Debate Is Raging About Whether Brock Purdy Is A Championship-Caliber QB After The 49ers’ Wild Playoff Win

Matt Fitzgerald·
CULTURE
·
Brock Purdy 49ers
Michael Owens/Getty Images

In a strange instance of oxymoronic unified disharmony, there are strong cases being made on both sides of Brock Purdy’s biggest supporters and his most ardent detractors. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback posted gaudy regular-season stats, but has been downplayed as a game manager. Although he looked shaky much of the time during the Niners’ 24-21 win over the Packers on Saturday night, Purdy did lead the go-ahead touchdown drive with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter.

Purdy’s final stat line is what you’d expect from a game manager-caliber QB against a postseason opponent: 23-for-39, 252 yards, one TD, zero INTs and an 86.7 passer rating. Mid AF, right?

Seven of those completions and 12 targets went to tailback Christian McCaffrey, who ran in the winning TD and had 98 yards on 17 carries, including a 39-yard score.

Star San Francisco receiver Deebo Samuel got hurt early and couldn’t finish the game. It was raining, which made throwing the ball more challenging. Purdy and the Niners got bailed out to some degree by a missed 41-yard field goal by Green Bay kicker Anders Carlson on the Packers’ penultimate possession. Not to mention…the visitors gave away multiple opportunities, including a near-pick-six by Darnell Savage.

Was this an amazing throw by Purdy on the Niners’ last scoring drive, or was it at least a little bit lucky?

I think it’s a matter of perspective. It’s not like the Packers are some world beater of a defense. They’re truly not that good on that side of the ball. There’s a reason the point spread was near double digits before kickoff in San Francisco’s favor. That was mostly it. And yet, Purdy really struggled, making multiple throws that were worthy of an interception.

Again, though, he made the throws when he had to, and was the beneficiary of another extraordinary catch when Brandon Aiyuk somehow squeezed this one:

You can probably see that I skew toward the skeptical side on Purdy. NGL, I had a long shot future on the Packers to win the Super Bowl, and if they’d gotten past this game, there’s no telling what they would’ve/could’ve done.

In all seriousness, in my opinion, Purdy is good enough to win a Super Bowl with this 49ers team as it stands. I just don’t know if he’s great enough to go heads-up against Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Patrick Mahomes. That’s who he’ll face from the AFC if San Francisco makes it that deep.

So anyway. Check out some of the Purdy stans who rushed to his defense. They make some decently sound points.

However, I gotta say, there’s real merit to what the other side is saying, too. Some of the reactions are more just funny than anything else.

Ex-Raiders CEO Amy Trask put the other seven Divisional Round QBs a tier above Brock Purdy , and you know what? I had Purdy as the ninth-best quarterback in the NFL, ahead of the likes of Jared Goff (13th) and Baker Mayfield (14th), who’ll play Sunday night for a spot in the NFC Championship Game. I felt like Trask was a little out of pocket for saying Purdy is the worst of the bunch. Now, I’m starting to kind of come around.

If you gave me the choice of Purdy, Goff, or Baker going into last night’s game as the 49ers QB, I think I’d actually reverse the order. I’d want Baker, then Goff, then Purdy. Putting either of the other two guys at the controls of that 49ers offense seems better than having Purdy under center. Obviously, hindsight is 20/20. There’s also plenty of time for Purdy to grow as a player. I just wonder if he’ll ever reach the point where he’s that dude you want in a gotta-have-it game.

Regardless of how San Francisco fares the rest of the way, Purdy will be among the most debated players in the sport, if not the most. That should only add to the intrigue as the Niners try to get over the hump and deliver the first Lombardi Trophy of the Kyle Shanahan era. It’d really hurt to make it to the NFL’s Final Four in four out of five years and not get it done, so the pressure is very much on, especially with Goff or Baker waiting in the next round.

Anticipation Popcorn GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

A beer bottle on a dock

MORE FROM WHISKEY RIFF

WHISKEY RIFF RAFF PODCAST

WHISKEY RIFF SHOP

NEWSLETTER

ABOUT US

THE TEAM

STAY ENTERTAINED

A RIFF ON WHAT COUNTRY IS REALLY ABOUT

A beer bottle on a dock