The San Francisco 49ers defeated the frisky Carolina Panthers 20-9 on Monday night. Despite quarterback Brock Purdy’s three first-half interceptions, the 49ers managed to notch their second win in a row.
Purdy’s teammates came to his defense after the game, and star running back Christian McCaffrey did not hold back when asked if he felt the team needed to speak with him about the poor passes.
“He's as poised (as they come) … nobody needs to tell him anything,” McCaffrey told reporters. “It's like, if I make a mistake or I have a drop, you know, somebody says, ‘catch the ball!' It's like, I just want to knock them out.”
Monday marked Purdy’s second game back since returning from a right toe injury that had kept him sidelined. In addition to the three interceptions, Purdy also recorded one touchdown and completed 23 of 32 passes for 193 yards.
49ers tight end George Kittle also showed support following Purdy’s rough outing.
“I never say anything after the first (interception),” Kittle told Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “After the second one, I just said, ‘Dude, just take a deep breath, man. You’ve been here; you’re good. Just breathe. Let it out. Move on to the next play.’ That’s it. He’s a professional. He knows what he’s doing.”
Purdy and the 49ers are 8-4 on the season. They will take on the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday. Even if fans and pundits may be wondering if the 25-year-old will falter again, his teammates are expecting him to bounce back with the help of his typically even-keeled disposition
“The guy’s been level-headed his entire career,” 49ers center Jake Brendel told the San Francisco Chronicle. “He was super stoic back when he was a rookie. So I’m not expecting him to freak out and go in the tank.”
