49ers QB Brock Purdy explains how the defense has adapted to him

SANTA CLARA – Brock Purdy is having the best season of his career, but his numbers are down and his record is 2-2.

He has to work harder this season than in the past. That's partly because Christian McCaffrey is out with bilateral Achilles tendonitis. Another reason is that the defense has adapted to Purdy's style of play.

The sample size is now large enough to see what Purdy wants to do, which is throw the ball over the middle. So teams are trying to take that area of ​​the field away from the 49ers.

On Thursday, Purdy talked about how he's adjusting to the league's adjustments. Here's what he said, courtesy of the 49ers' public relations department.

Q: Obviously you're still having a lot of success on offense, but maybe it looks a little different than in the past in terms of being able to push the ball up the field more, maybe a few more throws from tight windows. I was wondering what you're seeing from the defenses that might change the way you need to go about achieving this? And do you think that's something that's specific to you, or is it just kind of a team-specific phenomenon and the defense that you're dealing with?

PURDY: “I would say it’s more team specific. Everyone has their own playing style. You know, Minnesota did their zone coverages and everything like that or got it all out. Last week against the Patriots they did a good job of playing man and directing everything up the middle. So there is a different topic every week. Obviously they're going to outsmart us and try to do what's best for them and slow us down with the playmakers we have. But at the same time I feel like there could be a theme of man coverage and trying to play one-on-one football. We got that from the Rams, we got that from the Patriots last week. So we see more and more that it's about people. And what does that mean for us? We just have to beat the man in front of us and then as quarterback I have to handle the ball accurately and execute. This is football at its best. And so I feel like we might see a little bit more of that, but at the same time, you never know because every defense has their own style.”

Q: Do you think defense is intentionally about shaking up the midfield a little bit more, trying to take away some of the midfielders and things that you've kind of made a living off of over the last few years? ?

“Yes, no, I agree 100 percent. I feel like my rookie year and this 2022 season, even with (Los Angeles Rams QB) Jimmy (Garoppolo), man, we hit a lot of stuff over the middle and we had a lot of explosive ones like that and cross- Court plays and gains the ball into the hands of (WR) Deebo (Samuel) and (WR Brandon Aiyuk) BA and then they break a tackle and are gone. So I feel like we'll see a lot more help and other things in the midfield for sure. But at the same time, it also opens up other things, paths and areas for us to improve and attack. And so some defenses do that, some don't. I think that's something we've seen over the last year or so. But we have to adapt, man, that’s football.”

Q: You have now started 25 regular season games in your career. Where have you seen or recognized the greatest growth you have achieved during this time? And then what is the next step for you to take it to an even higher level?

PURDY: “Yeah, I think the last year or so has been about getting in and doing my job well. And I feel like when I first came in I was like, 'Okay, how can I handle this offense as a whole?' Just mentally, like (head coach) Kyle (Shanahan) calls it and the language that it is , it's hard man. And you have to learn, you have to be up to date. And I definitely feel like I've grown in this area. And then I think the challenge for me now is: How can I continue to have that mentality of having that chip on my shoulder and playing every down in the game for four quarters? I feel like when I first came into my rookie year, there was this energy of, “Hey, I'm a young guy thrown in, man, I'm just going to show my guys that I can compete and bring something.” can't do it and bring it to every loss and every play and give our team a chance.' And sometimes, like when you play for a long time, you can kind of lose that and get caught up in the mental part of the game where I just have to do this or that in the game. But what it comes down to is for four quarters: Man, how do you keep up and improve the game of everyone else around you by doing what you need to do to win and that simplicity. So I feel like this is still an area that I can learn and grow from and remind me that it’s football.”

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