A skill that goes unappreciated was displayed by Brock Purdy during the 49ers’ thrilling victory over the Lions. The 49ers will be able to use this expertise against the Chiefs.
Against the Lions in the NFC championship game, Brock Purdy didn’t get off to a great start.
The 49ers managed just seven points in the first half in part because of it. But in the second half, Purdy made a few plays that allowed him to completely change the course of events. In that second half, he displayed his strongest quality, which is mental toughness. When Purdy is under actual and metaphorical pressure, he never receives enough credit for that.
However, he possesses another quality that is greatly underestimated, and it was demonstrated against the Lions. It is a quality that will be useful and important while playing the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. That quality is what my close friend Moe Moton of Bleacher Report would refer to as his “functional mobility”. Purdy carried the ball five times for 48 yards against the Lions, showcasing his flawless movement. According to Deebo Samuel, his longest run was 21 yards, which might have been a score. The 49ers would probably struggle more offensively without it.
He has functional mobility for reasons other than just running with the ball. Purdy has the ability to scurry out of the pocket when pass rushers are putting pressure on him and to manoeuvre in the pocket to buy time. Purdy usually bails out of the pocket in response to pressure or if nothing opens up after a few seconds. He never takes too many sacks since he does that so effectively every time. He was only brought down 28 times throughout the regular season, and everyone who has seen the 49ers this year knows that if he hadn’t used his mobility, that number would have been higher.
In the playoffs, Purdy has only been defeated three times thus far. He deserves credit for handling pressure and escaping some of them, just as much as the offensive line. Purdy and the 49ers offence will undoubtedly have fits from the Chiefs defence. Not every play will be simple, and he’ll undoubtedly encounter many situations where maintaining his mobility is essential to the team’s success. That might make all the difference in the Super Bowl victory or defeat. Kyle Shanahan has always known and valued this aspect of Purdy much.
“The first time he got in the preseason you could see him do it,” said Shanahan. “Then I always go back to his first NFL game with Miami. He made some plays moving around when they were blitzing the heck out of him. It’s so huge. You always want a guy who can sit there and get the ball to the right people every single time and find that hole in the defense and make those throws standing in there and being accurate. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s impossible to get to number three without someone beat.
“He’s got a natural ability of when to give up on the play. When to make a guy miss. When to turn it off schedule. No matter what happens, he gives you a chance. Everyone knows because everyone saw it, but those plays he made with his feet last night in the second half that was a problem for the defense and they had some good coverages on. He kept the chains moving and also found a way to get some explosives doing it too.”