Each week opposing teams try to figure out how to game-plan for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, and so far every strategy has failed.
Brock Purdy leads all NFL quarterbacks in just about every important category, from QB rating to QBR to touchdown passes to yards per attempt. All except for completion percentage, in which he’s second behind Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa.
Despite teams using every conceivable blitz package and coverage disguise to confuse Purdy, the second-year pro manages to decipher it quickly and often makes the defense pay dearly for their efforts.
Yet on Sunday, Arizona Cardinals’ first-year defensive coordinator, Nick Rallis, did something that’s never been attempted against Brock Purdy in his young NFL career.
Brock Purdy against the blitz
Rallis came to Arizona with first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon, after serving as linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles under Gannon, who was the defensive coordinator.
In terms of a strategy against Purdy, Rallis certainly knew better not to get overly aggressive with blitzes — that is, unless he wanted to get burned badly. There’s no doubt he’s aware of the numbers working in favor of Purdy and he’s seen Purdy execute against the blitz on film.
For reference, check out Purdy’s numbers against the blitz.
Teams want to do the same with Brock Purdy, to disrupt his timing and force him to make throws under duress. But it doesn’t make much sense if all Purdy does is capitalize on blitzes rather than fall victim to them.
What the Cardinals did against Brock Purdy
So, instead of going all out with blitzes, Rallis did the opposite — he called for zero blitzes.
Each time Brock Purdy dropped back to pass, the Cardinals sent no more than four pass rushers at a time.
No team had ever attempted it — and Rallis gets credit for his efforts to give Purdy a different defensive look. But unfortunately for Rallis and the Cardinals, Purdy didn’t appear to be fooled.
He still completed 16-of-25 passes for 242 and four TD passes and zero interceptions in the 49ers’ 45-29 victory. On top of that, the Cardinals failed to sack Purdy as well, although he got hit in the head in the second quarter and needed to leave the field briefly to get checked out in the blue medical tent.
Backup Sam Darnold replaced him for three plays before Purdy returned to the field and, shortly thereafter, threw his second TD pass of the first half to Christian McCaffrey.
With a quarterbacking IQ that would seemingly belie the fact he was the last pick in the NFL draft in 2022 Brock Purdy makes smart decisions, he doesn’t turn the ball over, he doesn’t get happy feet in the pocket and he delivers the ball on time and with accuracy to his playmakers, allowing them to do the rest.
A bigger challenge awaits Brock Purdy
Compared to the Arizona Cardinals, Brock Purdy faces an even bigger test on Christmas Day, when the 49ers host the Baltimore Ravens in a game that could be a Super Bowl preview.
The Ravens come into the game with the best defense in the league, statistically speaking. So, if any team could conceive of a plan to foil Brock Purdy, maybe it’ll be the Ravens.
Purdy will be matching football skills with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, a former NFL MVP who’s having another great season leading the AFC’s best team.
But for now, Brock Purdy is the favorite to win the NFL MVP award, whether you blitz him or not.