In the face of criticism directed at Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk echoed the support given by fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel in defense of their quarterback.
“Y’all need to stop the DS’n and turn on the tape! That’s everybody,” Aiyuk wrote on his Instagram story. “Everybody.”
Brock Purdy, the last selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, faced media scrutiny despite his achievements, especially during the 49ers’ 24-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round. Criticism heightened as Purdy encountered challenges in the absence of Deebo Samuel on the field.
On ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), posts from The 33rd Team mocked Purdy’s challenges, despite him momentarily silencing critics with a game-winning drive against the Packers. The scrutiny persisted, highlighted by a bold statement from ESPN’s Ryan Clark.
Deebo Samuel stepped in to defend Purdy, highlighting the season’s game tape. Purdy’s impressive stats, including 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 113 quarterback rating, propelled him into the MVP conversation this season.
Deebo Samuel posted on his Instagram story, saying, “frfr, that [tape] don’t tell no lies.”
Despite Brock Purdy’s overall success on the field, his performance in rainy conditions raises concerns. Purdy experienced his first rainy game loss against the Cleveland Browns in October, but he managed to adapt in the latest rain-soaked game against the Packers. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the issue on Monday, specifically addressing Purdy’s handling of a wet football.
“I think it did a little bit with I think a couple. Even just watching [Green Bay Packers QB Jordan] Love too,” Shanahan told reporters. “You watch the first play of the game that he had on that swing route, the ball’s slipping, throwing in front of the guy. There’s a couple that got him.”
“So there’s definitely a few that got Brock, a few that he probably just missed trying to throw around a guy so it doesn’t get tipped and a couple that you just can’t explain, that just do happen,” Shanahan continued. “You usually have a couple in the game, but then you add a couple more with weather and a couple more just not being exactly on the throw. He had a few too many of them.”
Brock Purdy had both positive and challenging moments against the Packers. Despite completing 59% of his passes for 252 yards and a touchdown, it wasn’t his best day. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged Purdy’s highlights, particularly emphasizing his exceptional throws during the game-winning drive.
Shanahan praised Purdy’s performance, highlighting impressive throws like dropping the ball over the middle linebacker to connect with WR Jauan Jennings and delivering a precise low and away pass to WR Brandon Aiyuk on a crucial third down. Shanahan emphasized these exceptional throws and credited the notable catch by Aiyuk, despite a prior drop, for extending their offensive possession.
Shanahan acknowledged Purdy’s imperfections but praised his resilience, stating that when the team needed him to perform at his best, he delivered. This, according to Shanahan, provided the team with the optimal chance to secure the victory in the end.
Purdy led a 12-play, 69-yard drive in the end, capped by running back Christian McCaffrey‘s touchdown.
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