"Anyone who sleeps on the Niners is an idiot," the Hall of Fame quarterback said.
The 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in convincing fashion in Melbourne, Australia. The Rams entered Week 1 as the betting favorites to win Super Bowl LXI.
Brock Purdy was impressive, playing like a quarterback determined to silence his critics. He completed 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, finishing with a 105.6 passer rating. His performance outshone that of reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, who completed 15 of 25 attempts for 155 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.
Young praised Purdy for using his legs against the Rams, whether to buy time for his receivers to get open or pick up yardage himself during crucial moments. Purdy finished with five carries for 29 rushing yards.
"You have to [use your legs]," Young said. "It's the game today. There's too many free yards."
Young has previously advocated for Purdy to develop that part of his game, and Purdy has repeatedly identified it as an area he would like to improve.
"When you break into the league, focus on the sophisticated pocket passing, because that's where you have to do it," Young continued. "No matter how much movement—you have Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, doesn't matter who it is—you have to master that, or you can't get to the Super Bowl.
"So I appreciate Brock spending the time there, but now it's time to expand and use those legs in unique ways. I'm not telling him to run more or run less. I'm just saying you have to be able to do that, and he's showing that, and I think that's really cool."
Young noted that the key for the 49ers this season will be avoiding the injury problems that have plagued the team in recent years. If San Francisco can stay healthy, he believes the 49ers should be capable of competing with anyone in the NFL.
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