Jake Moody redeemed himself after missing three previous field goals by booting a 44-yarder as time expired on Sunday to give the San Francisco 49ers a 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Christian McCaffrey’s season debut.
Moody, in his first game back after being sidelined for three weeks with a sprained ankle, also made field goals of 28 and 33 yards for the defending NFC champion 49ers (5-4), who have won consecutive games for the first time this season.
But the usually reliable kicker, who was 13 of 14 on Sunday, also missed wide left from 49 and 50 yards before missing wide right on a 44-yard attempt that would have given San Francisco a six-point lead with 3:09 remaining about.
TV cameras caught 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel exchanging words and appearing to push long snapper Taybor Pepper as the wide receiver approached Moody on the sideline after the third miss.
McCaffrey returned to training last Monday after being sidelined since early September due to Achilles tendonitis. He carried for 5 yards on the first play and the contest and finished with 39 yards rushing on 13 attempts. The 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year also had six receptions for 68 yards.
Baker Mayfield led an attempt to set up a tying field goal for the Bucs (4-6) with help from three straight personal fouls, paving the way for Moody to win it for the 49ers. Mayfield completed 18 of 29 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown for the Bucs, who have lost four in a row.
Brock Purdy threw for 353 yards without an interception, and had touchdowns of 46 yards to rookie Ricky Pearsall — the wide receiver’s first NFL score — and 11 yards to George Kittle. He put his team in position for the winning field goal with two completions to Jauan Jennings and two more to Pearsall.
Pearsall sat out the first six games after being shot in the chest following an autograph session in downtown San Francisco on August 31. On his touchdown, he caught a pass over the middle from Purdy and accelerated to the left sideline where he outran the chase. until safety Antoine Winfield Jr. came closer and almost took him down when the receiver stretched the ball across the goal line.
The Bucs erased a 10-0 deficit with the help of 49ers punt returner Jacob Cowing, whose third-quarter muff was recovered at San Francisco’s 21 to set up Tampa Bay’s first TD. Four plays later, Mayfield threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Rachaad White, making the score 10-10.
Rookie Bucky Irving scored on a 12-yard run that put Tampa Bay ahead 17-13 early in the fourth quarter. Purdy answered with his TD throw to Kittle to put the 49ers ahead again with just over seven minutes remaining.
49ers: DE Nick Bosa played after being listed as questionable after hurting his hip in practice.
Buccaneers: LT Tristan Wirfs limped off in the second quarter with a right knee injury and did not return. CB Zyon McCollum (hamstring) and LB Chris Braswell (oblique) left in the second half.
49ers: Host NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday.
Buccaneers: Bye week.
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