In the San Francisco 49ers’ devastating loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Brock Purdy played arguably his worst game as a starter. The 49ers, expected to perform at a high level, were completely outmatched, and Purdy’s performance was a key reason for their downfall.
Even head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the brutal defeat, stating, “We got our ass kicked today.” One of the main reasons for this loss was Purdy’s erratic play, marked by three costly interceptions. Throughout the game, Purdy struggled with accuracy, forcing throws, and dealing with batted passes at the line of scrimmage.
Shanahan did not shy away from the truth, stating, “We didn’t do anything really good on offense. I know he’d love to have all three of those picks back. Brock’s been playing unbelievable this year, but today wasn’t that day.” Indeed, Purdy’s exposure against the Chiefs’ man-to-man coverage highlighted significant weaknesses in his game.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called for aggressive man-to-man press coverage, a defensive scheme that Purdy struggles against. The Chiefs’ cornerbacks played press coverage on nearly 60% of their snaps, completely disrupting the timing of the 49ers’ routes. Purdy, known for his anticipation throws, was thrown off rhythm and failed to complete any of his five passes against press coverage, including two interceptions.
This performance exposed Purdy’s vulnerabilities when defenses play tight, aggressive man coverage. If other teams are smart, they will adopt similar tactics to throw off Purdy’s timing. While not all defenses have the same caliber of cornerbacks as the Chiefs, employing press coverage could still disrupt Purdy’s game.
Another glaring issue in Purdy’s game is his lack of arm strength. He had two potential game-changing opportunities with deep passes to George Kittle and rookie Jacob Cowing, both resulting in underthrown balls that limited the plays. What could have been touchdowns turned into missed opportunities, as Purdy failed to capitalize on these chances.
Despite the rough game, Purdy acknowledged his shortcomings, saying, “I think I’ve just got to play better for sure with my throws and some decisions.”
For Brock Purdy and the 49ers, this defeat serves as a wake-up call, exposing areas of concern that will need immediate attention if they hope to remain contenders this season.
