Brock Purdy is leveling up and saving the 49ers

Misplaced within the San Francisco 49ers’ lackluster 2-3 begin to the 2024 NFL season was one easy truth.

Quarterback Brock Purdy was beginning to prepare dinner.

Coming into Thursday evening’s sport in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks, Purdy was among the many league leaders in many statistical classes, together with Adjusted Web Yards per Try, Web Yards per Try, Anticipated Factors Added per Dropback, and extra. Plus, Purdy was doing this averaging 10.3 air yards per try, second solely within the league to Anthony Richardson.

Here’s a take a look at how Purdy stacked up in “quarterback effectivity,” a composite measuring his EPA/Play in addition to his Completion Proportion Over Expectation, courtesy of RBSDM:

Up and to the best is strictly the place you wish to be on this graphic.

After all, one of many knocks on Purdy comes from the scenario round him. With a lot expertise within the 49ers’ offensive huddle, and Kyle Shanahan calling the performs, Purdy was dubbed a “paint-by-numbers” sort of quarterback, somebody taking place the guidelines and working the offense, in distinction to a quarterback who can create huge performs outdoors the pocket and off construction.

Nonetheless, with Christian McCaffrey sidelined with a calf harm this season, Purdy has been tasked with creating extra, and the consequence has not solely led to these numbers above however outcomes as we noticed on Thursday Evening Soccer, as Purdy linked on 18-of-28 passes for 255 yards and a trio of touchdowns, with out an interception, because the 49ers defeated the Seahawks by a ultimate rating of 36-24.

After the sport Deebo Samuel was requested what was working for the 49ers, and he stored his response to 2 phrases.

“Brock Purdy.”

His efficiency not solely drew reward from his teammates however prompted analysts comparable to ESPN’s Mina Kimes to give attention to his play-making talent throughout the sport, as Purdy was in a position to create alternatives by getting deep into his progressions, and generally creating house within the pocket to increase performs and create alternatives downfield:

Take this early completion to Jauan Jennings:

Purdy desires to work the two-receiver idea to the best, however he additionally sees a crease kind within the pocket, which has him considering of choosing up this 2nd-and-5 scenario together with his legs. However as he begins to climb the pocket huge Leonard Willams flashes in entrance of his eyes, so Purdy adjustments course, retreating within the pocket to purchase sufficient time to make this throw to Jennings on the bottom of the idea.

Take Purdy’s second landing go of the evening, a 10-yard throw on an out path to George Kittle:

Jennings is available in movement to the best, and when the play begins Purdy first desires to learn out a bit of “observe” idea, the place Deebo Samuel runs a slant and Jennings tries to search out house working behind him on that route path. However with the Seahawks in zone protection, three defenders find yourself converging on that pair of receivers. Purdy then comes off that pair, resets, and will get his eyes to Kittle’s out route. Kittle is working in opposition to the security, and Purdy fires in a perfectly-placed throw in the direction of the entrance nook of the tip zone that Kittle snares for the landing.

Early within the fourth quarter, after the Seahawks minimize San Francisco’s result in simply 23-17, the 49ers confronted a 1st and 15 in their very own territory. Once more Purdy desires to work a two-receiver idea, this time to the best, however a mixture of a collapsing pocket and tight protection pressure him to work bottom, the place he picks up Kyle Juszczyk bottom on a check-down route:

Or we will take a look at his ultimate landing of the evening, this nine-yard connection to Kittle:

Purdy once more desires to work to the best on this play, wanting first on the inside slant route from Brandon Aiyuk out of the slot. However when the center linebacker jumps that route Purdy makes a fantastic “no throw” resolution, pulling the soccer down and getting his eyes bottom. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson’s resolution to leap the slant from Aiyuk has created house for Kittle’s in-cut, and after resetting his ft and sliding a bit within the pocket, Purdy places this throw on Kittle for his third TD go of the evening.

After all, Purdy nonetheless has that “in construction” membership in his again, and there may not be a greater instance than this completion to Aiyuk on a “drift” idea. Aiyuk runs an in-breaking route, and Purdy additionally has an possibility beneath Aiyuk, this time working again Patrick Taylor Jr. on a route out of the backfield. Watch the timing on this throw as Purdy splits a pair of beneath defenders on a completion to Aiyuk:

This can be a good instance of throwing a receiver open in house in opposition to beneath zone defenders. To convey the purpose residence, take a look at the state of play simply earlier than Purdy releases this go:

This can be a textbook anticipation throw.

Now, the 49ers are 3-3. Purdy is enjoying properly, and so they hope to have McCaffrey again for the stretch run. It was not the begin to the season San Francisco hoped for, however with the best way Purdy is enjoying, this season may need a greater end.