Since Brock “Mr. Irrelevant” Purdy became the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback following Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan has gradually opened the playbook to give the rookie more opportunities to cook in Shanahan’s offense.
This was evident with 3:49 left in the first quarter of San Francisco’s Thursday night game against the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy took the snap from center, and executed the rarely-seen double pump fake. The 49ers ran motion to indicate zone coverage, and then, Purdy’s first fake took linebacker Cody Barton out of the middle of the field. Purdy’s subsequent pump-fake to the right took linebacker Jordyn Brooks out of the middle of the field to that side.
Now, all Purdy had to do was to hit tight end George Kittle over the vacated middle for an easy 28-yard touchdown.
The double fake from Purdy! Kittle is in for the TD @brockpurdy13 @gkittle46#SFvsSEA on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/gyMqx7NKs2 pic.twitter.com/D4TA8mIiq2— NFL (@NFL) December 16, 2022
Shanahan is probably the best play-designer in the NFL when it comes to motion and misdirection, and this was a master class in both. Seattle’s linebackers, who were already getting gashed in the run game, were easy pickings for these fakes, and given Shanahan’s proclivity for taking a defense apart as often as possible, you’ll probably see more of these before the game is over.
The linebackers have been part of the issue for a Seahawks defense that has fallen apart in the second half of the season.
“I would say that in certain aspects, again, they have continued to make strides, but they obviously have their part in things that they have to get better at,” defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt said this week of Barton and Brooks. “It’s a collective thing, coaches and players. We are never going to put the finger at them, it’s all of us in this thing together to get it right. They have done some things well and continue to take steps in the right direction.”
This was not a step in the right direction. At all. It was, however, another step forward for Purdy, who continues to impress beyond what just about anybody could have expected.
