In a battle of NFL heavyweights, anything is possible. The Chiefs attempted a fake punt on 4th-and-2 on their first drive and were stopped by safety Ji'Ayir Brown and defensive lineman Jordan Elliott. After the turnover on downs, San Francisco took over at the Kansas City 45-yard line.

In the second quarter, the special teams unit scored the first points of the game. Kicker Anders Carlson, who was signed on Tuesday because of Matthew Wright's Week 6 injuries, blasted a 55-yard field goal through the uprights with a minute left in the first quarter to make it 3-0 San Francisco . He later made a 24-yard field goal attempt, but missed the extra point attempt after the 49ers' first touchdown of the day.

The defensive line stacks plays early

San Francisco's defensive line made an impact early in Sunday's showdown. The line's series of splash plays began on the second defensive series as Kansas City advanced down the field and just inside the red zone. Nick Bosa sacked Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for a loss of five yards. On the very next play, third-year defensive lineman Kalia Davis, who battled multiple knee injuries early in his career, tipped over and came down on Mahomes' pass to record his first career interception.

The next time the defense took the field, defensive lineman duo Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd tackled Mahomes, losing four yards and forcing a three-and-out. Due to their strong defensive play, Kansas City remained scoreless in the first quarter.

Rookie receiver catches his first career reception

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall made his comeback from the non-football injury list on Sunday. The 49ers' first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was sidelined earlier this year after suffering an injury during an attempted robbery in late August. In the final minute of the second quarter, he caught his first pass, a six-yard completion on second-and-10. This catch drew huge cheers from the crowd at Levi's® Stadium and helped galvanize San Francisco's offense. Quarterback Brock Purdy and Co. were able to break down the field and complete the drive with a 24-yard field goal.

Secondary increases in third quarter

Fourth-year defensive back Deommodore Lenoir spoiled the Chiefs' first drive of the second half by intercepting a pass intended for Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy. Lenoir was able to collect 33 yards on the return, setting up the 49ers' offense at the Kansas City 23-yard line. San Francisco scored on the ensuing drive. Purdy hit the touchdown on a quarterback sneak to cap off a seven-play, 23-yard drive. On the Chiefs' next offensive series, cornerback Charvarius Ward was in trouble and parried a low shot intended for Travis Kelce to force a three-pointer.

• Wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. struggled with an illness before kickoff and was barely on the field at the start despite being cleared to play. He was listed as questionable in the third quarter due to an illness and then was sidelined a few minutes later.
• Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a knee injury on the 49ers' final drive of the second quarter. After a 15-yard completion, he landed awkwardly with two Chiefs defenders. He was ejected in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game that the team was “concerned” that Aiyuk had injured his ACL, but that injury had not been confirmed.