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Brock Purdy’s Five TDs leads 49ers to victory over Colts

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Brock Purdy’s Five TDs leads 49ers to victory over Colts

QB Brock Purdy (#13) center, of the San Francisco 49ers makes a pass for a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 22, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

12.22.25 – QB Brock Purdy threw a career-high five touchdown passes and Dee Winters returned an interception of Philip Rivers’ final pass 74 yards for a score to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 48-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.

“He was awesome, he played really well,” coach Kyle Shanahan said, describing Purdy’s play. “I got on him for a couple throws he missed, but it was pretty close to a perfect game. He did a hell of a job.”

San Francisco (11-4) has won five straight to stay competitive for both the NFC West title and the conference’s top seed. One day after the 49ers clinched a playoff spot, the Niners offense is revving up for the run to the #1 seed.

 

 

2025.12.22 – (49ers at Colts) NFL Game Highlights

QB Brock Purdy (#13) left, of the San Francisco 49ers makes a pass for a touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 22, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

2025.12.22 – (49ers at Colts) NFL Game Highlights

 

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (NBC Sports Post Game)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (#15), left, catches a touchdown pass against Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cameron Mitchell (#43) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) AJ Mast/Associated Press

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (NBC Sports Post Game)

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (NBC Sports Post Game)

The Colts snapped a five-game losing streak in the series that dated to former coach Jim Mora’s infamous “playoffs” rant in November 2001. Indy’s loss clinched playoff spots for Buffalo, Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC.

Purdy completed 25 of 34 passes for 295 yards as San Francisco produced 440 total yards and didn’t punt for a second straight week. Christian McCaffrey rushed 21 times for 117 yards and had six catches for 29 yards and two scores. George Kittle added seven receptions for 115 yards and one TD.

And aside from Purdy’s lone interception, the 49ers offense seemed to do anything it wanted against Indy’s defense.

“We’ve got to be better,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “Bottom line, we can’t give up that many yards. They scored a lot of points, went up and down the field and we’ve got to get that cleaned up in a hurry. Our defense played great last week and then this week … we’ve got to be better.”

The 44-year-old Rivers sure didn’t make it easy on San Francisco in his second game back after a five-year layoff. He was 23 of 35 for 277 yards, two TDs and the one interception. But he also couldn’t pull the Colts (8-7) out of a late-season swoon that has nearly ended their playoff hopes.

Indy has lost five straight and six of seven.

Rivers started strong in a wild first half, throwing the first of two TD passes to Alec Pierce, a 20-yarder on the opening series. Pierce finished with four receptions for 86 yards and two scores.

 

 

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (Chat Sports Post Game)

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (#23) left, runs past Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) and defensive tackle Grover Stewart (90) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) AJ Mast/Associated Press

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (Chat Sports Post Game)

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (Chat Sports Post Game)

Purdy countered with a 22-yard scoring pass to Demarcus Robinson and, after a Colts fumble, a 2-yard TD pass to McCaffrey to make it 14-7. Rivers tied the score early in the second quarter by neatly fitting a 16-yard throw to Pierce in a tight window.

Purdy then broke the tie with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Kittle and the teams traded field goals before Eddie Pineiro’s 64-yard attempt hit the crossbar as time expired in the first half with the 49ers up 24-17.

San Francisco was just as efficient in the second half. Purdy capped the first possession with a 15-yard TD pass to Jauan Jennings to take control with a 31-17 lead.

Jonathan Taylor’s 1-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter cut Indy’s deficit to 34-27, but the 49ers sealed it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey with 7:37 to play and Winters’ interception return with 3:26 to play.

“It was cool to be out here playing against Philip Rivers and the Colts,” Purdy said. “To go out and execute like we did, I’m really proud of these guys, everyone. Our defense, the turnover at the end of the game with Dee Winters, huge win for us.”

 

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (Krueger & Crew Post Game)

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dee Winters (#53) center, celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) AJ Mast/Associated Press

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (Krueger & Crew Post Game)

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (Krueger & Crew Post Game)

 

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (NFL – CBS Post Game)

2025.12.22 – 49ers at Colts (NFL – CBS Post Game)

49ers Purdy has seven TD passes in the last two games, the most over a two-game stretch by a 49ers quarterback since 2001. … San Francisco has scored in 23 consecutive quarters, its longest streak since 1995.

The Colts Taylor’s TD early in the fourth gave him 17 rushing scores this season, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the second-highest single season total in franchise history. … Indy lost its first game of the season while topping the 20-point mark.

Injuries

49ers: Kittle injured his ankle while making a cut during the third quarter, and linebacker Tatum Bethune injured his right ankle late in the third quarter.

Colts: Indy opened the game without either of its starting offensive tackles — Braden Smith (concussion) and Bernhard Raimann (elbow) — then lost center Tanor Bortolini with a concussion on the third offensive play of the game. Then they lost starting RG Dalton Tucker with shoulder injury in the second half. The Colts also lost DE JT Tuimoloau with an oblique injury in the first half.

Up next (49ers Roster)

49ers: Host Chicago on Saturday night in a possible playoff preview.

Colts: Close out the home schedule Sunday against AFC South leading Jacksonville.

Related: Brock Purdy stomp on Titans for a 49ers victory

Related: See below – 49ers rally to beat Lions and secure Super Bowl trip

 

Read more at:  San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL

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49ers rally to beat Lions and secure Super Bowl trip

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