Brock Purdy used forgotten weapon vs. Raiders that changes everything for 49ers

While his lone interception wasn't exactly a good look in the San Francisco 49ers' 38-17 Week 9 victory over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Brock Purdy's performance in the bout certainly put him back onto the league's MVP radar.

And it might not be just because of his passing prowess.

Purdy's rushing abilities turned out to be one of the Niners' bigger assets in the game, and the signal-caller rushed for 40 yards on seven attempts and even found the end zone on one carry:

To put things into a bigger context, Vegas had only 24 yards rushing as a team, averaging just 1.6 yards in the process. Yes, Purdy himself outrushed Las Vegas.

True, the Raiders' run defense isn't good, and San Francisco took full advantage of that with 43 rush attempts and 190 yards on the ground. But, the fact Purdy didn't hesitate to use his legs when the opportunities were there points to an element of his game that hasn't been as prominent over the first half of the season.

And it could ultimately open things up more for the 49ers over the second half, particularly when the schedule gets tough down the stretch.

49ers may need Brock Purdy's rushing prowess down the stretch

Purdy's 40 yards on the ground in Week 9 was a season-high. In two of his last four games, Purdy didn't even touch 10 yards rushing. And while he's shown his mobility over several contests this season, none of those were quite in the same realm as the game versus Vegas.

This might need to be an X-factor the Niners rely upon over the second half of the season.

Yes, game situations and planning dictate a lot about what Purdy will do with the ball. However, one shouldn't overlook or forget how Purdy and the 49ers overcame a large deficit in the 2024 NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions not too long ago, thanks largely to the quarterback's legs.

Those are weapons. When used at the appropriate opportunity, they're dangerous. Perhaps the Niners forgot about those in recent weeks, and they needed a reminder against Las Vegas just how useful Purdy's rushing capabilities are. Plus, with many of his top pass-catching weapons sidelined with injuries, namely wide receivers Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, Purdy having the option of scrambling for chunk yardage is only a bonus.

And if he can harness that in the stretch run, San Francisco will only be better off.

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