The San Francisco 49ers are down to their third-string quarterback this season, but he is also good enough to lead them to Super Bowl. At least it looked that way in a dominant 7-35 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday.
Stepping into his first NFL start, the moment wasn’t too big for rookie signal-caller Brock Purdy. He did what Kyle Shanahan quarterbacks usually do, delivering timely passes, managing the game, and taking care of the football. But the Iowa State product also showed flashes of big-play potential, rushing for a touchdown and tossing a 32-yard passing touchdown to Brandon Aiyuk.
Purdy, who carries the title of “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, finished the contest by completing 16 out of his 21 pass attempts and throwing for 185 yards and two touchdowns. The 22-year-old did most of his damage in the first half, as the 49ers decided to commit to run in the second half due to a big lead.
Brock Purdy’s solid outing is good news for the 49ers. If the rookie signal-caller continues to play like this down the stretch, San Francisco has every reason to believe that they still have a chance to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy.
The 49ers are currently first in NFC West with a 9-4 record. They play division rivals Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football in Week 15.
