On Sunday, San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy faced the biggest test of his short NFL career when he faced off against the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Cowboys had finished 12-5 and boasted a defense that was ranked fifth in points allowed and first in turnovers forced, as well as first-team All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons.
The contest was an ugly, defensive-minded grind-fest, but Purdy still did what was needed and led the 49ers to a 19-12 win.
In doing so, he is now headed to the NFC Championship Game, a place that several prominent QBs have never gone to.
That's Purdy darn good!@brockpurdy13 x @49ers pic.twitter.com/0M8A0pEVg1
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 23, 2023
Some naysayers may argue that Purdy has simply been along for the ride with a very talented and well-coached San Francisco squad, but he has elevated it beyond the sum of its parts.
Before he took over in Week 13 for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo, they had scored at least 30 points three times, but with him at the controls, it has put up over 30 points six times in eight games.
Perhaps Purdy wasn’t great on Sunday, as he threw zero touchdown passes and was a bit indecisive at times against the blitz, which led to two sacks, but he went 19 of 29, which is excellent while putting up a passer rating of 87.4, which is decent for a slugfest such as Sunday’s game.
Now, he and his team will face its most severe test yet in the form of the Philadelphia Eagles on the road this coming Sunday.
The Eagles were second in overall yards allowed and first in passing yards allowed, and Pro Bowl linebacker Haason Reddick won’t be easy to deal with.
But reportedly, Purdy has already sewn up the starting QB spot for next season, and by leading the Niners to another victory, he can sew up a spot in the hearts of their fans, not to mention a spot in history.
NEXT: Brock Purdy Has Joined An Exclusive NFL ListA rookie quarterback has never been to a Super Bowl. The 49ers have Brock Purdy one game away.
— Jade McCarthy (@JadeMcCarthy) January 23, 2023