Mr. Relevant! Brock Purdy has opportunity to make NFL history as 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo replacement

All that is to say that the 49ers’ sudden starter has an unprecedented alternative in trendy soccer.

San Francisco declining to put in a claim on Baker Mayfield suggests Shanahan is snug using Purdy by means of the ultimate gauntlet. It is doable the 49ers had an inkling the division-rival Rams would scoop up Mayfield and determined it would be extra prudent to undertaking confidence within the rookie than spark questions by putting a would-be empty declare. Both manner, the Niners are set to roll with Purdy.

A four-year starter at Iowa State, Purdy entered Sunday’s contest in opposition to Miami within the first quarter with the 49ers trailing 7-3 and instantly led them on a 54-yard landing drive. San Francisco added one other 76-yard TD drive to shut the half, giving the Niners a lead they would not relinquish. The rookie displayed moxie, standing in and delivering beneath strain to tight home windows. Even in opposition to free rushers, he launched the ball shortly or prevented strain. Purdy received the ball out on time and confirmed some potential to get by means of his reads. That Shanahan trusted Purdy to throw on a swarm of quick third downs underscored the coach’s confidence within the rookie.

“Brock got here in and made some huge performs. He is received some balls on the market, forgive me for saying it that manner,” Shanahan mentioned Sunday after the win.

It wasn’t all fairly for the rookie, as he did not show the flexibility to stretch the sector and threw a number of passes behind targets. His red-zone play wants cleansing up, as with most younger QBs. And a yards per try common of 5.7 leaves loads to be desired.

However thrown into the hearth in opposition to a playoff-caliber opponent with little preparation, Purdy carried out swimmingly. The query is whether or not he can proceed to develop as defenses get extra tape, start to remove his first reads and cargo as much as cease the run. We have seen different younger quarterbacks play properly for stretches earlier than defenses caught up and exploited their inexperience. On the plus facet, these 49ers are constructed to face up to the catastrophic accidents they’ve suffered at quarterback — from Trey Lance taking place in Week 2 to Jimmy G hitting the shelf on Sunday.

San Francisco boasts a menacing protection that hasn’t given up greater than 17 factors in 5 straight video games, rating first in scoring D and complete D. It is a shutdown unit suffering from playmakers — from Nick Bosa to Fred Warner to Dre Greenlaw to Talanoa Hufanga — able to carrying any membership deep into the postseason.

Offensively, because of October’s Christian McCaffrey addition, the working sport can shoulder the load in huge conditions if wanted. The Niners additionally boast a bevy of run-after-catch demons in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and George Kittle, all of whom can flip quick throws into huge good points. From Weeks 3 by means of 12 with Garoppolo beneath middle, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats, the Niners led the NFL with 60.1 % of its receiving yards coming after the catch. Whereas that stat may not signify a work-of-art offense, it underscores that Shanahan’s assault can buoy a younger quarterback. San Francisco’s move catchers punish the primary tackler, daring the subsequent man to convey them down.