49ers’ Brock Purdy adding scrambling, comebacks to résumé

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In the week leading up to Sunday's NFC championship game against the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy didn't allow himself to look back on what happened. passed the last time he played on this stage.

When asked what it meant to him to get another shot at the NFC title after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow early in a devastating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last year , Purdy admitted that he “got hurt and it sucked.” That was about it.

Instead of wandering into the past, Purdy wanted to quickly project himself into the future. With his team down 17 points to the Lions entering the third quarter Sunday night, Purdy's refusal to look back manifested itself as the spark of San Francisco's stirring comeback.

Of course, Purdy reversed his passing struggles in the first half. but it was his electric routs (coupled with a bit of luck) that truly changed the 49ers' fortunes. As coach Kyle Shanahan said, Purdy's legs — whether it was gaining yards on the ground or escaping pressure to get the ball to his receivers — were “the difference between winning and losing “.

Winning two takedowns, Purdy rushed three times for 52 yards, including a pair of 21-yard runs to set up the touchdowns that gave San Francisco the lead for good in the 34-31 victory that sent the 49ers to their eighth Super Bowl.

“Have you ever seen one of those little water dragons that run on the water?” » said tight end George Kittle. “That's what I imagined every time he ran [the] soccer. … He’s just a tough kid. He has a lot of courage and he understands that when he plays at a high level, when he needs to play at a high level, everyone around him is better.”

Throughout the season, Purdy's teammates and coaches insisted he was a quarterback who made everyone around him better. His many critics insist that Purdy is a product of the talent around him and the scheme in which he plays. But as the 49ers head into a Super Bowl LVIII rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (6:30 p.m., ET, Sunday, Feb. 11, CBS), the experience of the past two weeks doesn't 'only boosted their confidence in the second-year quarterback.

While the Niners racked up 12 regular season wins and captured first place in the NFC, they often ran away from opponents early in games. Many wondered if they – and especially Purdy – were capable of coming from behind when things weren't going well.

Lost in that conversation was Purdy, one of the main reasons the Niners rarely trailed. When Purdy played well in the first three quarters, he often wasn't needed to play in the fourth, much less perform late in the game.

But these playoffs changed the situation. In each of the last two weeks, the Niners have fallen behind and been on the verge of their season collapsing. Purdy struggled to get on track early on, whether because of the weather conditions or just missing throws he normally makes.

Yet when the Niners needed him most, Purdy delivered. It's a trait they hope will serve them well and be the difference between winning and losing on Super Bowl Sunday.

“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. It all starts with him. We're lucky he's our quarterback. He takes a lot of pressure without any reason. Everything he's done has been a great leader and been “He's a great player. I'm so proud of him and motivated that I have another one with him this year. “

Purdy's performance against the Lions played a vital role in securing McCaffrey and the Niners that extra opportunity. While Purdy finished 20 of 31 for 267 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception to go along with his five carries for 48 yards, his splits in the first and second half offered a sharp reflection on how the game went. unfolded for the Niners. .

In the first two quarters, Purdy was 7 of 15 for 93 yards with one interception. In the final 30 minutes, he was 13 of 16 for 174 yards with one touchdown pass and 49 yards rushing. That running ability generated a career-high plus 10.6 expected points added during scrimmages, which led to six first downs. In addition to rushing for rushing yards, he went 3 of 4 for 41 yards and three first downs on runs that became passes.

Purdy's 315 combined passing and rushing yards were the most by a 49ers quarterback in a victory in the conference title game.

“You have to find a way,” Purdy said. “I feel like throughout my life I've been messing around and stuff here and there. Since I've been here, I feel like I haven't done it much… I “Just trying to keep the chains moving, keep the ball moving, and then obviously give our team some momentum and juice. I had to do it, so I did it.”

It's this approach by Purdy that leads his teammates to come to his defense, even though Purdy doesn't seem to pay attention to what anyone says about him. McCaffrey, Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, defensive end Chase Young, defensive tackle Arik Armstead and safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. each praised Purdy and mocked the outside noise .

Even the team's social media account took the opportunity to making fun of the “game manager” label this is often the case with Purdy.

We made it back to the Super Bowl 😏#FTTB pic.twitter.com/XYdY1dRJls

– San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 29, 2024

Now Purdy has the chance to pull the ultimate trump card. He's well past last year's elbow injury and is making his first Super Bowl appearance. He is one of four quarterbacks (along with Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson and Mark Sanchez) to win four playoff games in his first two seasons.

But to land No. 5, Purdy and the Niners will have to go through Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. It's a game Purdy called “special for all of us” considering the Chiefs denied the Niners the Lombardi Trophy in their Super Bowl LIV meeting four years ago.

There will be a lot to say about whether Purdy, the former Mr. Irrelevant, can surpass Mahomes, the standard-bearer at the position who has already launched himself into the “greatest of all time” conversations.

But that's not how the Niners see things. They don't want Purdy to be anyone other than the guy who repeatedly answered yes to every question about him. They want him to be the guy who will do whatever it takes to win, like he has over the last two weeks.

They want him to be himself.

“He’s an unbelievable quarterback,” Juszczyk said. “He’s a Super Bowl quarterback and I plan on him leading us to a victory in two weeks.”