49ers quarterback Brock Purdy completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes on Saturday night. In the first quarter, he served up a potential pick-six to Packers safety Darnell Savage, who dropped the ball. Purdy averaged only 6.46 yards per attempt.
On Monday, coach Kyle Shanahan was asked whether Purdy inaccuracy was influenced by the wet conditions. Within the long answer, Shanahan uttered some important words.
“I think it did a little bit with I think a couple,” Shanahan told reporters. “Even just watching [Packers quarterback Jordan] Love too. You watch the first play of the game that he had on that swing route, the ball’s slipping, throwing in front of the guy. There’s a couple that got him. So there’s definitely a few that got Brock, a few that he probably just missed trying to throw around a guy so it doesn’t get tipped and a couple that you just can’t explain, that just do happen. You usually have a couple in the game, but then you add a couple more with weather and a couple more just not being exactly on the throw. He had a few too many of them. He also made some hell of a throws too. Dropping some of those balls over that middle linebacker to get to [receiver] Jauan [Jennings] was unbelievable. The low and away ball to [receiver Brandon Aiyuk] on third down when they had pretty tight coverage on it. It was a hell of a throw and a hell of a catch that kept us out there, after the drop. So, he did a lot of good things too. By no means was he perfect, but it was really cool when we needed him to be at his best, he was. So, it gave us the best chance to win at the end.”
He had a few too many missed throws.
That necessarily increases the pressure on Purdy for this weekend, as the 49ers prepare to host the Lions for a berth in the Super Bowl. If Purdy plays poorly, will he keep the starting job for 2024? Given that the 49ers tried (per Purdy) to get Tom Brady for 2023, it’s a fair question to ask. (Amazingly, none of the assembled reporters asked Shanahan about Purdy’s claim that he was told the 49ers wanted to get Brady to be the starter this season.)
Based on the regular season, yes. But the postseason requires something more. Although Purdy got it together when it mattered most, there is reason to wonder how it will go on Sunday against Detroit.