In the last week of the 2022 NFL regular season and playoffs, the rookie quarterback who conquered the odds to earn a spot on the roster as the 49ers' No. 3 quarterback is now the team's most crucial player.
Brock Purdy.
After the 49ers' 37-34 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on the road, linebacker Fred Warner remarked, "He has been exactly what we've needed at that position and has stepped up big time."
In the five games since leaving the bench to replace Jimmy Garoppolo, who broke his foot on December 4, Purdy has checked every box you can think of.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk of the 49ers remarked on Sunday, "Today truly showed us that this dude's on another level."
Of course, Purdy wasn't flawless, but on a day when the 49ers' defense failed and the offense was put to the test to prove it could prevail in a shootout, Purdy passed his greatest test.
Aiyuk stated, "He handled it wonderfully. "He performed admirably. super composed dude He never has to deal with a significant occasion.
The 49ers' third-quarter deficit of 24-14 was the most since Purdy took over as the team's starter. Late in the fourth quarter, Purdy twice took the squad on strong, high-pressure drives.
With 4:08 left in the game and the score knotted at 27-27, Purdy connected with Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey for gains of 23 and 38 yards to set up Jordan Mason's game-winning touchdown run of 14 yards.
CMC is UNREAL pic.twitter.com/fKlEu9hS2w
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With 1:11 left in the game, the Raiders knotted it, and Purdy went back to work, completing passes of 12, 18, and 11 yards to Aiyuk.
As the clock ran down, Robbie Gould's 41-yard field goal attempt sailed right, forcing overtime.
The only thing Purdy was required to do throughout overtime was to kneel. Gould's game-winning field goal from 23 yards on second down was made possible by Tashaun Gipson's 56-yard interception return.
Purdy never ceases to astound the veterans around him with his professionalism.
He was fantastic, McCaffrey said. "Not only was he poised, but he also assumed the throne, made a few decisions in the huddle and governed with a firm hand.
"Everything went quite well. A game like that came at a good moment, especially for him to be able to go out there, maintain his composure, and accomplish what he did.
George Kittle, a tight end, stated that he thought Purdy was unusually suited for rapid success as a professional because of the ups and downs he encountered throughout his 46-start collegiate career at Iowa State.
In college, Purdy enjoyed a lot of success, but he also had to develop his ability to recover from setbacks. To prepare Purdy for what he and the club will probably face in the NFL playoffs, the 49ers could not have scripted a better scenario.
That's what you want to see from Brock, according to Kittle, "to just get those reps with a tonne of pressure on your shoulders and just to push right through it."
Purdy has a quarterback rating of 106.4 and has completed 95 of 141 pass attempts, or 67.4 percent, for 1,130 yards and 10 touchdowns with three interceptions.
With Purdy at the helm for the previous five triumphs, the 49ers enter Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals riding a nine-game winning run.
Warner said, "I can't say enough about Brock and the way he's played. "For the remainder of the season, we're going to need him greatly.
"He has significantly increased. For a novice, composure and confidence are amazing.
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