It must be similar to a father being asked which of his children is his favorite for 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan to be asked to select the qualities of quarterback Brock Purdy that best fit his offense. However, Shanahan complied when questioned about it during his post-game press conference following the 49ers’ 45-29 Week 15 thrashing of the Cardinals.
In a daring move, he even said that he had never coached a quarterback as prolific as Purdy, who had helped him develop players like Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, and (gasp!) Jimmy Garoppolo.
Shanahan mentioned his favorite quality about Brock Purdy, “that he can see the whole field.” He is incapable of anything. You can see how composed he is, and when he is pressed for time, he can respond by bringing things to his attention so he won’t have to take a sack. Or he works on something not on time.
“Not only does he run our offense with command, but he also makes as many plays as any quarterback I have ever seen in the two years that I have been around.”
Brock Purdy Threw for 4 Touchdowns
Naturally, Shanahan was happy to be asked about his favorite Purdy characteristic on this particular day. Purdy’s only accomplishment in Arizona was a 16-for-25 throwing performance that resulted in 242 yards and four touchdowns. His quarterback rating of 135.3 marks the fifth time in the previous six games that he has recorded a rating of 120 or over.
In the second quarter, Purdy had a little scare with a stinger and had to exit the game for a few plays. However, he came back to complete a touchdown pass. Purdy has family in the region, so toward the end of the game, fans in the stadium were singing his name.
Shanahan commented, “I bet that was really cool for him, to be able to hear that at the end of the game.” I thought that was wonderful to hear for him. Although I’ve known for a few days now that he has a large family here, I was unaware of this. You simply become engrossed in the week’s events. Nevertheless, it’s always better when you can play like that, especially after the scare with the injury, as he informed me when he had some men coming. However, there’s not much more awesome than finishing the game to hear people yell your name.
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers Focused on Playoff Bye
With the victory, Brock Purdy and the 49ers secured the NFC West championship for the second consecutive year. With an 11-3 record, they are still in the lead and will receive the top seed in the league. Dallas’ 10-4 record was damaged by their loss to Buffalo, and Philadelphia takes on Seattle on Monday night, with quarterback Jalen Hurts being doubtful due to sickness.
The 49ers will play the 7-7 Rams and the 4-10 Commanders to wrap off the season after a challenging game against the Ravens on Christmas.
“While I know the boys are excited, securing two home games and attempting to secure a bye are currently our top priorities. We are currently concentrating on it,” Shanahan stated.
