Brock Purdy haters need to ignore this stat, or else they have nothing to cling to

The 49ers finally found a quarterback who can both fit the system and throw the deep ball, a combination that detractors simply refuse to admit exists in Brock Purdy.

It's safe to say that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has hit the ground running after having the bye week off, with two powerful performances sending an ominous message to the rest of the league.

In the two games after the bye against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively, Purdy has had the best pair of games in his young career as the 49ers got back on track with 34-7 and 27-17 wins.

Read More: Brock Purdy, 49ers double down on dominant wins by smacking Buccaneers


In the two games, Purdy has had some amazing combined stats. These stats include 40-of-51 passing for 629 yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions and a 153.6 passer rating. In the Buccaneers game, he became only the third 49ers quarterback ever to record a perfect 158.3 rating (joining great company in Joe Montana and Steve Young).

In both those plays, Purdy hit a perfectly thrown deep ball that just makes you shake your head and say, "Wow."

For some reason, Brock Purdy haters cannot admit that he can throw the deep ball

There are few players subject to such ridiculous hysteria and slander than Purdy, and he's been able to overcome it all. Some things have been debunked, and yet people still try to use it against him.

Some of the hysteria includes:

• He wouldn't sustain his first performance (proceeds to continue his run of form almost continuously)
• He would shrink in the playoffs (wins his first two playoff games, losing the third only after tearing his elbow early)
• He wouldn't be able to sustain it with defenses having tape on him (statistically, he's gone even better and into MVP form)
• He can't win versus playoff-caliber teams (2022 playoff wins notwithstanding, 42-10 and 34-7 wins over the Cowboys and Jaguars this season beg to differ; that would also include the Cleveland Browns if the kick went in)
• Purdy is a system quarterback who can only dink and dunk

It's the final point that is the most egregiously false. It's not just highlight plays that Purdy throws that can create a false narrative, Purdy has been the most efficient deep throw in the entire NFL as highlighted by Matt Maiocco from NBC Sports:

"Purdy has been the most accurate and effective deep passer in the NFL this season, according to PFF.

He has completed 22 of 33 (66.7 percent) attempts 20 or more yards down the field for 684 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions.

Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert generally are regarded as being among those with the strongest arms in the NFL. However, each is completing deep passes at less than 40 percent.

Combined, Mahomes, Allen and Herbert have thrown nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions on pass attempts of 20-plus yards down the field."

- Matt Maiocco

It's such a lazy take that Purdy is just a facilitator who lets his weapons do the work, and it continues despite the endless tape and statistics now available.

It's time to stop the Purdy slander and for people to hold his Mr. Irrelevant draft monicker against him. People have expected the clock to strike midnight and Purdy's carriage to turn into a pumpkin.

We have enough data to show that it won't.

Teams have shown Purdy a lot of respect and have been scheming everything under the sun to stop him. It's time for the wider NFL world to stop being lazy and show that same respect for his abilities.