Brock Purdy’s halftime mindset shift fuels 49ers to victory over Cowboys

The San Francisco 49ers trailed the Dallas Cowboys 10-6 heading into halftime on Sunday night. Quarterback Brock Purdy and his team came out firing in the second half, racking up 21 points in the third quarter and ultimately holding off a Cowboys' comeback to secure a 30-24 win.

During halftime, Purdy recognized the need for a shift in approach. Speaking to reporters after the game, he admitted that missed opportunities in the first half had likely cost his team points.

"Obviously for big plays, but just completions in general in that first half, especially on third downs," Purdy said. "And so, for me, I was just being real with myself and knew that I had to be better, especially for our team. Defense was doing a great job in that first half, and for us, I feel like we just stalled on third downs, and a lot of that was on me."

The halftime break gave Purdy a moment to evaluate his performance. The third-year quarterback wasn't satisfied with his performance in the first two quarters. Determined to elevate his game, he simplified his mindset and focused on fundamental plays that would benefit the offense.

"Went in at halftime, just talked about our plan for the second half and from my mindset," Purdy explained. "It was like 'I've got to get back to basics and just keep things simple in my mind, and still playing with conviction, but being aggressive and just trusting in my guys.' And so, that was the mindset. I thought we went out and, for the most part, executed a lot better."

Purdy finished the game completing 18 of 26 passes for 260 yards, with a passing touchdown and a passer rating of 114.3—his fourth game this season with a rating above 100. He also scrambled eight times for 56 yards and a rushing touchdown, showcasing his underrated versatility.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan believes Purdy's performance after halftime could signal growth for the 49ers as they head into the second half of the season.

"I think it was a gut check for him, I mean, for all of us," Shanahan said. "Things in the first half, we were close, but it didn't go great. Brock, there was a couple plays I know he'd love to have back. And I thought he came out in the second half, and there were a few plays that weren't there, and he did a hell of a job extending with his feet."

In one pivotal moment, Purdy demonstrated exceptional decision-making. Initially set to throw a screen pass to wide receiver Deebo Samuel, he quickly noticed that the defense had anticipated the throw and could have made a game-changing play. Instead, Purdy held onto the ball and ran, turning a potential loss into a crucial gain.

"He just ran and turned it into a 16-yarder," Shanahan said. "So, he did some real big things there in the second half."

Late in the game, with the 49ers aiming to protect their lead, rookie Isaac Guerendo missed a block on Cowboys defender DeMarvion Overshown, who came hard at Purdy. Despite the hard hit, Purdy miraculously held onto the ball, avoiding what could have been a costly fumble.

"He had [WR] Ricky [Pearsall] all wide open, but the guy on the line of scrimmage hit it so hard and he couldn't get it off, so it was really an unbelievable play by Brock, not fumbling," Shanahan commented.

Knowing the defense had held up their end of the bargain so far, Purdy entered the second half determined to execute offensively and enter the bye week with a win.

"It takes everybody, offense, defense, special teams," Purdy reflected. "I saw the rest of our team was clicking. It's like, 'alright, I have to do my job.' And so, third quarter, came out and just like I said, kept it simple but also played aggressive and just tried to do what coach called and hit guys when they were open and keep it simple, move the ball, not try to hurt ourselves.

"The first half, that was the main thing is we had plenty of opportunities, but we just kept hurting ourselves. So that was the mindset and we were able to put up some points."

Purdy's adjustment paid off, helping the 49ers secure a hard-fought win and positioning them at 4-4 heading into the bye week.