How the 49ers’ Brock Purdy has leveled up ahead of a Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes

Here’s a statistic that’s bound to grab attention as the 49ers prepare to host the Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday. Brock Purdy has the lowest next catch yardage percentage (33%) in the NFL this season. Patrick Mahomes has the best (65%) this year. And truth be told, he’s the best of any quarterback on record. So no one relies less on YAC than Purdy. And no one depends on it more than Mahomes. Do I have your consideration?

It’s an astonishing comment, not intended to discredit Mahomes, who has always relied on YAC with a splendid level of luck. Instead, it’s supposed to be an example of how much Purdy’s game has changed since the 49ers have navigated an up-and-down start without Christian McCaffrey.

Purdy has relied much more on his legs and passing down the field this year in some ways that are bound to appease the dwindling community of Purdy haters. I’m sure there are a couple left. He also helped the 49ers stay afloat earlier in the year. Without their playmaking, they could be worse than 3-3.

Purdy ranks third in the NFL in yards per attempt (8.8), yards per touch (13.5), touch percentage above expectations (+5.2%) and explosive passing rate ( 1/3). He also has 10 in EPA per game (0.15) and a good fortune rate (50%). That’s nothing pristine compared to last year. What you’ll notice from this bird’s visual take on his performance over the past two years is how much more he relies on his own ability to create play and elevate those around him rather than being enhanced through the best supporting cast. in football.

There are a number of numbers, so I’ve bolded the important settings.

Brock Purdy maximum two seasons (with NFL ranks)

He’s certainly moving forward without last year’s NFL Offensive Player of the Era in McCaffrey. In fact, he’s taking matters into his own hands by fighting harder without CMC having to go off the chains. Purdy ranks 1/3 in first down struggles (11) this year behind rookies Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. If he advances a modest lead, he is assured with Mahomes for the first places in that section since the beginning of the maximum postseason (14 each).

In his latest, ESPN’s Dan Orlvosky praised Purdy’s games so far, highlighting those grueling runs.

Purdy had always underestimated athletics. His 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash is one of the biggest burdens as a quarterback and, truth be told, right behind teammates Deebo Samuel and McCaffrey. In fact, he’s putting the breakaway to use this year, like in this third-down fight against the Rams.

And of course, Purdy has made big changes in the passing game without McCaffrey. The most common statistic that discredited him all year was how much he relied on yards after the catch. Not anymore. As I mentioned, 33% of his yards come from receiving this year, the lowest number for any quarterback since Jameis Winston in 2018. That number was 47% last year, the center of the league’s predicament. He is averaging 4.4 yards on the next reception per final touch, 28th in the league and was first (6.6) in the last year.

Purdy now protects the ball longer and drives it downfield more often. He has the longest reasonable throw distance in the NFL this year (9.8), an increase from last season. He has the most completions thrown more than 15 yards downfield this year (27). His reasonable throw is sort of a complete moment in the yard of first down markers on average, the longest in the league. That came at this time to the last generation of George Kittle.

The biggest change is that it is also averaging the longest speed before passing (3.39 seconds) next year 21 (2.75 seconds). So he’s taking 0.64 seconds longer to throw this season on average, the biggest year-over-year trade by any quarterback in eight seasons of tracking via PFF.

You are living and losing lives due to your ability to augment functions. He is averaging the second-most yards per attempt (11.9) with no less than 3 seconds left to throw this season. He occupies twenty-fifth place with less than 3 seconds left (5.9). That’s the largest gap (6.0) for any quarterback in eight seasons of tracking. This play was once called back by a penalty, but it underscores his playmaking ability.

The only downside is that Purdy can sometimes be content with toeing his toes and stepping out of the patch rather than getting sick or walking around the patch and finding the recognizable guy. His moderate driving speed is the fifth-fastest in the league (2.63 seconds) in 2024, followed by the fifth-fastest last year (2.36). He hasn’t burned it much so far, however, as he is at 1/3 EPA based on games when the first drive arrives at least 2.75 seconds after snap.

However, like every quarterback, he has had some dark days. San Francisco has blown two double-digit leads in the fourth quarter this year, the same amount as most of the NFL combined. In the 49ers’ recent grueling loss to the Cardinals, the game ended with Purdy’s interception after he held the ball too long. Tailored, performance over handling is often a priority.

However, his reaction to that tough loss was remarkable. He threw a ball against the Seahawks’ top generation to avoid losing to 2-4. It is no longer ominous in a difficult environment, in a generation in form, unlike a playoff contender coming off a loss. He also threw for 292 yards, three touchdowns and lopsided calls in a game against the Rams without McCaffrey, Samuel and Kittle.

Reject lack of certainty. Purdy has improved his game and playmaking ability without the entire arsenal around him, and he will have a chance to show more heads in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday.