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Brock Purdy, they’re saying you aren’t built for this — it’s time to show ’em

Published

2 years ago

September 18, 2024

Brock Purdy, they’re saying you aren’t built for this — it’s time to show ’em

Uh oh, Brock Purdy. Your detractors are lining up.

The fellowship of Purdy Truthers can smell the validation. They prayed for times like these. Their contention this whole time is that you, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, have been all hype, that you didn’t belong in the company of the game’s elite. They’ve been saying you’re only, well, you, because of the superstars around you. They’ve been eager to relegate you to a lesser tier, put you in line well behind Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield and ’em.

Oh, you better know they are watching and waiting. And hoping. For your downfall.

They’re sitting up in their seats, Brock. Rubbing their hands together greedily, salivating after you couldn’t outduel your former backup Sunday in Minnesota. Their eyes, filled with gleeful anticipation, are fixed on you, No. 13. Waiting to see how you respond to the mounting adversity of this season.

Christian McCaffrey is already on injured reserve. Your offensive line is struggling in pass protection, even the legend Trent Williams, who missed all of training camp in a contract holdout. Brandon Aiyuk, who also missed all of camp, estimated he was at about 85 percent.

Now Deebo Samuel is out.

“Yeah, always when you lose real good players, it’s always tough,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But it happens all over the league, and it’s a huge part of this league and a huge part of this game. We’ve got to deal with it.”

Let’s keep it real, Purdy. You haven’t been the same without Samuel. The 49ers with you at quarterback are 0-3 in meaningful games in which Deebo doesn’t take at least half the offensive snaps. Your offense has averaged 17 points per game in those games.

The Purdy Truthers haven’t let that go. A trip to the Super Bowl, MVP-caliber stats, and consistent vouching from the superstars around you — nothing has curbed the criticism.

They’re calling you a trust-fund quarterback, a silver-spoon signal caller. They’re still saying your football career began in field-goal range and you don’t know about the struggle. They’re saying you can’t do what the likes of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen can do — put a team on your shoulders, be the reason your team wins and not just facilitate a loaded roster, overcome the holes in the lineup.

This is about as close as you’ve been to that scenario. Even with the revelation that Jordan Mason has been as RB1, a lineup without McCaffrey and Samuel definitely lowers the fear factor in the defense. Which tends to ratchet up their confidence, and the aggressiveness. Especially considering how vulnerable you’ve been the first couple of weeks to turnovers. You’ve only got two in the first two weeks, but enough near-interceptions to make a defense hungry.

You can shut them up now, though Brock. OK, maybe not shut them up. Beating the 0-2 Los Angeles Rams and winning at home over the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals won’t quiet the mob. But certainly, losing any of those games will increase the fever pitch.

It doesn’t matter how many dimes you throw. Or how big your numbers get. They’ll still see every time you make a questionable throw, or look a little lost, or miss a target. And the defense is getting better at figuring out how to give you problems.

It looked as if the Vikings, in the game we won’t speak about, picked up on a few tendencies the Baltimore Ravens introduced last Christmas. Anticipate and jump on the timing routes and bring pressure from random places — all designed to get you hurried and frantic, which is when you’re most prone to mistakes.

“No, I think that’s what the point of the scheme is,” Shanahan explained. “It’s to have six guys up on the line and come from everywhere. … It’s just a lot of pressure on a quarterback throughout a game. That’s what their scheme is. They’re going to make you think whether you’re hot every play, and if you’re not, then you’ve got to find the open zones. There are a lot of open zones, but it’s tough the way they slow you down. … (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores) does a really good job of mixing it up, and that is the challenge for a quarterback. It makes it really tough to get into a rhythm.”

The Vikings’ aggressive defense kept Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense in check Sunday. (Adam Bettcher / Getty Images)

When you told Flores his “scheme is crazy” after the game, the Purdy Truthers didn’t see that as a young QB who appreciated being challenged. They didn’t see it as game recognizing game, that it was a sign you’d dive into the film to learn from it. Nah, they saw it as some kind of confession you were overwhelmed.

That’s why you can’t lay an egg these next few weeks. Well, you can. Because Super Bowls aren’t won in September. Sure, it would put the 49ers in a tough spot, maybe even cost you a home game in the NFC Championship, should you make it. But your squad is perfectly capable of rallying late and peaking at the right time.

So you can’t lay an egg because you can’t give the detractors more fodder. Truth be told, you have a legion fighting for you on the interwebs. Plenty are rocking with you Brock, and they need you to shut everybody up.

You’ve still got George Kittle. You’ve still got Mason and the power running game. You’ve still got Aiyuk, who is due for a big game.

“There were a number of times he had a real good chance to get the ball,” Shanahan said of Aiyuk, “and a couple times protections broke down on two of them. One time someone busted a route and just got in the same way, so they covered it up. But he had a chance to get about four big passes and other factors happened. It’s a team game. There are 11 guys out there that are involved in getting someone the ball. He did have some opportunities where he should have, but not everything went right.”

You’ve got enough to win. You’ve got enough to lead your team through this rough patch. This was always in the cards. Getting back to the Super Bowl is a daunting task. And NFL teams are like crabs in a bucket. This was always going to be hard.

Yet necessary. This is the hardship they said you can’t handle. This is the cape they believe is too heavy for your shoulders. They don’t believe you’re one of them ones, Brock.

You better show ’em.

GO DEEPER

Nothing easy for Brock Purdy as Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers offense try to find their feet

(Top photo of Brock Purdy during Sunday’s game against the Vikings: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)

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2026 World Cup Odds: How Far Can Mexico Go After Winning Group A?

Published

6 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

2026 World Cup Odds: How Far Can Mexico Go After Winning Group A?

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After its massive 1-0 win over South Korea on Thursday night, Mexico has won Group A and officially clinched a spot in the knockout round.

El Tri will play its Round of 32 game in Mexico City, and will face the third-place finisher in either Group C/E/F/H/I.

This is the fourth time that Mexico has topped the group stage of a World Cup, with the other three coming in 1986, 1994 and 2002.

With the win, Mexico remains unbeaten in World Cup group games at home, going a combined 6-2-0 (W-D-L), with two wins and a draw in 1970 and 1986, and now two wins in 2026.

Before the tournament began, Mexico was listed at +6500 to win the World Cup. Now, after winning its first two games of the tournament, Mexico has surged up the oddsboard to +5000.

Can Mexico build off its first two matches and make a deep run in this tournament? Let’s check out the updated odds for El Tri as of June 19.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Team Mexico — Stage of Elimination

Last 32: +125 (bet $10 to win $22.50 total)
Last 16: +135 (bet $10 to win $23.50 total)
Quarterfinals: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Semifinals: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Runner-up: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Outright winner: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)

Mexico is currently +5000 to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup after winning Group A (Getty Images).

Mexico’s Past World Cup Results:

1930: Group stage
1934: Did not qualify
1938: Withdrew
1950: Group stage
1954: Group stage
1958: Group stage
1962: Group stage
1966: Group stage
1970: Quarterfinals
1974: Did not qualify
1978: Group stage
1982: Did not qualify
1986: Quarterfinals
1990: Banned
1994: Round of 16
1998: Round of 16
2002: Round of 16
2006: Round of 16
2010: Round of 16
2014: Round of 16
2018: Round of 16
2022: Group stage
2026: TBD

What to know: Mexico has made a habit of being in the running, but never really being in the running. Make sense? Consider this: El Tri made it out of the group stage in seven consecutive World Cups (1994-2018), but never made it past the Round of 16 in any of those years. In 2022, Mexico failed to make it out of the group stage, and it will look to get back to its winning ways in 2026 after a great start to the tournament. With its win Thursday night, Mexico has now advanced to the knockout stage in eight of the last nine World Cups. It is important to note, however, that Mexico has never made it past the quarterfinals at a FIFA men’s World Cup.

Sports

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s elite play and South Korea’s mistake help Mexico advance

Published

7 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s elite play and South Korea’s mistake help Mexico advance

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Three and a half years after its biggest failure on the World Cup stage in half a century, the Mexican national team needed only two games to advance to the knockout round of this year’s tournament as winner of Group A.

Mexico’s defense held off a spirited final push by South Korea, earning a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in front of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.

“It was a very tough game,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the 50th minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball. That allowed Mexico’s Luis Romo to easily tap the ball into the net and claim a 1-0 lead.

“In the end, a mistake was going to tip the scales,” Aguirre said.

Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel blocks a shot from South Korea’s Son Heung-min during their World Cup match at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

“You always want to be there; I felt it, and I got the chance,” said Romo, who started the game after starting the opener on the bench — a strategic change by the Mexican coach that paid off.

South Korea put pressure on the Mexican team throughout the game. Late in the scoreless first half, Jae-sung Lee came close to giving South Korea the lead. Aguirre hoped his team would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more bite in its second game against South Korea, but his team didn’t have much power behind its attack during the game’s first 45 minutes.

The crowd in Guadalajara grew frustrated and began booing the Mexican national team’s performance at the end of the first half.

Mexico, however, won back their cheers when it capitalized on South Korea’s costly mistake and converted it into a goal.

Obed Vargas replaced Romo in the 71st minute and was close to scoring a spectacular goal if not for Seung-gyu’s save.

El Tri earned a win without any other goals thanks, in part, to a great night by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, who stopped a header by Cho Gue-sung in the 87th minute. Captain Edson Álvarez helped turn away South Korea’s attack late, holding up relatively well despite having left ankle surgery during the past year.

“It was just a reflex,” said Rangel, whose club team Chivas plays at at Guadalajara Stadium. “I was very focused and stepped up when the team needed me, and I’m happy about that.”

LAFC star and South Korea captain Son Heung-min fired one shot over Mexico’s goalkeeper in the first half, but Álvarez cleared it off the line before the referee ruled Son was offsides.

South Korea finished controlling possession 58% of the time, but it only earned two shots on target.

“It wasn’t a good game because they didn’t let us do much,” Aguirre said.

Mexico was coming off a comfortable 2-0 victory over South Africa, while the South Koreans had defeated the Czech Republic 2-1, marking their first World Cup opening-match win since 2010.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mexico was eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1978, breaking a streak of seven consecutive appearances in the knockout rounds. However, playing on home soil, the team’s goal is to emulate El Tri’s achievements in 1970 and 1986, when they reached the quarterfinals — the country’s best World Cup finish.

Due to the new 48-team format, Mexico would need to win two knockout-round matches and reach a sixth game to realize its goals.

“We’re taking it one step at a time; first, there’s the third game,” Romo said.

Mexico's Luis Romo celebrates with his teammates after scoring during a match against South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium

After the win over South Korea, Mexico will close out group play against Czechia at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Wednesday. El Tri will get to play the first two games of the knockout round — should it win the first one — at Azteca Stadium, a venue where it has never lost a World Cup game.

South Korea has four points and will be favored when it plays South Africa Wednesday in Monterrey. If South Korea wins the match, it would be the Group A runner-up and advance to play the Group B runner-up on June 28 at SoFi Stadium.

“We want all nine points,” Vargas said of Mexico’s goal entering its next game against Czechia.

Sports

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

Published

16 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Who’ll win the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The race is on for who’ll score the most goals at the tournament, and it is set to be one of the tournament’s most closely watched storylines.

Several of the world’s top forwards will be aiming to finish as the competition’s leading goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé enters the tournament after winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Mikel Oyarzabal are among the other players expected to challenge for the award.

And check out our list of all the 2026 World Cup goals, ranked!

Favorites To Win The Golden Boot

Harry Kane: +310 (bet $10 to win $41 total)
Lionel Messi: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Kylian Mbappé: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Erling Haaland: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Kai Havertz: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Vinícius Júnior: +3300 (bet $10 to win $340 total)
Folarin Balogun: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Mikel Oyarzabal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Lamine Yamal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Raphinha: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Michael Olise: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Romelu Lukaku: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Viktor Gyökeres: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Cody Gakpo: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Cristiano Ronaldo: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)

3 Goals

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

2 Goals

Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
Harry Kane (England)
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Kylian Mbappé (France)
Harry Kane (England)
Elijah Just (New Zealand)
Yasin Ayari (Sweden)
Kai Havertz (Germany)
Folarin Balogun (USA)

1 Goal

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
Rubén Vargas (Switzerland)
Ermin Mahmic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Michal Sadilek (Czechia)
Teboho Mokoena (South Africa)
Jáminton Campaz (Colombia)
Luis Díaz (Colombia)
Daniel Muñoz (Colombia)
Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Uzbekistan)
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana)
Jude Bellingham (England)
Marcus Rashford (England)
Martin Baturina (Croatia)
Petar Musa (Croatia)
Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
João Neves (Portugal)
Marko Arnautović (Austria)
Jude Bellingham (England)
Marcus Rashford (England)
Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
João Neves (Portugal)
Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana)
Ali Olwan (Jordan)
Romano Schmid (Austria)
Leo Østigard (Norway)
Ayman Hussein (Iraq)
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal)
Bradley Barcola (France)
Ramin Rezaeian (Iran)
Mohammad Mohebbi (Iran)
Maxi Araújo (Uruguay)
Abdulelah Al-Amri (Saudi Arabia)
Emam Ashour (Egypt)
Alexander Isak (Sweden)
Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden)
Mattias Svanberg (Sweden)
Omar Rekik (Tunisia)
Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)
Keito Nakamura (Japan)
Daichi Kamada (Japan)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)
Felix Nmecha (Germany)
Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
Jamal Musiala (Germany)
Nathaniel Brown (Germany)
Deniz Undav (Germany)
Connor Metcalfe (Australia)
Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
John McGinn (Scotland)
Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
Breel Embolo (Switzerland)
Gio Reyna (USA)
Mauricio (Paraguay)
Cyle Larin (Canada)
Jovo Lukić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ladislav Krejcí (Czechia)
Julián Quiñones (Mexico)
Raúl Jimenez (Mexico)
Hwang In-Beom (South Korea)
Oh Hyeon-Gyu (South Korea)