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Gannon: Arizona native, 49ers QB Brock Purdy ‘looks like a 13-year vet’

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TEMPE — Game manager has been a title associated with San Francisco 49ers quarterback and Perry High School alum Brock Purdy since he took over the reins of an offense busting out the seams with premium talent.

Take a look at his stat line four weeks into the season and he’s been anything but for a team trying to get back to the Super Bowl for a third time in six seasons.

Entering Week 5, Purdy is second in the NFL behind only fellow NFC signal caller Geno Smith (1,182) with 1,130 yards. He’s averaging a league-high 9.3 yards per throw to go along with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

He’s one of the big reasons why the 49ers have remained afloat despite the absence of the injured Christian McCaffrey.

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“Command. I just think that from when he started to where he is at now, he looks like a 13-year vet playing at a super high level,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said when asked about the growth he’s seen out of Purdy. “(He) plays fast, knows where to go with the ball (and) extends plays. I think that’s an overlooked part of his game. Sometimes he looks like Houdini back there. It’s hard to get him on the ground too.

“Not being ‘one of those guys that you talk about as a mobile quarterback,’ he’s very mobile. He makes a lot of plays with his legs. Then he’s accurate. He’s an accurate passer so decision making and accuracy. Got it. Check, check and then he can extend plays, check.”

And against the Cardinals, Purdy has been a constant problem. In four career games against Arizona, the signal caller has completed 77.3% of his passes for 703 yards and eight touchdowns on his way to a 150.4 passer rating.

For those keeping track at home, 158.3 is considered a perfect passer rating. See quarterback Kyler Murray’s Week 2 if you need an example.

Safe to say Purdy enjoys the hometown matchup twice a year.

While Purdy isn’t viewed as a mobile threat like a Josh Allen or Jayden Daniels, the signal caller, the former Iowa State Cyclone is still utilizing his legs and buying time. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, he is pacing the NFL in time to throw behind 3.14 seconds.

His 18 carries for 75 yards don’t jump off the page, but his eight first downs running the rock do.

“He’s always seemed like he’s been comfortable but he’s even more comfortable throwing the ball inside the numbers, outside the numbers. His (deep ball accuracy) is really good,” safety Budda Baker said Thursday. “Also, he can get out the pocket and run as well. That’s what a lot of people don’t really talk about.

“He does a great job making his reads. If they’re not there, he’ll take that space and get an extra three to four to five yards. If it’s a third-and-three situation, he’ll get those hidden runs and get a first down. He’s a really good game general of the offense.”

For an Arizona defense posting one of the worst quarterback pressure rates in the league (24.8%), it has to find a way to speed up Purdy and get him off-kilter.

Easier said than done.

Purdy is atop the list of 49ers to stop on Sunday. He is far from the only one, though.

A look at the other 49ers playmakers the Cardinals must keep tabs on this week:

No CMC, no problem

For most teams, losing a player of McCaffrey’s stature would be a sky-is-falling moment.

In San Francisco, that’s far from the feeling.

The 49ers aren’t at their full potential without the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year but have had one heck of a Plan B in Jordan Mason.

While Derrick Henry — now in Baltimore — is carving up defenses behind a league-leading 480 yards, Mason is just 33 yards off his pace at 447. He’s getting a lot of reps, tallying an NFL-leading 91 carries.

Not experiencing a monumental dropoff in run production is a credit to what head coach Kyle Shanahan has built in San Francisco.

“I believe the concepts stay the same. They do a great job of putting (Kyle Juszczyk) out there and putting (Deebo Samuel) in certain positions as well,” Baker said. “It’s the 49ers offense, a great offense. … They have various different schemes within the scheme that I really can appreciate, because I’m a student of the game.”

But when it comes to Mason’s ability as a pass catcher, that’s where the 49ers miss McCaffrey the most.

Through four games, he’s caught just six of seven targets for 57 yards and no scores.

No joke Jennings

When you think top 49ers pass catchers, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and former Arizona State Sun Devil Brandon Aiyuk likely come to mind.

None of those players, however, lead their team in receiving through four weeks.

Instead, that title belongs to wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Fourth in the league in receiving yards (364) and tied for third in touchdowns (three), the fourth-year pro is already nearing career marks.

He’s been a big part in San Francisco’s ability to stretch the field, too, averaging 17.3 yards per catch.

The usual culprits

Jennings may have the early lead in catches, yards and scores heading into Week 5, but Kittle, Samuel and Aiyuk are still key cogs into what makes this offense so tough to defend.

Kittle is the only other 49er on the team that has caught touchdown passes (two) from Purdy this season despite missing a game.

Samuel continues to be a pest across the formation, reeling in 16 catches for 222 yards, both second on the team, in three games played.

Aiyuk on the other hand hasn’t had the strongest start to the season coming off a long holdout over a contract extension he eventually got.

Although he’s appeared in every game this year and is second on the team in targets (25), the ASU alum has just 13 catches for 167 yards to show for. That’s a far cry from his 320-yard, two-touchdown mark he had across the first four weeks of last year.

But even with Aiyuk not firing on all cylinders, Arizona’s secondary is in for one of its toughest tests of the season, especially if nickel corner Garrett Williams can’t go due to a groin injury.

Per Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, it’s unlikely Williams plays this week, meaning defensive coordinator Nick Rallis is going to have to get creative personnel-wise to make up for the loss.