SANTA CLARA — You might sense the strain at Levi’s Stadium Sunday the second rookie Isaac Guerendo fumbled the second half kickoff and the New England Patriots rapidly scored on a 5-yard landing go from Jacoby Brissett to Austin Hooper.
A recreation the 49ers had led 20-0 was immediately 20-10 and it was onerous not to consider the earlier week’s collapse in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, which was fueled partly by particular groups errors.
The standard script referred to as for quarterback Brock Purdy to revive order as he normally does — with a collection of brief, protected completions and a time-consuming drive that may put the Patriots again on their heels.
As a substitute, Purdy dropped again then dropped an ideal 53-yard rainbow into the arms of Deebo Samuel over Jonathan Jones.
Deebo’s acquired us movin’ 55yds down the sector.
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Three performs later, Jordan Mason scored on a 4-yard run, the 49ers led 27-10 and order had been restored in an eventual 30-13 victory.
This was yet one more aspect of Purdy, who week by week is proving to be one of many NFL’s finest quarterbacks. Name this model Bombs Away Brock, as Purdy repeatedly attacked the Patriots downfield, finishing 15 of 27 passes for 288 yards and a 12-yard landing go to George Kittle.
That’s a gaudy 19.2 yards per completion, and so they weren’t of the run-after-catch selection. Groups are smart to the 49ers attacking beneath with shallow crosses and the like, and have schemed their defenses to defend in opposition to it.
“In this game, there were a couple of plays where their safeties were low and we had guys going deep with Deebo and J.J.,” Purdy stated. “We talked about it on the sideline and let it rip and I trust those guys to get under it and they did. It was nice to connect on those deeper routes, get those on tape and give us some confidence moving forward with the deep ball.”
In addition to the 53-yard go to Purdy, there was a 45-yard strike to Jauan Jennings, 38 yards to Brandon Aiyuk and a 32-yarder to Jennings. For a day a minimum of, dink and dunk gave option to the vertical recreation. Purdy is greater than a 12 months faraway from inner brace elbow surgical procedure, has labored diligently to strengthen his arm and it’s clear he’s acquired all of the zip he wants, after which some, to finish any route that’s requested of him.
The 45-yard go to Jennings in opposition to Marcus Jones was really defended nicely, however the go was a factor of magnificence and nearly inconceivable to drop.
To listen to coach Kyle Shanahan inform it, nothing Purdy does surprises him. Purdy has been his quarterback for 30 begins together with the postseason. He’s realized there’s not a play he can’t name as a result of Purdy isn’t bodily as much as the duty.
JJ’s down there someplace
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“I think Brock, since his first game playing here, he’s good in the dropback game, the play-action game, bootlegs and stuff,” Shanahan stated. “Brock has been one of the most consistent players in the league since he started playing.”
Seeing Purdy throw correct rainbows places defenses in a bind. If he can win excessive as simply as beneath, and assault midrange as nicely, it makes the 49ers passing recreation harmful on each blade of grass.
“People scheme us up, and they do a good job of creating leverage and taking away certain routes, and for us it’s a good opportunity to adapt and work on different things,” Purdy stated. “Every team creates a different challenge. This week was a lot of man coverage and they did a good job funneling everything back to the middle of the field.”
Purdy’s landing go to Kittle got here in opposition to three defenders on a route that was initially designed to be run from the 40-yard line. Kittle was skeptical, however saved his emotions to himself.
“The play was for him to break out and go up,” Purdy stated. “It was more of a third-down play but we got the look down there. I saw him break out, I was getting hit, so I thought I just need to give my guy a chance. Just put it up for him. He made a great play — way better than the throw.”
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The deep pictures are solely a part of Purdy’s burgeoning talent set. As he displayed in final 12 months’s playoffs, Purdy is increasingly snug getting first downs along with his toes. He measured off two excellent first-half scrambles — seven yards on third-and-3 and 5 yards on third-and-4 — to maintain a drive alive for a 26-yard area aim by Jake Moody to open the scoring.
Final week, Purdy ended up with 10 rushes, and it’s not like Shanahan is dialing up learn choice performs.
“I’m not going to act like I’m going to throw and then run to make a play,” Purdy stated. “It’s not like that. I’m still a quarterback. I’m trying to go through my reads and hit my guys and move the chains. That’s the position I play and I take pride in that. . . . I feel like I have just the right amount of athleticism to make plays. I don’t need to be a freak athlete. I know who I am.”
The 49ers by now are amused when Purdy’s potential is disparaged in any means.
“He’s the best, man,” center linebacker Fred Warner stated. “I love how he plays the game, the leader that he is. He doesn’t say a lot but he doesn’t have to. He’s so humble in his approach and he’s continuing to get better in all phases of his game, knowing what it takes to win.”
It wasn’t excellent. Purdy was too daring with a late interception ultimately zone by Jabril Peppers on a go supposed for Aiyuk, a play for which he took full accountability.
“I think I hitched to him two or three times, which just isn’t good as a quarterback,” Purdy stated. “I got greedy and Jabril made a play.”
Kittle and the 49ers will forgive the occasional mistake as a result of it signifies the boldness Purdy has in his receivers.
“The deep ball he threw to Jauan, he just has trust in us to go out and make plays,” Kittle stated. “We have a lot of talented players, a lot of guys who can catch a football. We have a lot of guys that he just trusts.”
Initially Printed: September 29, 2024 at 6:43 p.m.
