s electric punt return for a touchdown highlighted the 49ers’ 41-17 preseason rout of the Chargers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nInman: 5 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ preseason win at Chargers - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7440\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inman: 5 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ preseason win at Chargers - Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Jacob Cowing's electric punt return for a touchdown highlighted the 49ers' 41-17 preseason rout of the Chargers.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=7440\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Next City Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-21T19:39:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/13065d40d633843429ac57d4e5c06f9b\"},\"headline\":\"Inman: 5 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ preseason win at Chargers\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-21T19:39:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440\"},\"wordCount\":1248,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/4c437fdb8d8eb3a1806a525e70a4e266-scaled.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Sports\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/nextcitydigest.com\\\/?p=7440\",\"name\":\"Inman: 5 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ preseason win at Chargers - 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