Has the NFL Caught Up to 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy?
Brock Purdy hasn't been quite the same since he lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas.
Heading into the game, he was the overwhelming favorite to win the MVP Award. But he threw four interceptions and lost. And since that game, his production has been modest.
In Purdy's last seven starts, he has won four games, lost three, thrown six touchdown passes and six interceptions, fumbled once and posted a passer rating of 87. That's about as average as it gets. And he's playing on the best team in football.
To be fair, three of those games were in the postseason against quality defenses. And he threw four of those six interceptions in one game -- the Ravens game. Which means he has committed just three turnovers in his past six games, which is respectable.
But Purdy also has thrown just six touchdown passes in his past seven starts, which is downright Jimmy Garoppoloesque. When Purdy first took over as the 49ers' starting quarterback, teams couldn't keep him out of the end zone. Now, he's settling for field goals more and more. The 49ers kicked six in Week 1 alone.
Now that he doesn't have his safety blanket in Christian McCaffrey, he seems far less confident. Before, he always knew he could dump the ball off to McCaffrey if he was under pressure. Now, he's holding the ball and getting sacked far more than in the past. It's like he's doing a Jimmy Garoppolo impression. A good one.
Will the real Brock Purdy please stand up?