49ers preseason finale: Cue the awards after 30-23 win over Harbaugh’s Chargers

SANTA CLARA – True, the Lombardi Trophy will be handed out at Levi’s Stadium at season’s end in Super Bowl LX.

So what do the 49ers get for finishing out the preseason here with a 30-23 win Saturday night over the Los Angeles Chargers? Well, beyond more Jake Moody drama?

The Niners did do enough to merit accolades (for better, for worse), and we’ll get to those in a few graphs, once you learn this about the preseason finale:

— The 49ers sat all their projected Week 1 offensive starters Saturday but did enlist a few would-be starters on Robert Saleh’s rebuilt defense, including cornerback Renardo Green’s preseason debut and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott.

— Not in action was running back Brian Robinson Jr., who did pass a physical Saturday to complete a trade from the Washington Commanders that should be officially announced Sunday, a source said. “We brought him here to be our No. 2 back. Always been a big fan,” Shanahan said.

— A pair of high-profile former 49ers, coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Trey Lance, returned to Levi’s Stadium with the Chargers, along with two familiar assistants in NaVorro Bowman (linebackers coach) and Greg Roman (offensive coordinator).

Now let’s review what the 49ers get out of this preseason, plus joint practices that preceded their first two exhibitions:

WORST ENCORE: One week after Moody got hoisted in the air by jubilant teammates for a 59-yard winning field goal in Las Vegas, he missed his first point-after kick (wide left) on Saturday. He made his next one, but then he booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, leaving Kyle Shanahan with a melancholy look.

Said Shanahan: “He had one of the best games I’ve ever seen a guy have last week. I know he missed an extra point today, which definitely doesn’t make us happy, but we’ll see how it goes in the year.”

Moody declined comment at his locker, telling the Bay Area News Group he had to get treatment. He made a 38-yarder to tie the score at 16, but Shanahan eschewed a 39-yard, go-ahead attempt with 6 1/2 minutes remaining. Three days earlier, Moody missed his final two field-goal attempts in practice, including a 55-yard try off the right upright.

BEST COMEBACK: Kudos to Curtis Robinson for returning an interception 32 yards for a game-winning touchdown with 6:15 left. He tore an anterior cruciate ligament in practice last September on the cusp of a promotion to the starting lineup. His first game action came a week ago and he delivered a big hit on special teams.

Robinson said of his first-ever pick-six: “It is a blur, but when I got to the sideline, my parents were right behind the bench, talking to Johnny (Holland, the linebackers coach), and that’s when everything settled. It was an accumulation of all the work from the beginning, and even camp just working through stuff. It was really cool.”

SKYY MOORE’S DEBUT: Shanahan said Skyy Moore made a good debut after being acquired in a trade from Kansas City. Moore had three punt returns (for 16 yards), three receptions (for 19 yards) and a 26-yard kick return. “It’s a fresh start in a new city with a new team,” Moore said. “I can put the fun back in the game, not that I lost it. But it’s another adventure.”

Moore’s roster spot is likely secure, seeing how Jacob Cowing is expected out at least six weeks with a hamstring tear, not to mention Junior Bergen muffing a punt return Saturday.

MOST NOSTALGIC MOMENT: Niners legends Frank Gore and Patrick Willis reunited with Harbaugh and talked for over 10 minutes in pregame warmups, after Harbaugh put on his blue gloves to catch passes as the Chargers coach. Willis earlier met up with Harbaugh’s linebackers coach, NaVorro Bowman, who formed the NFL’s best linebacker tandem with Willis from 2011-14.

SECOND-BEST NOSTALGIA: Terique Owens, son of Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, scored his first professional touchdown, a 22-yard reception with 3:12 remaining on a pass from Carter Bradley, son of 49ers assistant head coach Gus Bradley. T.O. (the elder) had 153 regular-season touchdowns, third in NFL history behind Jerry Rice (197) and Randy Moss (156).

“He texted me before the game. It was a video of his first touchdown,” Terique Owens said of his dad, whose career began with the 49ers in 1996. “It will be a crazy feeling just to call him and obviously talk about it. … He was like, ‘I’m ready for yours.’ It’s kind of crazy I got mine tonight. I was ready for the opportunity.”

PURDY IS PREPPED: Brock Purdy’s preseason consisted of one drive, an 11-play sequence that yielded a field goal a week ago in Las Vegas. Saturday, he popped sunflower seeds and wore a T-shirt and cap next to George Kittle on the sideline, while the 49ers shuffled QBs from Carter Bradley (ankle) to Tanner Mordecai.

Purdy has looked in full command this training camp, as you’d expect from a $265 million investment, although attrition at wide receiver could impact rhythm and timing in the coming month. Purdy’s only hiccup came in the opening drives of a joint practice against the feisty Denver Broncos.

SAFE AND SANE: Running back Christian McCaffrey, left tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner did not play in the preseason, nor should they have. Neither did …

THIRD-AND-NO-JAUAN: Jauan Jennings didn’t play in the preseason but is expected to return from a calf injury and be available for the season opener, Shanahan said. Jennings vanished from practice after a July 27 aggravation of a calf injury tracing to his absence in last year’s camp.

Jennings understandably wants an extension of a contract set to expire in March, and a social-media post Saturday perhaps hinted at increased frustration. Word came before camp that he’d seek a trade if he didn’t get paid. Shanahan vouched for Jennings’ calf issue, and general manager John Lynch said Thursday it’s best if Jennings gets on the field soon — similar to how the 49ers egged Brandon Aiyuk to snap his holdout a year ago.

IMPACTFUL INJURIES: The only projected starter injured in preseason action was right guard Dominick Puni, with a right-knee sprain last week in Vegas.

Later that game, quarterback Mac Jones sustained a minor knee injury, and running backs Corey Kiner (ankle) and Patrick Taylor Jr. (shoulder) headed for Injured Reserve. In this finale, Isaac Guerendo aggravated a right-shoulder issue but played through it (eight carries, 13 yards in the first half); rookie cornerback Jakob Robinson sustained a fractured forearm.

DRAFTEES DELAYED: Knee injuries in joint practices sidelined defensive linemen Mykel Williams and C.J. West. Also injured among the 11-man draft class are cornerback Upton Stout (calf), wide receiver Jordan Watkins (ankle), running back Jordan James (finger surgery) and quarterback Kurtis Rourke (knee). Shanahan said he’s expecting to get Williams and Stout back when practice resumes next Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

FOND FAREWELL: Demarcus Robinson, with a three-game suspension likely awaiting him, caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Mordecai for Saturday’s initial points. Robinson has looked like a starting-caliber receiver through camp alongside Ricky Pearsall, who did not suit up Saturday.

The NFL has not officially announced Robinson’s suspension for his no-contest DUI charge, although Shanahan said the 49ers are operating as if he’ll miss three games unless an appeal nixes that.  “I’m just waiting on it. Everything is full (go) for Week 1,” Robinson said.

MOST SURPRISING ROOKIE: Marques Sigle is next in a line of fifth-round steals by Lynch. Sigle initially was a surprise starter in the preseason, first paired with veteran Jason Pinnock before Ji’Ayir Brown replaced Pinnock (heel) for the final two preseason games. Sigle’s speed is a new, needed concept for this defense.

BEST INTERCEPTION: Jaylen Mahoney dove for a last-minute theft to set up Jake Moody’s game-winning 59-yard field goal in Vegas.

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAY: Mahoney’s late-game heroics aside, go back to the preseason opener and recall that aspiring nickel back Chase Lucas’ blitz resulted in a safety against the Broncos.

BEST OFFENSIVE PLAY: Purdy’s first three passes last Saturday were completed to Pearsall, the last of which resulted in a 21-yard gain over the middle for a third-and-18 conversion.

HARDEST HIT: Linebacker Tatum Bethune on Raiders rookie rusher Ashton Jeanty. Bethune filled in so well for Warner as the middle linebacker through two games that he could push Dee Winters for the weak-side starting spot or Luke Gifford as the strong-side backer.

Rookie Nick Martin also could be in the starting mix after his big hits, including Saturday’s forced fumble in the third quarter. “Technique wise, I’ve grown a lot. I saw things I needed to work on and I still have a lot of room to grow,” Martin said. “I needed to get my feet in the grass and get that feel back. I’m trending in that direction.”

OH CAPTAIN: Lance was among the Chargers’ five captains Saturday; the 49ers were Brown, Spencer Burford, and Luke Gifford. Lance started and went 5-of-8 for 38 yards over three series; he overthrew his initial third-down pass after interior pressure by Jordan Elliott and blitzing linebacker Chazz Surratt.

BIGGEST SCOOP: Kittle broke news during camp when he crashed a national network’s broadcast to relay how the NFL is banning smelling salts. It was later clarified that teams could not distribute those eye openers, but players still can supply themselves.

WISEST QUOTE: Mykel Williams, on if he really asked Trent Williams to borrow his private jet for a summer vacation to Cabo San Lucas: “Yeah I did. I did. My pops told me a while ago, ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed.’ ”

REALIST QUOTE: Trent Williams, on CBS-5 San Francisco’s broadcast in Saturday’s second quarter: “Preseason expectations are really pointless. They really work against you. I go back and look at the Washington Commanders (last preseason), and nobody expected them to be in the NFC Championship. We’re in that same position. We had a down year and everybody is down on us. That’s cool. That’s exactly where we want to be, honestly.”