The San Francisco 49ers have been on a roll recently, with an undefeated season until a recent loss to the Baltimore Ravens. This season, the Niners were undefeated when Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle were all healthy. However, their trend was interrupted by their loss to the Ravens. The team’s offense totaled 126 yards on 15 plays over their first two possessions, demonstrating their capabilities. Despite this, they were ultimately defeated due to turnovers and Murphy’s Law.
During Monday Night Football, a statistic was presented, showing that since 2017, the 49ers have not been successful when trailing by eight or more points in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Brock Purdy threw four interceptions during the game, leading to their defeat. The team’s interest in Trey Lance, a highly-touted rookie, suggests that they are seeking a quarterback with exceptional physical talents.
While Brock Purdy has strengths such as his timing and improvisation, his performance paled in comparison to his counterpart, Lamar Jackson. Jackson’s exceptional ability to evade the pass rush and make off-script plays demonstrates the difference between a good quarterback and an elite one. The 49ers’ head coach, Kyle Shanahan, is known for his effective playcalling, but ultimately, it is the quarterback who must find a way to problem solve when things aren’t going as planned.