The San Francisco 49ers absolutely romped the Los Angeles Chargers Thursday night in their preseason matchup, 41-17. The win likely eased the sting of Tuesday’s joint practice, where the Chargers got the best of San Francisco.
Quarterback Brock Purdy looked solid in his preseason debut. He completed four of his six passes for 29 yards and looked comfortable throwing to rookie De’Zhaun Stribling. The connection between the two could determine just how much success the Niners have this season.
One minor detail from Thursday night’s game gives us a clue as to just how comfortable Purdy is in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He wasn’t wearing the typical playbook wristband that he normally dons during games.
To be fair, Purdy knew he’d likely only be playing one drive, and all of the plays were probably scripted in advance, so maybe he simply felt like he didn’t need it. Highlights from his performance last year in a preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders show he didn’t wear it then, either. Perhaps this is just a preseason thing for Purdy.
Purdy's choice to forgo wristband shows how much he is trusted by 49ers
Even if he does go back to wearing his wristband in the regular season, it still exemplifies his mastery of the offense. With each passing year, he has only gained a deeper understanding of all the intricacies and nuances of Kyle Shanahan's offense, which certainly bodes well for the upcoming season.
Shanahan has likely always wanted a player who could be fully enmeshed in his system. The only other signal caller who has been in the system for an extended period was Jimmy Garoppolo, and Shanahan clearly did not trust him the way he trusts Purdy. Garoppolo was also not overly fond of Shanahan’s play-calling at times.
Though he has tasted success in the past, this year feels different from the rest. Earlier in his career, he had his share of weapons but was still learning the offense. Now, assuming guys stay healthy, he'll be able to pair weapons with his advanced knowledge of the playbook. Former NFL receiver Steve Smith even thinks this is the best group of receivers the team has had under Shanahan.
It’s a minute detail, but it goes to show how far he’s come. Fans should be salivating at the idea of seeing their franchise quarterback this season, as he could be poised for a breakout campaign.
Add us as a preferred source on Google