Montana
Purdy a step away from Montana-Young territory after 49ers’ comeback win over Lions
To borrow from a former Raiders CEO, all that’s left in the NFL postseason is one great quarterback and Brock Purdy.
The 49ers have two weeks to worry about a return engagement with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
That gives a small window to revel in a 34-31 win in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium, a game they trailed 24-7 at halftime before they put 27 consecutive points on the board before a delirious home crowd that could scarcely believe its own eyes.
No sense in picking on Amy Trask, the former Raiders exec who said at the outset of the postseason on her podcast there were seven great quarterbacks and Purdy. There are plenty of people nationally who agree with her and will still agree with her — especially if the 49ers lose against the Chiefs and Mahomes on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium.
After the game, confetti rained down and at the victory stand, Purdy wore an ear-to-year smile even if he deflected credit as usual when talking with analyst Michael Strahan of Fox.
“It’s a team sport. We knew we had a half left, defense did their job,” Purdy said. “The boys on offense took care of business, Coach called a great game and we had the Faithful behind us the whole way.”
Fans were chanting “Purdy, Purdy, Purdy” which was in stark contrast to when television microphones picked up a Detroit contingent cheering “Jared Goff, Jared Goff, Jared Goff” before halftime. Earlier in the half, sharp-eyed fans on social media even caught Eminem giving the finger to 49ers fans from a private box.
It was that bad.
The 49ers are no strangers to losing the NFC Championship Game, having lost the last two seasons and 11 times in 18 games coming in. This one looked like it would be the worst, considering how one-sided the game was heading into the third quarter.
While there were myriad moments and heroes for the 49ers, none stood taller than the supposedly undersized Purdy. He was 7 of 15 for 93 yards and an interception that led to a Detroit touchdown at halftime. In the second half, Purdy was 13 of 16 for 174 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled for 49 yards on five carries after having lost a yard on his lone carry of the first half.
Purdy’s mobility was in contrast to Goff, the Marin Catholic and Cal product who went 25 of 41 to 273 yards and a touchdown.
“I thought it was the difference between winning and losing,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Brock competed his ass off today.”
The whole storyline about Purdy not being able to come from behind? He has done it for the last two weeks including a 24-21 divisional playoff win over Green Bay. He lacks the Montana-Young magic? How then to explain a 51-yard strike to Brandon Aiyuk that got the 49ers on their way?
Purdy, whose arm strength contributed to his seventh-round draft standing, actually overthrew Aiyuk only to have the ball bounce off the facemask of a backpedaling Kindle Vildor.
“In that moment, I’m looking at it like, ‘We need a play,’ ” Purdy said. “I’m not going to be stupid and throw the ball up, but B.A. is one-on-one. I’m going to take that (opportunity). Especially in this kind of game, we need that play. I was giving my guy a shot.”
Aiyuk lunged forward and caught the ball out of the air and Vildor’s thigh grazed Aiyuk at the 6-yard line. Three plays later, Purdy threw a 6-yard strike to Aiyuk in the end zone.
“Just like we expected it to look,” tight end George Kittle said. “Off his facemask and we got a big play. Dang, Brock’s good at football isn’t he?”
If that’s not magic, I don’t know what is.
It wasn’t a rah-rah halftime speech that turned things around.
“There really wasn’t much said,” Purdy said. “Kyle said a couple of things. Fred (Warner) said a couple of things. But we kept it simple. We went out, we knew what we had to do. The season’s on the line, we’re down 17, and we played really good complementary team football from there.”
As for Purdy’s scrambles — including a 21-yard run on third-and-4 during the drive that put the 49ers up 34-24 — he said he was just doing what was required.
“He scampers,” Kittle said. “Ever see one of those little water dragons running across the water?”
Purdy was matter-of-fact in analyzing of his running ability.
“You drop back, they did a good job with pressures and if there’s someone there, I had to use my legs,” Purdy said. “It’s the NFC Championship and you’ve got to find a way.”
While Purdy said “nothing’s going to be given to us,” the 49ers got a big assist from Detroit coach Dan Campbell, who twice passed up field goal attempts on fourth down that failed in the second half — one on a dropped pass and another when a receiver was open.
Purdy great scramble 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/vWVg0iDKoq
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 29, 2024
Campbell, who has rolled the dice all season, was like the cowboy who was insistent about dying with his boots on, the fighter who was going to wade in and go for the knockout when he was ahead on points in the 12th round.
It played into Purdy’s hands. He may not be Mahomes, but at this point it would be hard for 49ers players to doubt their quarterback who makes a fraction of his income. At 24, he’s the youngest quarterback to lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl.
“Man, I don’t have enough good things to say about Brock,” running back Christian McCaffrey said. “All he’s done since he’s been here is play at an elite level. Everything starts with him and we’re lucky he’s our quarterback. He takes a lot of heat for absolutely no reason. All he’s done is be a great leader, a great player. I’m so proud of him and pumped up that I get another one with him this year.”
Purdy unfailingly credits his faith win or lose, and the biggest win of his life was no different.
“I’ve never been the biggest, the fastest or the strongest,” Purdy said. “I feel like I’ve always had to fight for what I get but God’s always given me an opportunity . . . getting drafted last, all you need is an opportunity. When I’m down 17 at half, I’m thinking, ‘All right, God, you’ve taken me here. Win or lose I’m going to glorify you.’ That’s my peace. That’s the joy, the steadfastness. That’s where I get it from. And that’s the honest truth.
“I leaned into that, and sure enough we were able to come back.”
BOZEMAN — Aaron Flint and Al Olszewski, Republican candidates for Montana’s Western District U.S. House race, squared off Tuesday in their party’s only scheduled debate before the party primary.
The two debated for about 90 minutes at Bozeman’s Calvary Chapel before an audience of about 120 people. Bozeman anchors Gallatin County, which is second in Republican votes only to Flathead County within the 18-county district.
Natural resource jobs, affordable housing and U.S. military attacks on Iran dominated the discussion. Each question drew 12 minutes of response. Both men called for an end to stock trading by members of Congress, and for federal budgets to be passed on time through regular procedures.
The Montana GOP sponsored the debate. Candidate Christi Jacobsen, Montana’s secretary of state, was unable to attend, according to state Republican Party Chair Art Wittich. State Senate President Matt Regier moderated.
Among the highlights: Flint mentioned no fewer than eight times that he is endorsed by President Donald Trump. Olszewski mentioned Trump by name only a couple of times.
Never too far from Flint’s talking points were “far-left socialists,” whom he credited for “gerrymandering” the Western House District (which has delivered comfortable wins for Republicans since first appearing on the ballot in 2022). The 2026 election cycle was the target of Democrats on the state’s districting commission, Flint said. (Both Democrats on the commission that drew the district in 2021 voted against its current configuration.)
related
Can a Republican ride to Congress without Trump’s coattails?
Now comes Al Olszewski, aka “Dr. Al,” to perform his role in the rotation of special guests at Republican dinners, where references to Donald Trump are like table salt — never on the menu, but always included. Unless, that is, there’s another candidate in the race boasting of Trump’s endorsement, as there is in Olszewski’s…
Why Aaron Flint says Congress should be more like talk radio
Aaron Flint — grandson of Glasgow newspaper publishers, 25-year veteran of local TV and radio journalism and first-time political candidate — touts “deep relationships” with his talk show listeners. Will that audience translate into enough votes to overcome a crowded Republican primary?
The near faux pas of the night came during Olszewski’s discussion of good-paying jobs in trades and natural resources: “Trades jobs, natural resource jobs, you know, high-dollar, white-collar jobs, our remote workers who have moved into Montana, and we’ve adapted an economy around them. You know, these are the people, and those are the jobs that will bring our kids home, those high-paying white-collar jobs, or a good natural resource job in western Montana, in one of those mines, or, you know, you know, a sawyer or a hooker” — big pause — “as in timber, not the other way around.”
The line that didn’t land: Flint tried and failed to get audience applause for the 2024 defeat of Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester by Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy — an unseating Flint campaigned for.
“How many of you out there are so glad that we finally got rid of the flip-flop, flat-top liberal senator, Jon Tester? How many of you are so glad we finally did that?”
After a silence, Flint explained to people watching the debate on Facebook that the audience was just being polite.
“They’re waving because we can’t have disruptions. See, they’re good rule followers here in the Republican Party,” Flint said.
Asked how to alleviate Montana’s housing affordability crisis:
Olszewski: “The only way you can afford an expensive house is you’ve got to have a job that pays good money. Tourist jobs provide rent and roommates. Trades jobs, natural resource jobs, high‑dollar white‑collar jobs … those are the jobs that will bring our kids home.” Dr. Al, as Olszewski is widely known, said Wall Street investment buyers are distorting housing prices and the federal government has weakened the dollar.
Flint: “Thirty percent of the cost of a home is all due to red tape and regulations … It costs $100,000 to build a home before you even put a hole in the ground.”
Flint said reviving Montana’s timber industry would lower home values and added, “I support President Trump’s ban on these big Wall Street firms buying single-family homes. I think that’s something that we’ve got to get across the finish line.”
“We can deliver when it comes to making the Montana dream affordable again by delivering affordable housing. But another piece is promoting trades and trades education to build up our workforce.”
Asked how Congress should respond to the Iran conflict:
Olszewski: “I supported our president with what happened in Venezuela. There’s a $25 million bounty on basically someone that was killing our people through drugs, right? I’m not so happy with what’s going on in the Iran war. I’m not a warrior. I’m a physician from the military that fixed military people … What my perspective is, is that countries can win wars, but people do not. They don’t come back.” Olszewski said Congress will have to decide whether to authorize further use of military force and set terms in about 10 days.
Flint: “Let me just say this. We are sick and tired of these forever wars, and we do not want to see a long-term boots-on-the-ground Iraq-style nation-building exercise, and I think President Trump shares that mission as well. Let me also say this about Iran. First off, [former Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro is behind bars. [Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei is dead, but the far-left socialists are on the march in Montana.”
Asked about reforming Congress:
Olszewski: “What our congressmen and congresswomen have to understand is that if you’re in the House, the House belongs to the people, and they need to, first and foremost, represent you, not themselves, not special interests. It’s not about sound-bites. It’s about actually getting work done and governing.” Olszewski said the House needs to pass a budget based on 12 agency appropriations bills before the end of each federal fiscal year, a process known as “regular order.”
Flint: “We need to return to regular order and get single-subject bills and get these appropriations bills done one by one. If they can’t get a budget done, they shouldn’t get paid. And we need a ban on congressional stock trading. Because I think part of the reason why the American people are so frustrated with Congress right now is because … they believe that Congress is so useless, because we’ve got some of these politicians back there that are getting rich off the backs of taxpayers.”
Neither candidate offered a plan for cutting taxes, once a staple of Republican platforms. Both supported reductions in federal spending without identifying particular cuts.
Voting in Montana’s 2026 primary election begins May 4 and ends June 2.
POLSON, Mont. — Two motorcyclists crashed on Highway 35 near Polson after failing to negotiate a left-hand curve, leaving one man dead and another hospitalized, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
Two motorcycles were traveling southbound on Highway 35 when both drifted into a guardrail. Both drivers were separated from their motorcycles and ended up on the other side of the guardrail.
A 58-year-old Polson man was confirmed dead at the scene. The second driver, a 45-year-old man, also from Polson, was taken to the hospital with injuries.
Alcohol is a suspected factor in the crash, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
The crash is under investigation.
KALISPELL — A Flathead County man is turning a personal rock bottom into a lifeline for his community by starting a free, late-night ride service to keep drunk drivers off the roads.
Adam Bruzza started Big Sky Sobriety Shuttle LLC, a free ride share service for people who have been drinking, after realizing he was struggling with addiction.
Maddie Keifer reports – watch the video here:
MT man starts free, late-night ride service to keep drunk drivers off the roads
“I just wanted to give people who do still drink the option for a safe, sober ride home,” Bruzza said.
Bruzza said a devastating mistake behind the wheel became a turning point where he decided enough was enough.
“I was charged with a DUI October 22 of 2024,” Bruzza said.
After a few months focused on his sobriety, Bruzza channeled his energy into his community by starting the shuttle service.
He operates the shuttle in his personal pickup truck. Riders can reach him by phone, text or social media at any time of day or night at no cost.
“I just wanted to give others the opportunity to not get a life changing charge,” Bruzza said.
Bruzza works with bars to connect riders with his service. Although the Big Sky Sobriety Shuttle is a new endeavor, he has already seen a big impact.
“The community response without a doubt has been unconditional love and support that makes my heart all warm and fuzzy,” Bruzza said.
Bruzza also shared a message for others who may be struggling with addiction.
“Your life is worth it, there are people that care out there and it is okay to ask for help,” Bruzza said.
To learn more, click here to visit the Facebook page.
-
Health5 minutes agoAging in Place: How Technology Might Help You Grow Old at Home
-
Culture17 minutes agoBook Review: ‘Israel: What Went Wrong?,’ by Omer Bartov
-
Lifestyle23 minutes agoStreet Style Look of the Week: Airy Beachy Clothes
-
Education29 minutes agoÉcole des Sables, Africa’s Premier Dance School, Faces a Precarious Future
-
Technology35 minutes agoIt’s amazing how good Alienware’s $350 OLED monitor is
-
World41 minutes agoIran reportedly fires on three ships in Strait of Hormuz
-
Politics47 minutes agoWATCH: Sen Warren unloads on Trump’s Fed nominee Kevin Warsh in explosive hearing showdown
-
Health53 minutes agoGrieving mom hospitalized with rare ‘broken heart syndrome’ after veteran son’s suicide