A 5-0 start had San Francisco 49ers fans booking Super Bowl plans.
Three losses and five Brocky Purdy interceptions later, the 49ers are scrambling to keep pace atop the NFC playoff race. The Cincinnati Bengals forced two Purdy turnovers on Sunday and moved the ball against the vaunted 49ers defense in a 31-17 win.
The result marked a convergence of two teams moving different directions. With quarterback Joe Burrow recovered from a preseason calf injury, the Bengals are back, having improved to 4-3 following a 1-3 start. The 49ers are left to retool on the heels of a three-game losing streak.