49ers news: Ricky Pearsall has his breakout game against the Cowboys

The San Francisco 49ers earned their fourth win of the season on Sunday, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 30-24 to improve to 4-4 on the year entering their bye week.

It was a game full of adversity for San Francisco, which got off to a slow start before exploding with a 21-point quarterback that was the difference in the game.

On offense, the 49ers scored with explosives in the air, while rookie Isaac Guerendo stole the show on the ground and had a big game.

Defensively, San Francisco effectively shut down Dallas' running game while forcing two turnovers on a productive enough day against the Cowboys' passing attack.

Here are three quick takeaways from the 49ers' 30-24 win over the Cowboys.

Kittle is coming to National Tight Ends Day

For George Kittle on Sunday, having a vintage monster game just felt like a match made in heaven.

Not only was it a primetime game, but it was also National Tight Ends Day, so it only made sense that the 49ers tight end had six catches, 128 yards and a touchdown.

Kittle was there from the start, catching a 16-yard pass on San Francisco's second drive, and would have had a chance to extend the team's drive on third down had not an errant throw from Brock Purdy derailed the drive would have done.

The star tight end really got going in the second half, racking up yards after the catch on a 43-yard play to get San Francisco within Dallas' five-yard line. They then scored and regained a lead they would never relinquish.

Kittle then caught his only touchdown on the next drive, catching a two-yard pass from Brock Purdy for the game-winner as San Francisco really began to pull away with a double-digit lead.

Kittle made another big play deep into Dallas on the ensuing drive, catching a 27-yard ball from Eric Kendricks to bring the 49ers to the Cowboys' 28-yard line. In the end, San Francisco scored another touchdown and extended its lead to 27-10 early in the fourth quarter.

The 49ers needed reinforcements from their top receivers after a slow start to the game, and Kittle had a great performance, helping quarterback Brock Purdy establish himself as a key security blanket and recording his first 100-yard game of the season in one book main route.

Breakout tower

With Deebo Samuel and George Kittle returning, it was unclear how much of a role first-round pick Ricky Pearsall would play, as the team still had veteran receivers and Chris Conley taking first-team snaps on the outside alongside the former.

But Pearsall ended up playing a pretty big role, playing 40 snaps while Samuel played 42 and Conley 54 in the game, and the rookie showed up in a breakout game.

After seeing a ton of snaps in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Pearsall primarily played a role on the outside, catching four passes for 38 yards on his four targets while rushing for 39 yards on an end-around.

Pearsall was used in a variety of ways but was good at getting open when the ball was thrown to him and made some big plays as San Francisco's No. 2 wide receiver, with Samuel hauling in four catches for 71 yards.

“It’s just a matter of gaining the trust of Brock (Purdy) and making that connection throughout practice,” Pearsall said after the game. “Obviously with Brandon Aiyuk there will be a few more opportunities for me to go out there, run some routes and get the ball in my hands.”

If there were any questions about whether the 49ers would pursue a receiver at the trade deadline, Pearsall was able to dispel those doubts with another strong game. He should be an important part of the receiver group after the bye week along with Samuel and Jauan Jennings.

All Pro DMO

2024 was Deommodore Lenoir's year as a cornerback, as the fourth-year pro has truly taken on the role of San Francisco's top cornerback this year.

That carried over into Sunday's game, where Lenoir allowed just a 52.4 passer rating on the day, another strong performance at cornerback while again playing primarily in the slot.

He was also incredibly good at intercepting Dak Prescott, reading the quarterback's eyes well before making the acrobatic play.

“I’m a big movie guy, so I saw the formation they were in,” Lenoir said of the play. “I noticed that they play this formation a lot. I knew it was a sign of a sprint and I just took my chance, lured the quarterback inside, opened my shoulder and then took the ball.”

Lenoir has now had two consecutive weeks with an interception and has allowed a passer rating of just 63.4 this year, breaking up four passes so far and also receiving two picks.

That’s not even mentioning all the work he does in the run game for San Francisco. He recorded 14 run stops while seeing a role between the wing and nickel positions depending on the 49ers' defensive package.

At the start of the year, Lenoir was banking on a contract year and is poised to make a big deal this offseason in hopes that San Francisco is the one to deal him.