Falcons hand 49ers their first loss, beat San Francisco 29-20

Falcons knock off unbeaten 49ers

The Atlanta Falcons beat the San Francisco 49ers 29-20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, handing San Francisco its first loss of the season. Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdown passes and Atlanta forced four turnovers while committing zero, and that turnover margin decided the game.

Penix finished 25 of 34 for 213 yards with no interceptions. He hit tight ends Nick Muse and Kyle Pitts Sr. for scores before finding Drake London for a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that pushed the lead to 26-14. London led Atlanta with 7 catches for 66 yards, and Bijan Robinson carried 20 times for 63 yards.

Four turnovers, zero answers

San Francisco's turnovers piled up as the game wore on. Rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels, who led Atlanta with 11 tackles, intercepted a Brock Purdy pass intended for Jordan Watkins with 2:34 left. Less than a minute later, Daniels recovered a fumble by tight end George Kittle for Atlanta's fourth takeaway.

San Francisco also lost a bigger play on review. Officials overturned an apparent 23-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Watkins, and Za'Darius Smith sacked Purdy on the fourth-down snap that followed. A shanked punt from Atlanta's Jake Bailey gave San Francisco one more chance, starting a drive at its own 47 with about four minutes left, but Purdy threw his second interception of the game on that possession. Nick Folk turned it into a 31-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining for the final 29-20 margin.

McCaffrey sidelined, Black steps up

San Francisco's offense took a hit when running back Christian McCaffrey, who scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, missed much of the first half with a thigh injury and didn't return to his usual workload after halftime. Backup Kaelon Black picked up the slack with a 30-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and finished with 63 yards on 12 carries, though he also lost a fumble at the Atlanta 29.

Purdy completed 27 of 40 passes for 288 yards with one touchdown, a 1-yard throw to fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the fourth quarter, and the two interceptions. George Kittle caught 8 passes for 88 yards. Eddy Pineiro missed the extra point after the Juszczyk score, his fourth missed PAT of the season, which kept Atlanta's lead at 26-20 instead of 26-21.

Where both teams stand

The win moved Atlanta to 3-4 and snapped a two-game losing streak for the Falcons. San Francisco dropped to 6-1 after its best start of the season. Nick Folk made all three of his field goal attempts for Atlanta.

Both rosters are banged up. Atlanta is without Olamide Zaccheaus, Brian Robinson Jr., Avieon Terrell and Billy Bowman Jr. San Francisco is missing Deebo Samuel Sr., Marques Sigle, Garret Wallow and Luke Gifford.

Facts per ESPN box score. Opinion is the taproom's.