Head coach Kyle Shanahan was taken aback when 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy hit Brandon Aiyuk with the game-winning touchdown pass on Thanksgiving night.
Aiyuk was the focus of the Seahawks’ zone coverage during the play, and Shanahan believed that Purdy should have checked down for a shorter gain. Rather, Purdy neatly placed the ball in Aiyuk’s hands for the 28-yard touchdown.
Shanahan remarked, “I couldn’t believe he was throwing it.” The zone coverage guys were very deep, so normally you could check it down right underneath them and get about twelve, but Brock believed he could drop it in over the player. It was a clear throw that was perfectly timed, and he got it over him, sealing the victory.
Purdy frequently takes a risk downfield on a play when other quarterbacks could have chosen the safer checkdown, according to Shanahan.
“He tries to get that one in very regularly, and he does that pretty consistently. He hardly ever checks it down, so you tell him he didn’t catch the deep one. That is how he sees things. He demonstrated to us that it was the correct way while the ball was in the air, according to Shanahan.
When Purdy threw the ball, Shanahan was asked if he believed he had read the ball incorrectly at that precise moment.
“Yes, the guy was so deep that we’re all holding our breath when he lets it go, but Brock has the touch and he was able to throw it over him,” Shanahan remarked. “He made the throw, and if he hadn’t thrown it, I wouldn’t have known, but once he did, it was clearly there.”
Purdy made an incredible play that helped the 49ers win big, and it should make him a frequent topic of discussion when it comes to MVP awards.
