Jake Moody had a rough game for the 49ers, missing three field goals — one before halftime, two in the fourth quarter. His first miss came as time expired in the first half, then he followed with misses from 50 and 44 yards, sending kicks wide left and right. Tensions boiled over on the sideline after the third miss when wide receiver Deebo Samuel had words for Moody. Long snapper Taybor Pepper stepped in to defend his kicker, and it turned into a shoving match. Pepper grabbed Moody near the face, and the two exchanged face pushes before teammates broke it up. Coaches stayed calm, but everyone clearly wanted better execution.
Despite all that, the 49ers had a chance to win it late. Tampa Bay tied the game at 20 after a string of 49ers penalties extended their final drive. San Francisco then drove back down the field in the final minute to set up another 44-yard attempt — the exact same distance and spot as Moody’s earlier miss. This time, he drilled it. The ball held its line against the wind, and Moody walked off with the winner as the Niners escaped with a narrow win.
After the game, everyone shrugged off the sideline scuffle. Pepper said he was just trying to get Moody locked in. Moody redeemed himself when it mattered, and teammates responded with tougher back pats now that the kick finally went through. Coaches were fired up about the win, even if it came through a chaotic mix of flags and drama.