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The debate of whether Brock Purdy deserves a record-breaking contract extension will not be settled today. But when the San Francisco 49ers needed him most, Purdy put together a near-perfect performance.
In Sunday’s 38-13 win vs. the Chicago Bears, Purdy looked like a superstar. Precise with his passes and exuding the confidence seen when the 49ers are rolling, Purdy diced up the Bears’ defense.
To begin the game, Purdy led a five-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. He completed all four passes, including a 31-yard screen pass to George Kittle while evading the blitz, and capped it off with a touchdown to Jauan Jennings.
His success continued through the entire first half, which may have been Purdy’s best of the season. Against the Bears’ number eight-ranked defense, Purdy tallied 258 yards and two touchdowns before halftime.
He would finish with 325 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a season-high 145.4 passer rating.
After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan shared his thoughts on Purdy’s performance.
Shanahan’s Thoughts on Brock Purdy
Getty49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy throws a pass during the second half against the Chicago Bears
“…He’s been battling, been awesome in practice. He’s been great in the meetings and I was real happy for him today because it seemed like he played his ass off. He was decisive in everything he did and is always a competitor.”
Purdy was most decisive on the Bears’ side of the field, posting a 91 percent completion rate, 156 passing yards, and two touchdowns. His efforts led to the team scoring in five of six red zone opportunities — a staggering 83 percent efficiency against the Bears’ top-rated red zone defense.
Purdy explained the difference in the team’s offensive performance, saying, “We kept it simple,” and attributed the success to a change in mindset.
The 49ers changed mindset may have come after team leaders, including Purdy, spoke to the team before Sunday’s game.
Purdy’s Message to the Team
Getty49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy looks on during warmups before a game against the Seattle Seahawks
“I was just trying to keep it real and remind guys this isn’t easy. This job isn’t for everybody, but who we have in this building, we have what it takes.” Purdy continues, “We’ve shown that the last couple years and we’ve just got to dig deep and find ourselves. I think we did, I think guys responded to it.”
Purdy also used his speech to inspire himself.
“Really I was just talking to myself too, not just trying to preach to the guys, but remind myself of how hard this thing is and how much of a competitor you’ve got to be for four quarters and go and take it. Nothing’s ever given to you. So it was just a reminder to myself and to our teammates of where we’re at and where we’re trying to go and some other guys spoke. I think we all feel it. We just want to win for each other at this point.”
The 49ers must carry over their changed mindset this Thursday vs. the Los Angeles Rams. A win would secure the season tie-breaker over Los Angeles and bring San Francisco’s record back to .500. A loss would undo all the work from Week 13’s win over the Chicago Bears.
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Brock Purdy Answers Call in 49ers Win vs. Chicago Bears