Brock Purdy delivered an outstanding performance in a decisive victory against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, throwing five touchdown passes. This victory, their first Grand slam, is a pretty big deal for Purdy. He has now scored at least five touchdowns in back-to-back games! He pulled it off in style! He set a San Francisco 49ers record for the fewest games needed to throw 5+ TD passes in consecutive games (2).
Purdy’s on-field brilliance puts him in elite company for NFL history. He is now one of only six quarterbacks to achieve this milestone, joining the ranks of Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Ben Roethlisberger, and Daunte Culpepper. After his impressive outing against a strong Colts defense, it’s even more clear he’s on the path to becoming a star in this league.
In the playoff game against Indianapolis, Purdy passed in five touchdowns. He proved his versatility as a passer, throwing for three passing touchdowns while scoring two touchdowns on the ground. He is the first 49ers quarterback to do so with this combination. Jeff Garcia last did it in Week 14 of 2003 against the Cardinals. His skills to dodge tacklers and make precision throws to just-opened targets have been the second expected feature over his career.
It’s one of the reasons the 49ers have been thriving on offense with Purdy under center, particularly over the past few weeks. Since Week 11 he’s ascended all the way to third place in the NFL with an otherworldly QBR of 80.0. He averages a ridiculous 2.67 touchdown tosses per game. His completion percentage over expectation is 7.5%, good enough to rank second in the entire league. On top of that, he is ninth in passing yards per game at 242.3 and fifth in yards per attempt at 7.9.
Earlier this season, Purdy took the field with the Chicago Bears and stole the show. He finished with 24 completions on 33 attempts, amassing 303 yards through the air, three touchdowns and one interception. You could see that precision, as he finished the game with only two inaccurate throws. He tacked on six carries for 28 yards and two rushing touchdowns, showing off his dual-threat prowess.
Purdy’s knack for extending plays with his legs has certainly caught the attention of his peers. Offensive lineman Colton McKivitz praised Purdy’s leadership and performance, stating, “And it’s when his best is needed. This is what this team needs is this offense to come in and score and score a lot. … The way he’s playing, it’s awesome. To have a leader like that go and command the huddle and playing at that level, it’s a great confidence builder for us.”
Now, to head coach Kyle Shanahan’s credit, he confirmed his awe with Purdy’s performance too. Brock’s been playing his ass off, he’s made some gigantic plays in this game. He was often the one to save drives with his legs, extended plays, and went off-schedule for some truly impressive works of art. For the moment, he’s playing like an assassin—totally locked in, in complete command.
“Even Purdy himself admitted to the adjusting and learning curve that comes with honing his game. “How can I be smart outside of the design of the play but have my eyes downfield because guys are moving and working, and there are explosive plays out there,” he remarked. I think that’s something that maybe hope is sort of continues to learn more as I go. It’s part of my game.”
Purdy’s impact came through in creative and surprising ways on Monday night. It often was decided by the team who simply had the ball last—an indictment of his influence. His elite dominance under pressure is a critical factor for the 49ers. In addition to keeping their playoff hopes alive, it pushes them to compete for the top seed in the playoffs.
As the campaign rolls on, Purdy’s impactful on-field presence is beginning to win over skeptics and open-minded fans. He doesn’t have the star power of some of those previous teams, but he has consistently risen to the occasion. He proves his capacity for outstanding leadership daily.
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