SANTA CLARA — Life was simpler for the 49ers when Brock Purdy became the starting quarterback in 2022. Fixated on proving he could prove to his teammates he could compete in the NFL, he concentrated on carrying out coach Kyle Shanahan’s complex game plans with precision.
Purdy quickly processed his options, with the ball leaving his hands shortly after the snap from center Jake Brendel and into the hands of playmakers Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Jauan Jennings. Then he sat back and watched as the 49ers laid waste to the opposition.
He was Jimmy Garoppolo with enough mobility to open up the Shanahan playbook. Bootlegs and rollouts that weren’t part of the plan with Garoppolo were in vogue, and Shanahan was instantly a better play-caller the moment he took over.
As Purdy has absorbed the offense in all its detail and become more comfortable in his skill level as an NFL quarterback after 32 starts (including the playoffs) and 23 wins, defenses have adjusted.
Purdy’s legs will never have equal billing with his arm — he’s not Lamar Jackson — but he’s more apt to either escape and measure off the needed yardage for a first down or go into a scramble mode that had Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon calling him “Houdini.”
It’s worth considering whether Shanahan and Purdy will determine maybe it’s time to take a few steps back to 2022 and get back to the fundamental goal of the 49ers attack. Purdy’s rushing forays have kept some drives alive and his scrambling has plenty of entertainment value, but it comes with more risk.
Some of it has been dictated by the defense. The shallow crosses and short passing that Purdy thrived on have taken a back seat to deeper throws by necessity, and not having McCaffery around has had its impact.
“My rookie year, even with Jimmy, man, we hit a lot of stuff over the middle and had a lot of explosive (plays) and cross plays getting it into Deebo and B.A.’s hands and they break one tackle and they’re gone,” Purdy said going into the Arizona game. “We do see a lot more help in the middle of the field for sure. We have to adjust, man. That’s football.”
He’s liable to see something similar Thursday night when the 49ers (2-3) visit the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle’s first-year head coach, Mike Macdonald, was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens last season on Christmas night when Purdy had the worst game of his NFL career with four interceptions. Baltimore won 33-19.
The new defensive approach for Purdy is written all over the stats. His average pass of 10.5 air yards and 9.5 per completion are the highest in the NFL. The 49ers’ yards after catch is down three yards per reception.
As far as getting rid of the ball quickly, according to Next Gen Stats, Purdy’s time of 3.15 seconds from snap to pass is the most in the NFL. The scrambling has been a blessing when he’s racing out of bounds past the yard markers.
The scrambling was a curse on Sunday against Arizona late in the third quarter. With the 49ers up 23-13 and the 49ers deep in Arizona territory, Jennings had a false start and then Purdy took a 9-yard sack. Without a field goal kicker, the 49ers were forced to go for a first down on fourth-and-23 and turned it over on downs.
“It goes both ways,” Shanahan said. “When it’s a three-man rush, they usually cover your checkdowns. There are times you want to get rid of it quick, but people have to be open quick too. When it’s a three-man rush, they usually cover your checkdowns. When your checkdowns are covered, I’m glad we have another option.”
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Purdy’s running helped the 49ers to playoff wins last season against Green Bay and Detroit. But the 49ers are 0-3 in Purdy’s three highest rushing games in the regular season — six carries for 57 yards against Cincinnati last season, 10 carries for 31 yards against the Rams this season and four carries for 33 yards against Arizona.
In the first two games this season, Purdy had three rushes for 23 yards. In the last three, it’s 19 for 85.
Purdy believes he’s holding the ball longer — and occasionally running — because that’s what defenses are dictating.
“There’s been some plays where I’m scrambling because that’s what the defense is doing in terms of dropping eight and giving us different looks,” Purdy said. “It’s about keeping a play alive. But I still go about my progressions, just like I have the last couple of years.
“I’m not going into a game going, ‘I’m going to hold on to the ball longer and make something happen.’ It’s how can I be efficient, help the O-line, get the ball out of my hands and do my job.”
Purdy understands there’s a balance to be struck.
“If I can make something happen with my legs and move the chains, great, let’s go,” Purdy said. “At the same time, it’s not going to be the case every time and I’m scrambling around like it’s backyard football. I’ve got to be smart, make a couple of guys miss, throw the ball away and be willing to play with third-and-manageable rather than make up for it with a 10-yard loss and a crazy scramble. It’s a fine balance.”
To tight end George Kittle, who has been with the 49ers since Shanahan’s first year 2017, the scrambling is a new development.
“We’ve had guys that were kind of mobile and made a play once in a while, but Brock can scurry around back there,” Kittle told KNBR-680 Tuesday. “That’s something that we, as an offense and skill players had to get used to in how he wants us to get open, where he’s going with it. We’re trying to figure that out too. The more Brock does it, the more we’ll get used to it and we’ll get some explosive (plays) out of it.”
