On December 22, 2025, the San Francisco 49ers rolled into Monday Night Football, and Brock Purdy turned prime time into his stage. The second-year starter threw a career-best five touchdown passes as the 49ers beat the Indianapolis Colts 48-27, pushing San Francisco to 11-4 and a fifth straight win. It was the kind of night that changes the way people talk about a quarterback.

Purdy rewrites his Monday night story

Purdy didn’t just manage the game; he owned it. He finished 25-of-34 for 295 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. It was his first five-TD game and the first time a 49ers quarterback has thrown 5+ scores on a Monday night. For a player who once struggled under these lights, that’s a big step forward.

Before this game, his last five Monday appearances were rough: five TDs and 11 picks, with a 2-3 record. He admitted he used to press on Mondays, tracing it back to a 2023 loss to the Ravens when he threw four interceptions. “It was cool to be out here playing against Philip Rivers and the Colts,” Purdy said afterward. “To go out and execute like we did, I’m really proud of these guys, everyone. Our defense, the turnover at the end of the game with Dee Winters, huge win for us.”

Since November 25 against Carolina, the growth has been steady and obvious: nine touchdowns and just one interception, with an 85.7 QBR that ranks second in the league over that stretch. Monday was the best proof yet.

“So… are we done calling him a system QB yet?”

Deep shots, clean execution, and a defense on its heels

The deep ball told the story. Purdy went 12-of-16 for 213 yards and two touchdowns on throws traveling 10 or more yards downfield. His season-high 9.4 air yards per attempt showed intent: push the ball, punish space, and make the Colts’ injury-hit secondary choose between help and hope.

This was not dink-and-dunk. It was timing, rhythm, and trust — in his reads, his line, and his receivers. When the middle opened, he attacked it. When the outside leverage softened, he took the freebies. Games like this aren’t just about arm strength; they’re about calm eyes and fast feet.

San Francisco’s offense is in rare air

The 49ers didn’t just score; they did it without giving the Colts a breather. San Francisco has now scored in 23 straight quarters, the team’s longest such run since 1995. And here’s the wild part: the 49ers went two straight games without a single punt, covering 133 minutes and 35 seconds of game time. That’s the first time they’ve done that in back-to-back games since at least 1950.

Purdy also has seven touchdown passes over his last two games — the most by a 49ers quarterback in a two-game stretch since 2001. It’s the kind of sustained production that coaches dream about and defensive coordinators dread.

“When you don’t punt for two weeks, that’s a Super Bowl stat.”

Colts’ night: Taylor’s milestone, Rivers’ return, and one costly throw

Indianapolis didn’t go quietly. Jonathan Taylor scored his 17th rushing touchdown of the season, the second-highest single-season mark in Colts history. The Colts topped 20 points again — something that had meant victory every other time this season. Not this time.

This was also a home debut for Philip Rivers this season, a storyline that added spice to the matchup. But his final pass of the night turned into a dagger for Indy: Dee Winters jumped it and took it back 74 yards for a touchdown, the kind of play that makes the scoreboard look as lopsided as the game felt in the fourth quarter.

The Colts’ secondary was patched together, and Purdy made sure they paid for every step late, every cushion left too wide. In a league of small edges, San Francisco found the big ones.

“Taylor’s a beast, but Indy needs stops — 48 on MNF is a loud alarm.”

What changed for Purdy on the deep ball?

Confidence, timing, and intent. The numbers back it up: 12-of-16 for 213 yards and two scores on passes 10+ yards downfield, plus a season-high 9.4 air yards per attempt. That’s a quarterback choosing to be aggressive and a play-caller trusting him to read it right.

Yes, the Colts’ secondary was thin, but picking on a weakness still takes poise and accuracy. Purdy delivered both. He didn’t force throws into double coverage. He hit windows early, kept the ball out on time, and played within himself, despite the bright lights he once said made him press.

Why this win matters for the 49ers

At 11-4 with five straight wins, San Francisco looks like a team peaking at the right time. The offense stacks long drives, finishes in the red zone, and controls the pace. The defense, even when giving up yards, finds the timely takeaway — like Winters’ 74-yard pick-six — that flips a game’s mood and locks in a statement win.

There’s also the Monday night piece. Prime time is where reputations are made. Purdy changed his on this night. He went from managing his Monday narrative to owning it. That matters in December, when playoff races tighten and every snap is under a bigger spotlight.

Most important of all, this version of the 49ers does something great teams do: they don’t let you breathe. They score in every quarter, they don’t punt for entire weeks, and they keep their foot down deep into the fourth. If that continues, San Francisco won’t just be a tough out — they’ll be a favorite.

And if Purdy keeps throwing like this, “career-high” might stop being a headline and start being a habit.