Former #49ers WR Emmanuel Sanders on Brock Purdy being #13 in the PFF QB rankings: “I don’t think that’s a fair spot. As far as Purdy, I just don’t understand why people keep sleeping on him. I was talking to Deebo last year just about Purdy and I said, 'man what is it about Purdy?', and he said 'you should see him in the huddle. He comes in the huddle and plays with a certain confidence. He comes in, he believes, he makes other guys believe'… Keep sleeping on Purdy, he’s gonna prove them wrong.”
Very nice take from E. Sanders. But, I believe that the NFL already has a keen idea of who Purdy is. Purdy went head to head with the best QB in football during the Superbowl and only lost because of one overthrown pass in overtime. I doubt that anybody who knows the game is sleeping on Purdy.
ReplyDeletePer George Kittle,
ReplyDelete"He’s got incredibly strong hands. For a guy that does it all, he runs the routes, he does the run game, he shows up every day loving the game, then you get to game day, and he makes all those plays, that’s somebody that you want to be in your building. That’s somebody that you want to pay. Because he’s going to keep bringing it every day, and he’s going to raise the standard of everybody around him. So when you have a guy like that who does everything, it’s great for us.”
Speaking on "sleeping on a player" this definitely applies to Jennings. Nice comments from Kittle.
Are people really SLEEPING on Purdy?
ReplyDeleteBeing labeled "MR IRRELEVANT" obviously led some to calling him a
GAME MANAGER. But after leading the 9ers to a SB, those that know
the game should know better.
* Chris Foerster, the o-line coach and run game coordinator for the 9ers, made an argument that I found conflicting. He explained why 49ers don't need first-rounders on O-line. Why the 9ers should "invest in guys that touch the ball, guys that can touch the ball and score touchdowns. And then there's a range of guys, second, third, fourth round, fifth round even, that we will find starting offensive linemen in.”
* Foerster did admitted there is a limit to how low a team can go while still maintaining the integrity of the offensive line. But the long-time coach believes it is unnecessary to put five first-round picks across the line of scrimmage.
While I don't disagree with Foerster, I'm left with a feeling of "WHAT IF the 9ers had a better O-line? Outside of TW, the 9ers had an o-line that struggles in pass protection. Excluding Williams, the highest pass-blocking grade on the 9ers’ starting o-line belonged to Colton McKivitz at 57.3, who has allowed 55 pressures — including nine sacks — on 652 pass-blocking snaps. Also featured on this offensive line are Aaron Banks (53.9 pass-blocking grade), Jake Brendel (43.7), Spencer Burford (26.5) and Jon Feliciano (65.9), who will occasionally sub in at one of the guard spots.
* Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones forces 9er QB Brock Purdy into a throwaway at a critical time and prevents a potential go-ahead touchdown in overtime on a third-down red zone play.
* Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid and defensive lineman George Karlaftis are able to win a footrace to the edge against 9ers QB Brock Purdy and combine for a drive-ending 4-yard sack.
* THE QUESTION I ASK MYSELF, IS FOERSTER RIGHT?
What if these 2 plays didn't happen? Would the 9ers have won the SB? And would Purdy be given his due as a top QB and a SB winner?
* ALSO, WILL THE 9ERS GET TO THE SB IN 2024? And if they do
get to the SB in 2024, then lose again because the other teams D
puts pressure on Purdy and ends game winning drives?
NOTE: Purdy earned a 90.9 passing grade from a clean pocket this last season, tied for the 6th-best mark in the league. On pressured drop backs, that grade fell to 56.9, which dropped him to 12th.
* “Now, there's a line,” Foerster said. “This is what I always say with o-line play -- there's a line below which that, with offensive line play, that if you just drop a little bit below it, it’s a gaping hole. All of a sudden, you're like, ‘He can't block anybody.’ And now we got a major problem."
GEEP,
ReplyDeleteLast years OL play would have been much worse if Garoppolo had still been the QB. Purdy's pocket escapability kept the OL from receiving an overall lower grade.
Foerster's philosophy has some merit. While using a high draft pick on a top OL is ideal, it doesn't always guarantee a perennial winning team. We can look no further then the Colts Quinten Nelson. On the other hand veteran Feliciano has been a nice pickup for the 49ers. To many variables involved, imho.
AES
ReplyDeleteWith respect to Garoppolo, I totally agree with you! And I hope I made it clear that IMO, Purdy has earned the respect of a Star QB. He's the reason the 9ers got to the SB by beating GB and the Lions.
The point I was making when I said I was conflicted, was with better o-line pass blocking, the 9ers (Purdy) would have beat KC and never gone to overtime.
As Foerster says, "if your o-line just drop a little bit below it, it’s a gaping hole. All of a sudden, you're like, ‘He can't block anybody. And now we got a major problem."
So my question then is...Did the 9ers upgrade the o-line enough to win
a SB in 2024? If not, is Foerster right or wrong? and if NOT, who's to blame?
GEEP,
ReplyDeleteThat probably won't be answered until next February. But, if Foerster has any issues during the 24 season, he may go the way of Wilkes.
TBD
AES
ReplyDeleteAlthough Foerster likely has an input, it's hard to blame Foerster when he's NOT deciding who to draft, or free the agent to sign.
That why is ask "who's to blame?"
Maybe the better question to ask is, who's NOT to blame?
GEEP,
ReplyDeleteIf Foerster loses his players confidence at it begins to show on the field with underachieving play, imo, it has to be Foerster. Lynch didn't receive any blame for the Wilkes hiring and subsequent firing. And the same goes for Shanahan, who like Lynch isn't going anywhere.
Who would you blame?
AES
DeleteWho's NOT to blame? Purdy
Who's to blame other than Purdy? IMO, there is enough blame to
go around.
Who are we blaming and what are we blaming them for?
ReplyDeleteIt's complicated, but that is the question. You have to read all of the thread to get the gist of the discussion.
DeleteAdding complexity to the argument, if you are going to hold Foerster/ the 49ers draft philosophy accountable for when the OL makes mistakes (because they haven't drafted high), you also need to give them praise when playmakers make plays, because the philosophy allows them to focus on getting those guys.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this puts this thread in perspectives. Per Jed York,
Delete“It’s up to us to make sure we compete for and win Super Bowls,” York said. “That’s our only goal. We don’t raise division championship banners, we don’t raise NFC Championship banners. We raise Super Bowl banners. And whenever we don’t deliver that, I hope that you will hold me directly responsible and accountable for it. And we look forward to getting this thing back on track.”
Well, we know Jed isn't going anywhere.
Scooter
DeleteI couldn't agree more. In the end, the results are what counts.....good or bad.
I would only add that, IMO, Purdy may have saved the job(s) of those who made the mistake of giving up 3 first round draft picks and a 3rd round draft pick for Lance. But as you point out, we then have to give them credit for drafting Purdy.....
Complex and complicated, indeed.
Purdy, Purdy, Purdy, sigh; The one thing that separates the best from the rest cannot be measured. It can be witnessed but it can't be seen. To define it would be an attempt at futility. It's there we all have witnessed it, that is why we say he has the 'it'.
ReplyDelete.