It takes talent and skill to make it to the NFL, but what tends to separate the stars from mediocre players is the ability to self-evaluate, accept feedback that isn’t positive and make the necessary adjustments or improvements. Brock Purdy, the second-year quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, had been gliding along ever since taking over the starting spot in Week 13 of last season.
But he was dealt one of his first jolts of adversity on Sunday when he played perhaps the worst game of his pro career to date in his team’s first loss of the season.
Against an impressive Cleveland Browns defense, he completed only 12 of 27 passes and threw his first interception of the year as the Niners mustered only 107 net passing yards and lost 19-17.
Afterward, Purdy admitted he didn’t play well.
“We scored on the first drive and for me, it’s like let’s get into a rhythm, let’s move the chains, that was my mentality the whole game,” Purdy said. “I feel like I didn’t play to the standard.”
The Browns rank first in total yards given up, and it has been that type of defensive production that has allowed them to fight to a 3-3 record despite injuries to star running back Nick Chubb and starting quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Another factor in Purdy’s poor performance was the fact that wide receiver Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey were unavailable for a good chunk of the game due to injuries.
On the season, Brock Purdy still has a solid 67.5 percent completion rate and a 111.9 passer rating, which is second in the NFL, while notching 10 touchdown passes. It will now be up to him to bounce back and play the way he was prior to Week 6 when the Niners visit the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Oct. 23. Samuel and McCaffrey could be available to play in that contest, which would certainly help.
It could be the next step in the QB’s development journey that he and San Francisco hope will end with a Vince Lombardi Trophy this winter.
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