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Should Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce Be On The Hot Seat?

Vincent Frank

Contributor

I cover the San Francisco 49ers and broader NFL on Forbes

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Oct 21, 2024,02:03pm EDT

Updated Oct 21, 2024, 04:30pm EDT

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce could [+]

already be on the hot seat. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Las Vegas Raiders now find themselves at 2-5 on the season following Sunday’s 20-15 road loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

 

Vegas has dropped three consecutive. Each game has seen this team find a new way to lose.

 

Sunday’s effort in front of a largely favorable crowd inside of SoFi Stadium was the latest example of this.

 

With the Raiders down 20-12 and just under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, they were facing a fourth-and-goal from the nine. Common logic seemed to suggest that the Raiders should have gone for it. A field goal would have led to Vegas still needing a touchdown.

 

In what was a decision social media criticized to no end, Pierce opted for a field goal with kicker Daniel Carlson. He connected to make it a five-point game. Unfortunately for the silver and black, another Gardner Minshew interception on their next possession ended the game. It represented Minshew’s third pick and fourth giveaway after he replaced an injured Aidan O’Connell early in the game.

 

Outside of Minshew’s performance and another mistake-filled game for the Raiders, Pierce’s decision making came into question big time.

 

For his part, Pierce focused more on how turnovers played a role in the Raiders’ loss. He put it on the players again after sounding off to media multiple times earlier in his first season as the Vegas’ full-time head coach.

 

“Got to take care of the ball,” Pierce told reporters after the game, via the Raiders’ official website. “Three interceptions and a sack-fumble. The football is the most important thing. Got to take care of it, got to be smarter with the ball. At the end, you’re trying to make a shot. You get that one. The other ones, got to do a better job taking care of the ball.”

 

Of course, Minshew’s four giveaways played a huge role in Vegas losing on Sunday. That’s just not acceptable. It also included a fumble that the Rams returned for a touchdown.

 

Then again, coaching has been a major culprit for the Raiders as they continue struggling to adjust mid-game. Taking on an injury-plagued Rams squad, Vegas was held to a mere five field goals. Penalties, red zone struggles, turnovers, and questionable coaching. This obviously is not a recipe for success.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Las Vegas Raiders’ Antonio Pierce Might Already Be On The Hot Seat

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce

Antonio Pierce’s struggles adjusting have been a [+]

major issue for the Las Vegas Raiders. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Pierce is a mere seven games into his tenure as the Raiders’ full-time head coach. He took over for Josh McDaniels on an interim basis last season, showing himself well in leading Vegas to a surprising 5-4 record in the process.

 

 

At that point, several Raiders stars went to bat for Pierce. They wanted owner Mark Davis to hire him full time. Despite flirting with options that had more experience, Davis did indeed bite the bullet and hire Pierce.

 

A decision that was met with applause from Raider Nation had some major issues embedded within it. That included Pierce having zero experience as even a coordinator at the NFL level. We’ve seen others struggle without that experience. Most notably, Jim Tomsula being one-and-done with the San Francisco 49ers back in 2015.

 

 

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Did Pierce have what it took to lead a team and a coaching staff? It was an open question when Davis made the decision to retain him full time.

 

Fast forward several months, and it sure looks like Pierce is in over his head with the Raiders. He’s consistently being out-coached. The lack of in-game adjustments have also played a major role in the Raiders’ recent struggles.

 

Pierce refused to really expand on either that or his decision to kick a field goal late in the game when down by eight points. Instead, his focus remained on calling out players and his staff.

 

 

“Penalties, those pre-snap penalties – that’s unacceptable,” Pierce said. “That starts obviously with focus with the players, coaches as well. Again, just keep dialing into it. For the most part, we do pretty good and we bumped into another one this week.”

 

The backdrop here is drama that continues to make headlines in Sin City. That included a rift with star wide receiver Davante Adams before he was dealt to the New York Jets last week.

 

We’ve seen coaches go one-and-done in recent NFL history. Heck, we’ve seen coaches not even last a full season after being hired. Nathaniel Hackett with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and Frank Reich of the Carolina Panthers last season come to mind first.

 

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Honeymoon Period Over For Las Vegas Raiders’ Antonio Pierce After Latest Loss

By Vincent Frank

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Further struggles in every aspect of his role as the Raiders’ head coach could have Pierce joining this unfortunate list.

 

At 2-5 on the season, these Raiders take on the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals ahead of their Week 10 bye. Ugly losses in both games could force Davis to take action that seemed nearly impossible just a few short months ago.

 

Pierce simply might not be cut out to be a head coach in the NFL. The sooner these Raiders realize that, the better.

 

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Vincent Frank

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The Best GMAT Prep Courses, Reviewed By Our Editors

Jared DiPane

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Forbes Vetted

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Reviewed By Rebecca Isaacs

 

Oct 18, 2024,02:54pm EDT

If you’re getting ready to take the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, the best GMAT prep courses can help you get fully prepared to ace your tests. Available both online and in-person, these courses can be customized to help meet your personal learning needs. Our recommendations for GMAT prep courses, like our top pick from Magoosh, are full of comprehensive resources and realistic practice tests, and altogether enhance your chances of getting the best score possible.

 

A laptop and computer against a yellow background showing the best GMAT prep courses.

The best GMAT prep courses are designed to help [+]

improve your score by ensuring you’re adequately prepared.

ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS

But Magoosh isn’t the only offering available for your study needs. If you want to study in-person and ask questions in real time, The Princeton Review offers a classroom option, so you can work alongside other testers. And of course, there are also budget-friendly options like the official GMAT Focus Prep Course and Prepscholar. No matter what you choose, these are the best GMAT prep courses to help you ace those tests.

 

Best GMAT Prep Course Overall: Magoosh

Best Customizable GMAT Prep Course: GMAT Focus Official Prep Course

Best Budget GMAT Prep Course: Prepscholar

Best Online GMAT Prep Course: Manhattan Prep

Best In-Person GMAT Prep Course: The Princeton Review GMAT Prep Course

Best GMAT Prep Course Overall

A Prep Course That Works For Most People

Magoosh Online GMAT Prep

Magoosh

Magoosh

$199

And Up

Shop At Magoosh

Access period: 6 or 12 months | Video instruction: 200+ lessons | Practice questions: 800+ | Practice tests: 2+ | Books: Digital

 

Best for: Prepping across all GMAT sections at a reasonable cost.

 

Pros:

 

Free trial available

Affordable yearlong subscription

Training can be paused if needed

Cons:

 

Essays aren’t graded

Limited full practice tests available

Magoosh offers the best overall package for those looking to get prepared for the GMAT. Not only does it have a relatively affordable annual subscription at $279, but it also offers an extensive library of study material, practice questions and more. The company is so confident in its study courses that it promises up to a 70-point score improvement guarantee—or it refunds you.

 

This package includes all four of the GMAT sections, which not all of them do for a single price. It has at least two practice tests (and you can take more for an additional fee), more than 1,300 practice questions and over 340 video lessons to help you understand the materials the best you can. There’s a built-in score predictor, which helps you gauge where you are and track your progress to make sure you stay on target for the score you want. If you don’t need access to all four sections, Magoosh also has some courses that are a bit more specialized, so be sure to check them all out and see which one best meets your needs.

 

 

Best Customizable GMAT Prep Course

A Limited Option That Gets You Started

GMAT Focus Official Prep Course

MBA.com

GMAT Focus Official Prep Course

$25

AND UP

Shop At MBA.com

Access period: Pay as needed | Video instruction: No | Practice questions: 70+ | Practice tests: 2+ | Books: Digital

 

Best for: Customizing your needs, whether you’re looking to study a certain subject or just take a few practice tests.

 

Pros

 

Pay for courses as you need them

Easily accessible from anywhere using the mobile app

Cons

 

Only the first two exams are free

Can get expensive with the pay-as-you-go approach

It’s hard to beat a free option, and in this case, the official GMAT Focus Prep Course makes our list because the first two exams are free to access. While this won’t be sufficient enough to prepare you for the whole exam, it’s a great way to test the platform and see how its courses and teaching style work for you. Once you’ve taken those tests, you can customize your study prep to your needs. If you only need one study test, you can take that, or you can take two or buy the entire package. This customizability is great for a tester who may excel in one subject but wants to improve their stats in another area.

 

For those who have a longer timeline before the test, this is a great way to buy what you need and spread out the cost. You can also buy a verbal review prep, extra practice questions and more on their own. Besides the low, customizable cost, another standout feature is the mobile app. You can use it to access your study materials from anywhere, so you can prep while you’re on your subway commute home, as an example.

 

Best Budget GMAT Prep Course

Get Prepared Without Spending A Fortune

PrepScholar GMAT Course on a tablet

PrepScholar

Prepscholar

$139

And Up

Shop At Prepscholar

Access period: 3 to 4 months | Video instruction: 30+ lessons | Practice questions: 750+ | Practice tests: 2+ | Books: None

 

Best for: Getting an all-in-one package without breaking the bank.

 

Pros:

 

Affordable

Comes with a 5-day free trial

Cons:

 

Online experience isn’t as polished as others

Course access time frame is not as long on cheaper plans

Preparing for the GMAT exam can be expensive, as some of these courses cost over $1,000. If you’re on a budget or just need to be a bit smarter with your money, Prepscholar is a great option. With packages starting at $139, you can get 750 real practice questions, multiple GMAT strategy lessons and more—as long as you’re able to deal with a couple of quirks along the way (for one thing, the user interface isn’t quite as sophisticated to use as other options on this list).

 

There are different packages that you can pick from, and pricing goes up to $779 for the completely customized online GMAT prep course with eight hours of personalized tutoring included. A more affordable $260 package also includes four months of access to the prep materials and includes 100 hours of content, over 1,000 practice questions and a test exam. Prepscholar stands behind its product and offers a 60 point improvement guarantee.

 

Best Online GMAT Prep Course

A Great Option For Those With Busy Lives

Manhattan Prep online GMAT courses

Manhattan Prep

Manhattan Prep

$850

AND UP

Shop At Manhattan Prep

Access period: 6 months | Video instruction: 25+ lessons | Practice questions: 1,000+ | Practice tests: 6 | Books: Digital and hardcopy

 

Best for: Digital nomads who want live test prep and online learning from anywhere.

 

Pros:

 

Six practice exams

Online options for self-paced or live instruction

Cons:

 

Expensive compared to other options

No score improvement guarantee

Live online learning isn’t for everyone, but if you’re able to stay motivated and dedicate the time, it can be great. The flexibility that it provides allows you to learn at your own pace, which is ideal for people who have schedules that pull them in lots of directions. Manhattan Prep is the best online-based GMAT prep for a few key reasons.

 

In addition to being able to learn at your own pace, you can attend live online classes to strategize, ask questions and more. You can mix and match the sessions throughout your learning time, so there’s no need to pick one option or the other, too. It offers six practice exams to help you monitor your progress along the course, though it’s important to note that the company doesn’t guarantee any score improvement.

 

Best In-Person GMAT Prep Course

For Those Who Want Hands-On Learning

A woman smiling while on her laptop.

Princeton Review

The Princeton Review GMAT Prep Course

$699

AND UP

Shop At The Princeton Review

Access period: 12 months | Video instruction: Yes, with optional 30 hours of live instruction | Practice questions: 4,000+ | Practice tests: 4 | Books: Digital

 

Best for: Studying in a classroom with other test-takers.

 

Pros:

 

Optional 700+ score guarantee available

Multiple practice tests and 60+ online drills

Cons:

 

Can get quite expensive, depending on your selection

Prefer to learn in person instead of online? The Princeton Review offers multiple in-person learning options, from classroom-style sessions to private tutoring. While significantly more expensive than others on this list, The Princeton Review offers some key features that make it worth paying the extra.

 

For those who start with a score of 620 or more, Princeton Review will guarantee that you will score a 700 or higher on the exam after going through its course. With more than 4 practice tests and 60 online drills, there’s a ton of great content available that you can also access online from anywhere when you aren’t at class. This exam prep course includes 47 hours of material, and also includes over 27 hours of classroom instruction, 10 hours focused on GMAT questions and 10 hours of verbal and math explanation sessions.

 

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The Best GMAT Prep Courses Compared

The right GMAT prep course for you depends on your needs as a student, including your individual study plan. Below, we compare our picks for the best GMAT prep courses and how they stack up across key considerations.

 

 

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

Forbes Vetted is made up of experts in a variety of topic areas, including productivity and testing software. Our team has collectively spent decades researching and covering the latest and greatest consumer products on the market, from tech to outdoor gear to mattresses. For topics where we don’t have direct experience utilizing a product, we spend countless hours doing research on the subject, talking to experts and combing through reviews.

 

Forbes Vetted contributor Jared DiPane has been covering tech for over a decade. In addition to Forbes, his bylines include Digital Trends, CNET and more. He’s contributed insight and recommendations to Forbes Vetted on categories as diverse as Nintendo Switch accessories, Smart thermostats and the best outdoor TVs.

Tech editor Rebecca Isaacs is an expert in smart home tech as well as gaming and other gadgets. Her bylines can also be found PCMag, Decider, ZDNET and other outlets. She recently reviewed the best noise-canceling headphones for Forbes Vetted.

We regularly update this guide to provide the most up-to-date advice. It was last updated in October 2024 by tech updates writer Alexandra Garrett to list the specifics of each course and to add a chart that compares each course side-by-side. We also added an overview of the GMAT’s structure and grading.

How We Chose The Best GMAT Prep Courses

To find the best GMAT prep courses we spent hours researching the top-rated courses, reading reviews, comparing features and seeing which ones those who’ve taken the courses preferred the most.

 

Learning styles can vary, and so we looked for options that included both online and in-person options.

We reviewed a variety of different factors, including pricing and ease of use, as well as the number of practice questions, practice tests and video instruction provided.

We checked to see whether our picks offered extra services for those who were looking for more features for studying, including mobile apps.

We combed through customer reviews to make sure that each course is effective for the students that used them. Every course on our list has a plethora of positive reviews and testimonials that outline how the courses help improve student scores.

What To Look For In The Best GMAT Prep Course

Pricing Structure

Each course handles its pricing a bit differently. Some of them require a monthly subscription fee for unlimited access, while others you pay for sections of it as you go along. Consider your goals and how quickly you plan to move through the materials . From there, you can figure out which of those options work best for you.

 

Online Vs. In-Person

Some courses are available as online-only while other courses you can attend in person. Online courses allow you the flexibility to move at your own pace and have access to the information from anywhere at any time, but not everyone learns and retains information the best in an online setting. In-person courses may be a bit more limiting, but they also allow for real-time questions and interaction with others who are on the same journey as you.

 

Timeline

The courses will all move at different paces, so you need to ensure you pick one that matches your timeline of when you expect to take the actual test. If you have a tight deadline, an online option may be best, as you can move through the information quicker than you could doing an in-person class which has limited hours of teaching.

 

Overview Of The GMAT

The GMAT is a standardized entrance exam that is required as part of the admission process for many Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs. Learn more about how it’s structured and graded below.

 

GMAT Structure

The GMAT is a computer-adaptive exam, meaning the questions vary in difficulty depending on your accuracy. In total, the exam lasts two hours and 15 minutes, which is broken into three 45-minute sessions that cover quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and data insights.

 

Quantitative reasoning focuses on mathematical ability and how you use that knowledge to solve problems. This portion of the test consists of 21 multiple-choice questions.

Verbal reasoning measures reading comprehension skills and how you evaluate arguments. It’s made up of 23 multiple-choice questions.

Data insights looks at your ability to analyze and interpret data. This part of the exam consists of 20 multiple-choice questions.

GMAT Grading

Your GMAT total scores will range from 205 to 805, with 645 being the number most students aim to reach. Although the exam also provides scores for each individual section of the test, your overall score is regarded as the most important because it’s a reflection of your performance on all 3 portions of the exam. Each section is weighed equally, and unanswered questions are taken into consideration and counted as a penalty on your score. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) holds on to your score for five years, and they will report all of your GMAT scores from that time period.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is The Best GMAT Prep Course?

How Much Does A Typical GMAT Prep Course Cost?

Will A GMAT Prep Course Raise My Score?

 

 

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FC Barcelona Star Raphinha Roasts Officials Amid Lewandowski Goal Scandal

Tom Sanderson

Senior Contributor

Tom Sanderson is a Barcelona-based writer who covers Spanish football.

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Nov 11, 2024,03:37am EST

Updated Nov 11, 2024, 03:40am EST

FC Barcelona lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

FC Barcelona star Raphinha poked fun at Spanish [+]

football officials on social media, amid a controversy which saw Robert Lewandowski disallowed a first half goal during an eventual 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday.

Getty Images

FC Barcelona star Raphinha poked fun at Spanish football officials on social media, amid a controversy which saw Robert Lewandowski disallowed a first half goal during an eventual 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday.

 

The VAR system appeared to have got the call wrong after mistaking a La Real defender’s foot for Lewandowski’s and calling the Pole offside when he himself was on.

 

Post-match, head coach Hansi Flick didn’t look for excuses. “We could have played better, like we did in the first few minutes, but we couldn’t maintain the dynamic and we didn’t create enough chances,” he said.

 

“We connected well, with possession, but then we started to struggle and with that they scored. In the last third, we weren’t making the right decisions.”

 

“We started well and we scored, but it was wrongly ruled out. I told the referee that it was a bad decision, that it wasn’t Lewandowski’s foot. But we have to accept it,” the German added.

 

Some of his players were more vocal about the mistake, with goalkeeper Inaki Pena saying: “If there is a possible error in the marking of Lewandowski’s foot, such a clear and serious error, then let the league act because this is what VAR is for.”

 

 

“This is what the lines that they uses are for and if there was a mistake, let it be proven and investigated and acted on,” Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s stand-in further demanded.

 

“La Liga will have to review whether it is Lewandowski’s foot or not,” midfielder Marc Casado pointed out.

 

“It would be serious if they disallowed a goal that was actually legal. I haven’t seen it live, but I’ve been told about it. Sooner or later we will know if it was offside.”

 

Spain’s Technical Referees’ Committee (CTA) has already come out and affirmed its belief that the ruled out goal wasn’t interpreted incorrectly.

 

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00:00

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It says that it has reviewed the image with “ten additional cameras to those of the audiovisual production, to verify that the system was correct” while the technology applied “foresees these millimetric offsides and the tracking of the toe of the boot”, as Mundo Deportivo relays.

 

 

 

Rather than coming out and making his own statement, Raphinha used Instagram to roast Spanish soccer officials over the furore.

 

Tagging Lewandowski, the Brazilian shared a couple of stills from the incident via Stories, but then also a pair of legs in jeans and vastly oversized pair of what appear to be Brogue shoes.

 

As the CTA has already made its stance clear, it appears that jokes might be all Barca and its players are left with.

 

Still six points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table, with the international break now upon us, the Blaugrana must dust itself off and look towards another away trip to Celta Vigo on November 23.

 

 

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Tom Sanderson is a Barcelona-based reporter who covers Spanish football and… Read More

 

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San Francisco 49ers Return To Playoff Form In Gutsy Win After Christian McCaffrey’s Season Debut

DJ Siddiqi

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DJ Siddiqi is a reporter who covers the NFL, NBA and pro wrestling.

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Nov 11, 2024,03:31am EST

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Christian McCaffrey during the Niners’ game against the Buccaneers

Christian McCaffrey made a successful return in [+]

the San Francisco 49ers’ 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Getty Images

It wasn’t perfect, but the San Francisco 49ers pulled out a close victory the way they’ve normally done over the past few seasons.

 

The Niners pulled off a tough road win, 23-20, over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move over .500 for the first time since Week 1. It may not have been against the best team when considering the Buccaneers were missing their top two receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. But it was an impressive victory considering they were on the road traveling 2,400 miles against a team that nearly knocked off the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City last week.

 

Behind a 39-yard drive engineered by Brock Purdy in just 41 seconds, the Niners walked off with a game-winning field goal by kicker Jake Moody — despite three missed kicks on the day from the second-year kicker.

 

Prior to this win, the Niners were just 1-3 in one-possession games this season. They basically looked like a shell of the team that came within a score of winning Super Bowl LVIII. However, they found their mojo again, despite three missed kicks and a game-tying drive led by Baker Mayfield towards the end of the fourth quarter.

 

“Being able to deal with all that and still come out with a win, that reminds me of 2019 (when the Niners advanced to the Super Bowl),” says Kittle. “It’s not going to be pretty, but you just have to find ways to win — no matter how ugly they are sometimes.”

 

That’s not even mentioning the altercation between Deebo Samuel and long snapper Taybor Pepper after Moody missed for the third time. The Niners were able to overcome all of that adversity and still emerge with a win — a victory that may prove to be a turning point in what has been an up-and-down season for the Niners so far.

 

“Guys are frustrated, something probably happened … brothers scuffle a little bit,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan. “I didn’t see any of it, so I don’t know how bad it was. It’s something I’m not too worried about. We’ll fix it, if it hasn’t been fixed already. We’ll fix it on the plane and go back to loving each other (Monday)

 

It came at the perfect time considering Christian McCaffrey made his season debut after missing the first eight games due to an Achilles injury.

 

While McCaffrey may not have fully looked like his normal self — he admitted after the game it’ll take some time to get back to form — he made a noticeable impact on the offense just from his sheer presence and his ability to draw defenders in the passing game. As solid as Jordan Mason was in McCaffrey’s absence — he’s averaged 5.1 yards per carry on the season — he didn’t bring a receiving dimension to the game the way the three-time Pro Bowl running back can.

 

“Just getting back into the feel of a real game,” said McCaffrey after his season debut. “That’s the third time I’ve had pads on in eight weeks, so just back getting into a groove. That was really good for me to do. I think there’s a couple of things where maybe I didn’t feel like myself 100%, but that’s normal when you haven’t played in a long time and I’ll learn and grow from those and keep trucking along.”

 

Although McCaffrey struggled to move the ball in the run game, averaging just 3.0 yards per carry on 13 carries for 39 yards, he contributed in the receiving game in a major way with six catches for 68 receiving yards, ranking second on the team in catches.

 

As a result of McCaffrey’s return, Purdy had his most productive showing of the season, posting 353 passing yards to go along with a turnover-less game.

 

While the Niners obviously have a ways to go before they recapture the form that made them the NFC champions last season with a 12-5 record, they’re gaining momentum at the right time as they enter the midway point of the season.

 

At 5-4, they’re currently a game behind the Green Bay Packers — they face them in Week 12 — for the wild card spot in the playoffs and a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals for the division lead. Although they lost to the Cardinals earlier in the season, they’ll face off against them in the season finale, a game that could decide the NFC West.

 

As they move forward with their first two-game win streak of the season, they’re finally doing so with all their key pieces in place (with the exception of Brandon Aiyuk) an after a game in which they allowed a season-low 105 passing yards to a Pro Bowl QB in Mayfield.

 

They enter a key stretch of games as they match up against three consecutive playoff contenders in the Seattle Seahawks, Packers and Buffalo Bills.

 

It’s no secret that the Niners’ offense had struggled in the absence of McCaffrey. While Purdy had remained statistically productive in the absence of the MVP candidate running back, ranking second in yards per completion and fifth in passing yards per game, he had been turning the ball over at a high rate, with a 2.9% rate — one of the 10 worst percentages in the league — and failing to finish drives in the end zone with just a 4.1% touchdown rate after posting a 7.0% touchdown rate last season.

 

While the Niners still need to do a better job of finishing drives in the end zone — they went 1-for-3 in the red zone — they did a much better job of moving the football while looking crisper and more efficient on offense, especially in the passing game. Rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall posted the best game of his young career, highlighted by a 46-yard touchdown.

 

That has everything to do with the presence of the multi-dimensional McCaffrey, the best receiving back in the league and arguably the best at running the football too.

 

“I think it was awesome,” Purdy says of having McCaffrey back. “What he can do running the ball and coming out of the backfield, our pass game we had multiple plays with him out of the backfield that were some big plays throwing the ball and for defenses, they have to scheme that up.

 

“They have to acknowledge him, which can open up some other guys and at the end, we had one-on-one opportunities where you saw Ricky Pearsall winning and guys that are one-on-one and can win matchups,” Purdy continued. “It’s huge having him in there.”

 

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The Niners are not the NFC team that everyone has eyes on for once as that distinction belongs to the 8-1 Detroit Lions, who overcame a 16-point deficit against the Houston Texans and a five-interception game from Jared Goff on the road to still emerge victorious in Week 10.

 

But given this team’s history combined with their level of talent, this Niners team feels like it’s trending in the right direction at the midseason point. Don’t be surprised to see this team once again make another deep run in the playoffs — while sneaking completely under the radar for once.

 

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DJ Siddiqi

DJ Siddiqi is a sports reporter who focuses on football, basketball and pro… Read More

 

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