Patriots lose to 49ers, 30-13, to fall to 1-3 on season

BOSTON -- The Patriots did themselves no favors in San Francisco, and are now 1-3 on the season after a 30-13 loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

Costly turnovers -- a fumble by Rhamondre Stevenson and a pick-six by Jacoby Brissett in the first half -- had the Patriots trailing 13-0 early in the second quarter. With the offense failing to consistently put together drives that got down the field, let alone score points, the Patriots weren't able to overcome such a hole.

"We don't have a team that can lose the turnover battle and expect to win a football game," head coach Jerod Mayo said. "It is a long season and we're wrapping up the first quarter. I don't think any of us are happy with where we are."

"We aren't good enough to play against ourselves and the defense," Brissett said after the loss.

Brissett was under heavy pressure again as the Patriots started their fourth different offensive line of the young season. Those O-line issues got worse early on as center David Andrews left after New England's first series with a shoulder injury and did not return.

Brissett was sacked six times and hit 10 times overall by San Francisco. In addition to his pick-six, Brissett was also strip-sacked late by Nick Bosa in the red zone. He finished his afternoon 19-of-32 for 168 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. 

Meanwhile, Brock Purdy threw for 288 yards and Jordan Mason ran for 123 yards and a touchdown on his 24 carries. San Francisco out-gained New England 413-216 on the afternoon,

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Patriots got a pair of first downs on their first possession of the game. But Jerod Mayo and company opted to punt it away after making it to the San Francisco 41-yard line, and Purdy led San Francisco 90 yards downfield with three third-down conversions. The New England defense held strong though, and the 49ers had to settle for a 22-yard field goal to make it a 3-0 game.

That moral victory didn't even last a snap, as Stevenson fumbled away New England's next possession at their own 30-yard line. The Patriots' defense once again held strong, holding the 49ers to a field goal despite that great field position.

But the defense couldn't do anything to prevent San Francisco's first touchdown of the day. Facing a thrid-and-5 at the New England 35, Brissett didn't see linebacker Fred Warner when he went looking for Tyquan Thornton over the middle of the field, and Warner made a great play to pluck the pass out of the air. He got up and raced 45 yards into the end zone for a pick-six, giving San Francisco a 13-0 lead. It was Brissett's first interception of the season.

The New England offense got the ball to the San Francisco 20 on the team's next possession, but that drive also ended with zero points on the board. Stevenson was stuffed by the San Francisco defense on a fourth-and-1 carry and the 49ers took over at their own 20-yard line.

The 49ers offense went 80 yards down the field in 10 plays, taking a 20-0 lead when George Kittle hauled in a jump ball in the end zone over a pair of New England defenders. San Francisco had two touchdowns called back on the drive due to penalties, but the third one counted.

The Patriots got three points at the end of the half thanks to Joey Slye's big leg. The kicker connected on a 63-yard field goal as time expired, making it a 20-3 game. That boot set a new Patriots record for longest field goal, besting a 62-yarder off the foot of Stephen Gostkowski during the 2017 season.

The Patriots came up with another special teams play out of halftime, as Christian Ellis forced a 49ers fumble on the opening kickoff and recovered at the San Francisco 27-yard line. The Patriots turned that into a touchdown, with Brissett hitting Austin Hooper for a five-yard score on a fourth-and-1 pass, making it a 20-10 game.

But the 49ers responded immediately, with Purdy hitting Deebo Samuel for a 55-yard gain on San Francisco's next offensive play. Samuel ran right by Jonathan Jones -- who received no safety help -- to get open downfield, and three plays later Jordan Mason ran it in untouched from four yards out to give San Francisco a 27-10 advantage. 

The Patriots made it a two-score game early in the fourth quarter thanks to a 54-yard field goal by Slye. Purdy hit Jauan Jennings for 45 yards on San Francisco's next offensive play, but was picked by Jabrill Peppers in the end zone with 11:26 left to make it a lot more interesting at Levi Stadium.

While the Patriots picked up a first down after that interception, Nick Bosa threw a wrench in the drive when he upped his pressure on Brissett on second and third down -- leading to a sack and an incomplete. Facing a fourth-and-5 at the New England 36, Brissett went deep to Ja'Lynn Polk along the sideline. While the rookie receiver came down with the ball, he only got one leg down in-bounds before he touched out of bounds, making it an incomplete. It was close to a potential game-swinging catch by Polk, but the 49ers took over.

The 49ers tacked on a field goal when they got the ball back. The New England offense took the field one more time, and rookie Drake Maye remained on the sideline as Brissett led the charge again. He got the Patriots into the red zone, but was then strip-sacked by Bosa, who recovered at the San Francisco 15-yard line with 2:44 remaining.

The Patriots will now head home for a Week 5 matchup against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. They'll catch the Dolphins on a short week, as Miami is hosting the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football to close Week 4. 

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