Brock Purdy's aggression is producing even greater rewards in year two
In many areas, there isn't a great deal of difference between San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and predecessor Jimmy Garoppolo. Both have proven they can deliver tremendous efficiency in Kyle Shanahan's offense by getting the ball out quickly and continually attacking defenses over the middle of the field on throws that set up opportunities […]
In many areas, there isn't a great deal of difference between San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and predecessor Jimmy Garoppolo.
Both have proven they can deliver tremendous efficiency in Kyle Shanahan's offense by getting the ball out quickly and continually attacking defenses over the middle of the field on throws that set up opportunities for yardage after the catch.
By the same token, it was evident early on after Purdy assumed the starting role from an injured Garoppolo last year that he possessed several qualities that are not part of the former New England Patriots quarterback's arsenal.
Those traits enabled Purdy to take one of the NFL's most potent offenses to heights beyond Garoppolo's reach down the stretch last year, and the Niners have continued to reap the benefits in 2023, averaging a tally of 28 points per game that only the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys have bettered through the opening 10 weeks of the campaign.
Simply put, Purdy, beyond being a better processor than Garoppolo, is a vastly more aggressive quarterback and a significantly better playmaker. He is far more effective out of structure, making plays on the move as a thrower and a runner, and will push the ball downfield much more often and with much more effectiveness than Garoppolo ever did.
There is a gunslinger mentality to Purdy's game that belies his arm strength, which is closer to average than elite.
Over the course of the Niners' three-game losing streak, that mindset cost both Purdy and San Francisco as he tossed five interceptions during that run, including two apiece in the defeats to the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals, though the pair of picks in the former contest came after Purdy had seemingly suffered a concussion on a fourth-quarter quarterback sneak.
Yet the 49ers were given a reminder of the benefits of having a quarterback with the confidence to take the risks Purdy accepts on a regular basis as they got back to winning ways in style with a 34-3 blowout of the Jacksonville Jaguars that illustrated both the plus points and the potential for negatives of his often frenetic playing style.
Purdy's Jacksonville bounce back
On the first series, Purdy committed the cardinal quarterback sin of throwing back over the middle of the field into double coverage after rolling to his left, yet his ill-advised decision worked out perfectly as Brandon Aiyuk leapt to reel in a 13-yard touchdown pass. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, though, was still left shaking his head.
At the start of the third quarter, Purdy delivered another huge play in much more conventional fashion.
He took advantage of George Kittle having a one on one with linebacker Devin Lloyd down the right sideline to find his tight end with a superb touch pass from a disintegrated pocket, putting the Niners up 20-7 with a 66-yard touchdown, the longest of his career.
In Wednesday's press conference, Kyle Shanahan described watching Purdy find Kittle from an essentially non-existent pocket as looking like "somebody's throwing a grenade out of a bunker".
Purdy is a quarterback who can make smart decisions and pinpoint downfield throws when encircled by defenders but who also will put the ball in harm's way with the entire field within his vision, as it was on the touchdown to Aiyuk. Yet both throws, for as markedly different as they were, are reflective of a willingness to take shots Garoppolo scarcely considered.
A big-time uptick
As a rookie, those shots resulted in 20 completions of 20 yards or more, seven of which were touchdowns, across five starts, a relief effort against the Miami Dolphins and some garbage time work versus the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals.
This season, in nine games, Purdy has 38 completions of at least 20 yards, with five of them going for scores. That's an average of four such completions a game compared to an average of three last year.
In 2022, the difficulty level of those throws was not high. Purdy had only three 'big-time throws'.
A big-time throw, defined in its simplest terms by Pro Football Focus, is a a "pass with excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window".
Purdy's second season has seen that number balloon to 16, while he has registered 14 turnover-worthy plays. He is fifth among quarterbacks with at least 200 drop backs in big-time throw rate, but fourth in turnover worthy play rate.
That, in essence, sums up a quarterback who is number one in the NFL by Expected Points Added per play, Success Rate, passer rating, QBR and DVOA, as well every yards per attempt measure.
Purdy offers extreme efficiency, but it is chaotic efficiency, with some outstanding throws to all three levels of the field sandwiched by head-scratchers.
It is the unpunished head-scratchers that make many reticent to buy in on the Purdy experience, but the 49ers are all-in because of the significantly raised ceiling his often high-risk style of play has given their offense.
Said Purdy after Sunday's win: "I'm aggressive with what I do and how I throw the ball. I still have to learn times in game situations where I've got to be smart with the ball. That's something I've got to continue to learn.
"But at the same time, they do a good job of not just handcuffing me. They let me play quarterback in an aggressive way and get the ball to our guys when they're open."
Purdy is creating more explosives and is succeeding consistently in making low-percentage throws. As long as that continues and Purdy, more importantly, hits the gimmes Shanahan consistently creates, his high-wire act will remain as something his head coach is happy to tolerate.
49ers suffer yet another blow on the offensive line
Their depth has taken a hit.
