We're barely six months removed from Brock Purdy nearly leading the San Francisco 49ers to their first Super Bowl win since 1995, but on Sunday night during the Niners' second preseason game of the year, Purdy must've felt like that Super Bowl loss was actually six years ago, not six months ago. Not surrounded by his typical supporting cast which is stacked with All-Pro performers, Purdy struggled badly on Sunday, completing just 2-of-6 passes for only 11 yards on three drives, all which ended with punts.
After the game, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked if he planned on playing Purdy in Friday's preseason finale versus the Las Vegas Raiders. Shanahan quickly responded, “yes,” before explaining why Purdy played for as long as he did against the Saints on Sunday night.
“Just thought that it'd be good for him to get a couple reps in or a couple drives in. We were hoping it would be one long drive just to get him out,” Kyle Shanahan said, according to Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated. “But we had, I think it was two, three-and-outs, so I don't want to go past that. I think it's good for quarterbacks to get in. Felt good with the guys that were in there and we were pretty conservative with what we did with them and I felt Brock kind of wanted to do it too.”
Purdy reiterated what Shanahan said, telling reporters after the game, “They asked me if I wanted to play, and I said, ‘Yeah, I'd like to get out there and get a feel for it,” according to David Bonilla of 49ers Web Zone. “Honestly, it's those [reasons why] I liked just the idea of playing in a preseason game, to feel again before the season gets here and everything. So, it's good reps for me. It's a good feel for me as a quarterback. So, I didn't mind it. It's part of the game.”
Brock Purdy, 49ers look to build momentum in preseason finale
Part of the reason why Brock Purdy's first preseason performance of the year is under such intense scrutiny is because of how rocky 49ers practices have been for him. Interceptions plagued Purdy in the early part of camp, and even though his 49ers teammates believe he's ready to take his game to the next level, knocking the rust off ahead of San Francisco's opening week Monday Night Football matchup with the New York Jets is priority number one for Purdy and the 49ers as the preseason finale approaches.
“Obviously, you want to get as close as you can to the feeling of how it's going to be Week 1 against New York, and getting your feet out there, and that feeling of putting a drive together, moving the ball, first downs, points on the board,” Purdy said. “So, that's the goal. That's the goal every time we step out [on] the field. But Week 1's rolling up closer than we know it, so we're going to be ready for it.”
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