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Does Kyle Shanahan or Brock Purdy deserve more credit for the 49ers’ success this season?
The San Francisco 49ers have been on a tear in the second half of the 2022 NFL season, winning 11 consecutive games, and are currently riding that hot streak into a playoff matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional round.
The reason for their success as of late? While there are certainly several factors, a primary cause has been the elevation of their offense amongst the league's best, especially after quarterback
Brock Purdy took over the helm.
Over their last seven games, the 49ers are averaging 396.7 yards per game, as well as 34.5 points per game, creating one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL during that period of time.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has done wonders this season, adjusting and winning with his second and third-string quarterbacks, while continuing to keep defenses on tilt with creative playcalling.
However, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy has taken the league by storm and arguably has executed the Shanahan offense better than any of his predecessors at quarterback since the head coach arrived in San Francisco.
So, does Shanahan or Purdy deserve more credit for the 49ers' success this season?
Shanahan has perhaps had the best playcalling season of his 49ers' career, scheming open receivers at a significantly high rate, which is why many deem this offense as a quarterback-friendly scheme.
In the Wildcard round against the Seattle Seahawks, 10 of Brock Purdy's 30's throws went to targets that had at least five yards of separation, according to Niners Nation's Rob Guerrera, speaking to Kyle Shanahan's ability to scheme open receivers at a high level.
However, it's unfair to Purdy to take away from his performance just because Kyle Shanahan's good at his job.
In fact, the reason that the 49ers have been scoring at such a high rate is that Purdy is executing the offense and hitting those open receivers at a level that hasn't been seen from a quarterback in this offense since Matt Ryan with the Atlanta Falcons.
Additionally, Purdy's ability to extend plays and create off-structure opportunities lead to some of those wide-open receivers, which enhances the offense.
Purdy certainly has areas to improve on as a quarterback, and San Francisco has an elite corps of skill position players, but the rookie quarterback has impressed and created an extra layer to this offense, adding to the foundation that Shanahan has built to generate more success.
Now, Purdy needs to continue his level of play if the 49ers are to move further in the playoffs, but as fans have seen before, excellent play from the quarterback is not required for San Francisco to win games.
Instead, displaying turnover-free football and executing when opportunities are there is all that is needed, which Purdy has done to an extent this season.
Moral of the story? It's unnecessary to demean Purdy's performance or Shanahan's playcalling as a method to evaluate the other, although accountability, when mistakes do occur, is important.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
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Kyle Shanahan, 49ers will have better idea of Brock Purdy recovery timeline in June
It could be six months. It could be eight months. The San Francisco 49ers don't have a clear picture right now regarding quarterback Brock Purdy's recovery timeline. They will have a better idea in June, though. That's when the second-year quarterback will begin throwing again and ramping up his workload for the remaining portion of his rehabilitation.
Purdy underwent surgery to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury suffered on January 29 in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"He won't be able to do anything on the field for—who knows?" head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday morning from the NFL owners'
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Purdy is recovering from surgery to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury sustained in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He hasn't been seen since the surgery, with his last public appearance taking place In Arizona, during the week leading to the Super Bowl.
One fan spotted Purdy, though, getting a photo with the 49ers quarterback (h/t TheSFNiners). As expected, Purdy is wearing a massive brace on his throwing arm,
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San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, speaking with reporters at the owners' meetings in Arizona on Monday morning, made it clear where Brock Purdy sits in the team's quarterback depth chart. Purdy, recovering from surgery on March 10, has earned the right to the top spot.
"I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse at that," Lynch said. "I'll let [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] make those kind of decisions, but I know, when we talk, I think Brock's probably earned that right to be the guy. If we were to line up, he'd probably take that first snap."
Of course, Lynch clarified that all quarterbacks—Purdy, Trey Lance, and Sam Darnold—will compete for the 49ers' starting job. However,
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49ers general manager John Lynch spoke to the 49ers beat writers at the NFL owners' meetings yesterday. Lynch discussed Purdy's health and whether he would be the starter when ready to play. He stated, "I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse. Brock's earned that right to be that guy if we line up to take that first snap."
Not many would argue that Purdy shouldn't be the starting quarterback after his phenomenal season during his rookie year. Purdy finished the season with 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns, four interceptions, and completed 67.1 percent of his passes.
He was even more impressive in the playoffs with 569 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and completed 65.1 percent of his passes.
