Brock Purdy officially passed Lamar Jackson for the all-time record for the most games in a career with at least a 130 passer rating in Week 3, and if you weren’t watching, you absolutely missed a clinic. This dude is balling out, hitting that MVP candidate level of play right now, even if the win against the Cardinals almost had everyone on edge. Winning is all that matters, and the Niners got the W, unlike some other playoff hopefuls in their division.
Purdy’s Absolute Clinic
Seriously, Purdy earned an A grade for a reason. You might see that 55.6% completion rate, only 15 of 27 passes, and think “meh.” But pump the brakes! Fourteen of those passes went for first downs, and *four* found the end zone for touchdowns. This wasn’t some dink-and-dunk fest, either. The Cardinals tried to shut down the middle of the field, forcing over 40% of Purdy’s attempts outside the numbers, which isn’t where the 49ers usually operate. And the dude knows when to cut his losses, boasting the highest throwaway percentage in Week 3. He’s been in complete control through three games. His EPA per pass was a ridiculous 0.81 against the Cardinals, second only to his own 0.8+ mark from Week 2. Lamar Jackson’s EPA per pass was 0.51 that same week, an excellent number itself. Purdy’s numbers are like something you’d struggle to pull off in Madden! He added a point to the scoreboard nearly every time he dropped back, and he’s the first QB since 2022 to post an EPA per pass of 0.8 or higher in back-to-back weeks. The source says he wasn’t perfect, with at least two throws he’d want back, but when you’re grading an MVP candidate, you gotta hold them to that standard.
CMC’s Untouchable Grind
While Purdy was lighting it up, let’s not let Christian McCaffrey’s performance get overshadowed, because that’d be criminal. The man got the lion’s share of carries in a divisional game, playing 41 snaps compared to rookie Kaelon Black’s 8. (To be fair, Black’s a rookie, and he apparently left some yards on the field last week, so no surprise McCaffrey was the workhorse). McCaffrey forced four missed tackles, averaged 2.6 yards after contact, and ripped off five yards per carry. When they needed to kill the clock and keep the defense off the field, who was chewing up those crucial yards and time? CMC. He picked up three first downs as a receiver, gaining 24 yards after the catch on 41 receptions. Even with “declining speed,” he’s still one of the most dangerous receivers coming out of the backfield. That’s just next-level talent.
Wideouts Hold Their Own
The wide receiver group landed a C+ grade, which the source said “wasn’t bad.” But, it also noted that “most of the production came from the quar” , likely meaning the quarterback, given the truncated sentence. It tells you they were there, doing their job, but it was the Purdy-to-McCaffrey show that truly ran things.
This Week 3 win, even if it wasn’t the cleanest, keeps the 49ers rolling. The source pointed out that if they make the playoffs, nobody will care about an almost-loss in Week 3, and you can’t say that for the “other two playoff contenders in the division.” With Purdy playing at an insane, record-breaking level and McCaffrey grinding out crucial yards, this team is absolutely locked in and ready to make some serious noise this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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