Although besting the Dallas Cowboys in a prime-time game has become the norm for the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday night's 42-10 victory should inspire completely new confidence for fans. Why? Brock Purdy.

The young quarterback continues to defy expectations for a Mr. Irrelevant and prove that he is more than just a game manager. He is also adept at learning from his mistakes, of which there were plenty in his last meeting with the Cowboys in the NFL Playoffs.

Purdy was just 19-of-29 for 214 passing yards and had an unimpressive 55.2 QB Rating in January's NFC Divisional Round game. He was an entirely different player in the latest clash, throwing for 252 yards and four touchdowns (10. 5 yards per pass completion). The 23-year-old underdog made sure to put in the work that made such significant improvement possible.

“Watching the film from last year, it was like, ‘Yeah, I want to be better,'” he told ESPN's Nick Wagoner. “That's really every game, but going back to last year it was like, ‘All right, I'm going to be playing a lot of the same guys on defense, a lot of the same scheme, so it's another challenge for me. With this scheme, I want to be better than I was last time.'”

Brock Purdy's massive improvement with 49ers

49ers, Brock Purdy, Kyle Shanahan

Brock Purdy is taking massive strides in his second season. He has recorded 1,271 passing yards, nine touchdowns, a sterling 72 percent completion rate and no interceptions through five games. Yes, the 49ers boast as much talent as any team, but it is no coincidence that the former Iowa State star's impressive play coincides with a 5-0 team record.

“I knew that the game would come to me over time,” Purdy said. “Just got to get into a rhythm, hit the open guys, do my part as a quarterback, don't try to force stuff and be a superhero, and that's that. I learned from the game last year, moved on and just played this week.”

There is maybe no QB trait more valuable than adaptability. Considering how motivated Purdy is by the past, it will be interesting to see how he looks on Sunday, Dec. 3 when the 49ers battle the Philadelphia Eagles.