The San Francisco 49ers will face the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday with the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line. Not only will they be playing on yet another short week, but they will also potentially face inclement weather.
There is a chance for rain in the forecast, which is not great news for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has historically struggled in bad-weather games.
There were concerns ahead of the Week 13 matchup between the Niners and Cleveland Browns that Purdy would struggle in poor conditions. But thankfully, the worst of the weather stayed away and he delivered a solid performance.
Perhaps the biggest game Purdy has played in with the elements being a factor was back in 2024 in the NFC Divisional game against the Green Bay Packers when it rained, and Purdy struggled for much of the contest.
However, he came up with the goods at the end of that game and led the Niners to a touchdown to help the team advance to the next round.
His play in poor weather has always been a narrative surrounding Purdy, though, so he will have a chance to slay that demon against a very solid Seahawks team that is obviously more than familiar with playing in the rain, given Seattle's propensity for precipitation.
There may not be a better time for Purdy to have to overcome bad weather than right now considering how well he is playing. Since a rough three-pick performance on Monday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers, Purdy has had 12 touchdown passes and three rushing touchdowns compared to two interceptions and two fumbles.
He is playing the best football of his young career, and the Niners need every ounce of it as the defense hangs on for dear life. The offense is going to have to power San Francisco to victory, so Purdy needs to keep slinging it, running it, and breaking out whatever dance moves are necessary to get the job done.
It seems each week Purdy is disproving the common talking points used by his detractors. Last week, he led the offense to 42 points without tight end George Kittle and left tackle Trent Williams, two guys who will almost certainly be in the Hall of Fame someday.
Now, the quarterback has a chance to dispel the bad-weather narrative if he can lead the 49ers to victory and, improbably, the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a win over Seattle on Saturday in potentially soggy conditions.