SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Late in the first quarter of Sunday's win against the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers faced a third-and-4 at Arizona's 39-yard line.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan called for a handoff to running back Christian McCaffrey, the type of call you make when you are already planning to go for it on fourth down.
After the Cardinals stopped McCaffrey for no gain, Shanahan wasted no time sending the fourth-down play to quarterback Brock Purdy.
It was a pass, one Purdy squeezed into well-covered tight end George Kittle for a 9-yard gain and a first down on the way to San Francisco's second touchdown in its 35-16 victory.
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