Brock Purdy Has Performed Well. Let's Temper Those Expectations.
Just hear me out, Faithful
On the heels of another fantastic 49er win (Im biased, leave me alone.), The Red and Gold wrapped up their 21st Division title, under the most unlikely circumstances.
Trey Lance is the starter, Season ending injury in Week 2.
Oh don’t worry! We have an insurance policy in Jimmy G! He’s played his best ball of his career.
Hurt Week 13. Season Done.
Here comes the Kid.
The Face of a Killer
Purdy has been a nice surprise. Filling in for Jimmy G against a tough Dolphins team, Purdy goes 25-37. 210 yards and 2 touchdowns. 1 Interception.
That’s fine and dandy, but the GOAT is coming. A marque matchup is wasted.
The storylines wrote itself leading up to the game. Mentor vs. Mentee. Jimmy G vs Brady. Former New England teammates who, if you believe online dirt sheets, had a distaste for each other. Belicheck wanted to start Jimmy, Kraft didnt want to piss off the cash cow in Boston. It’s all documented.
Well insert this kid. Last pick in the draft. Played high school ball in Arizona. Went to Iowa State (Go Cyclones). Mr. Irrelevant. Cinderella story hits midnight right?
Still got some magic in that Glass Slipper?
Little less impressive stat line. 16-21. 185, 3 Touchdowns, including one on the ground.
The game was over by the 3rd quarter. San Francisco DOMINATED the Bucs. The backups came in the 4th and Purdy didn’t play.
Ok. This kid is cooking. 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions (He played against Kansas City and threw a garbage time pick.)
But now he has to go on the road. Seattle is a tough place to play as a visitor. Add in the fact that the Niners can wrap up the Division title with a win over a rival on enemy soil, and the history the teams have. Not a easy way to start you first road game. On a Thursday Night. In Prime Time.
Add in to all of that, the fact that (as is the case for basically all of the team) Purdy gets injured against Tampa. Rib/Oblique. Day to Day. Doesn’t practice. You HAVE to think he would struggle!
Well…Look at that. 17-26 217. 2 Touchdowns. No. Interceptions.
The media coverage has been incredible. The likes of Rich Eisen, Michael Irvin, you name it, he’s impressed all. The comparison to other quarterbacks is natural in the NFL’s reactionary week-to-week happenings. One does really rub me the wrong way.
Listen, I’ve always really enjoyed Mr. Smith’s work. I think he’s fantastic.
Let’s pump the breaks. He’s NOT calling him the next TB12.
The similarities are there. But I am a hard pressed Niner fan.
This could be the beginning of 2001 Patriots Dynasty for the Niners.
This could be 2017 Jimmy G.
This could be Nick Mullens 2.0
Let’s discuss.
What do I need to say about the 2001 Patriots that hasn’t been written. The beginning of the GOAT’s journey. But, at least early on, many credited the talent around Brady for his early success. (More on that later.)
2017 Jimmy G. 6-0 to start as Niners signal caller. Looked solid, made good decisions, Media darling…Then got hurt.
Nick Mullens. Whipped the Raiders on TNF and then floated in mediocrity until he left the team as the most serviceable backup until this year…
Wherever you stand on Purdy’s performance, it has been fantastic to watch. He does look calm with the pressure pushing down on him. He makes great reads and he doesn’t turn the ball over. All things you need to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.
Here’s what seperates him from other “feel good” stories in the NFL.
I quote my good friend Johnny D’Agostini
He has INTANGIBLES. Something more than his athletic ability.
The man says the right things.
The plays he make via his thought processing are smart.
The kid is mature beyond his years. Just a look at his Instagram shows much of a family oriented man he is.
Above all, he is hungry to prove that he shouldn’t have been looked over at any point in his football life.
Nick Saban overlooked him when he was “Scouted” by Alabama. Purdy has said they didn’t really show all that much interest and took his talents to Corn country.
NFL scouts didn’t think he was big or strong or quick enough to be drafted, so when his name was called it was a shock to some, and that’s why I think he and Kyle Shanahan have such great chemistry.
Constantly being told you’re not the right guy or your work isn’t good enough just weighs on a guy. It’s like holding a steak in front of a chained up, hungry dog. Give them the opportunity and they will make the most of it. I feel like we can all get behind Purdy because we’ve all been told no when we so strongly know we can!
Purdy was NEVER supposed to take a meaningful snap in the NFL. Not this year, maybe not next year. That’s the reality for so many NFL hopefuls.
He got the chance by a rough set of circumstances, and he has FAR surpassed the expectations.
Every week the expectations will slowly start to rise. Purdy has impressed in his 3 games, and now the words “Super Bowl” are being muttered by many in the media. I, more than many others, would LOVE to see a guy like Purdy win it. Calling him the next Tom Brady, Josh Allen, etc. is a bit far fetched. With the talent SF has on both sides of the ball (Looking at the DEFENSE mainly), I’m pretty sure I could lead a TD drive or two. Trent Dilfer won one with Baltimore behind Ray Lewis’s defense. Joe Flacco as well. (Something in the crab cakes and Old Bay seasoning?)
CAN he do it? Yea why not. WILL HE? I don’t see the NFC representative beating the likes of Kansas City, Buffalo, or Cincinnati.
Every week is different in the NFL, but so far, Purdy has been Sturdy. If he can reach the peak of the mountain like Brady did in 2001, the Niners have the best QB room since Montana and Young. That ended peacefully, right?
Your friend Johnny nailed it... INTANGIBLES!