Brock Purdy is a good many issues. He’s sensible. He’s correct. He’s unimaginable at dealing with strain. He’s an extension of Kyle Shanahan on the sector. He’s the lacking piece the 49ers wanted. One factor he isn’t although, is the NFL’s Most Valuable Player — however he doesn’t should be.
Discussion of what Purdy is, or isn’t has been litigated all season lengthy however reached a brand new excessive on Sunday afternoon when he and the 49ers walked into Lincoln Financial Field, took the Eagles’ lunch cash, and strolled out of hostile territory as clear as a Danny Ocean heist. This led to renewed vigor round Purdy, together with this from ESPN’s Louis Riddick.
Better transfer Brock Purdy proper close to/on the high of the MVP favorites record….in case you have not already, or if he wasn’t earlier than this recreation. Don’t argue with me…argue with the stats.
And the tape.
It’s justified.
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) December 4, 2023
This is the place the dialogue will get sophisticated with regards to Purdy, as a result of sure, the stats and tape affirm that he has an incredible resume. They completely affirm that he is among the finest quarterbacks within the NFL this season — but it surely’s a bit bit like watching a grasp forger paint the Mona Lisa. There’s unquestionable talent and expertise required to recreate a murals, however is there inherent worth in watching somebody paint by numbers completely?
It goes with out saying that with regards to the 49ers offense we all know the grasp behind all of it. Kyle Shanahan took the most effective parts taught to him by his father Mike Shanahan, and introduced pop’s system into the twenty first century. It’s nonetheless rooted in the identical zone blocking schemes up entrance, however modernized the play construction with 11 personnel — including extra vertical choices than a standard west coast offense, and using extra pre-snap motion.
The Shanahan offense has at all times made quarterbacks look good. It’s simply the character of the beast. It’s much less about what legends like John Elway and Steve Young did within the system, and extra the smattering of “just okay” passers who turned juggernauts in consequence.
- Brian Griese completed with a 102.9 passer score within the system in 2000
- Jake Plummer threw for over 4,000 yards in 2004
- Jay Cutler was one of many NFL’s finest passers in 2008
- Robert Griffin III was the offensive rookie of the yr in 2012
When it got here to Kyle Shanahan taking on it’s primarily been extra of the identical. The key distinction is that Kyle proved he wasn’t only a glorified nepo child buying and selling on his dad’s title, however an offensive genius in his personal proper who may adapt the system to the trendy NFL and nonetheless enable quarterbacks to seek out success.
The new Shanahan offense turned Matt Schaub right into a passing machine with the Texans. It led to Matt Ryan successful an MVP award in Atlanta. It tricked the world into believing Jimmy Garoppolo actually may be the following Tom Brady.
An unfair false impression concerning the offense is that it “makes life easy” for the quarterback. In some methods that is true. It’s not a scheme that necessitates tight window passes, other-worldly arm power, or prepared a play out of nothing. Instead it doles out performs to the quarterback like sheet music to a live performance pianist, asking them to execute on the notes with out room for improvisation. It takes a really particular participant to place their ego apart utterly and suppress their base instincts in favor of following the script — rewarding the selflessness of these capable of do it.
It’s because of this it’s usually mentioned {that a} Shanahan offense makes any QB good, and an excellent QB nice. Right now Brock Purdy is the latter, and he’s actually sensible.
That comes at a value although, and on this case it’s private glory. It’s unimaginable to divorce the quarterback from the system when trying on the 2023 49ers — and that’s what makes a Purdy for MVP argument ring hole.
When Steve Young gained his two MVP awards in 1992 and 1994 the typical soccer fan had very restricted understanding of scheme and ideas. When Ryan gained his contained in the Shanahan system he was a benefactor of it being a down yr for quarterbacks, but additionally we noticed issues from him we’d by no means seen earlier than.
We have seen precisely what Purdy is doing. We noticed it two years in the past. Sure, Garoppolo wasn’t almost as dynamic in operating the Shanahan system, however brass tacks they’re nearly the identical man stats smart.
- Jimmy Garoppolo (2021): 3,810 yards (68.3% cmp), 8.6 YPA, 20 TD, 12 INT — 98.7 score
- Brock Purdy (2023, projected): 4,512 yards (70.2% cmp), 9.6 YPA, 33 TD, 9 INT — 116.1 score
Purdy is a a lot better Jimmy G. He’s higher than him in each approach, but it surely’s not like these guys come from completely different planets. Garropolo missed two video games in 2021, and with these factored in he would have been a lot nearer stat smart.
What we’re witnessing now could be the improve at QB the Niners wanted. The participant who may take the razor-thin margins Garropolo couldn’t execute on, and get them completed. Purdy changed being “good enough” with true brilliance, and in time we actually may very well be speaking about him alongside the likes of Steve Young.
That doesn’t cease him being a system quarterback. That doesn’t stop the truth that Christian McCaffrey is probably the most invaluable offensive participant the 49ers have. How can the league’s Most Valuable Player neither be probably the most invaluable participant on his group, nor be that far faraway from those that excelled on the place earlier than him?
The {hardware} of successful MVP is nice. It makes for glorious water cooler discuss, and web fingers to go wild on Reddit. Ultimately although, it simply doesn’t actually matter. We can admire Brock Purdy’s greatness contained in the 49ers system with out needing to bend over backwards justifying him for MVP when he’s actually not that transcendent.
In 1998 when John Elway gained the Super Bowl with Mike Shanahan he was the best winner in all of soccer. Elway was not the MVP that yr — that belonged to his operating again and teammate Terrell Davis. Only 25 years later historical past is repeating itself, and as soon as extra probably the most invaluable participant inside a dominant Shanahan offense is its operating again, whereas we will nonetheless admire how superb the QB is.
And that’s okay.