The San Francisco 49ers are 4-0. Yeah, you read that right. Undefeated. They’ve ripped through the Rams, Dolphins, Cardinals, and Broncos already, and we’re barely a quarter of the way into the season. These guys are first in EPA per play on offense by a huge margin, and their defense is still coming together strong, even with a bunch of injuries. They’ve beaten two actual contenders, cementing themselves as a serious threat in the NFL. And honestly? It all comes back to Brock Purdy.
Purdy’s MVP Express Is Leaving the Station
Dude, Brock Purdy is legit playing at an MVP level. He’s currently the odds-on favorite for MVP and sits at No. 1 on NFL.com’s MVP Ladder after four weeks. Even in what was called his “worst” game of the season against the Broncos, he still balled out, tossing for 218 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He just kept the ball safe, took what the defense gave him. Talk about impressive.
Across these first four weeks, Purdy is the clear leader in EPA per play and success rate at quarterback. He’s also the No. 1 guy in QBR. And get this: he’s leveling up big time when it matters most. He’s the NFL’s top quarterback in EPA per play in both the third and fourth quarters, and he’s even third in the league in the first quarter. He’s pushing the ball downfield, too, ranking first in yards per attempt, while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and ranking fourth in completion rate over expected.
But here’s the stat that makes you go “hold up, what?!” Purdy’s absolutely shredding the blitz. When opponents try to bring pressure, he’s completed 27 of 35 passes for 427 yards and seven touchdowns. The dude hasn’t even been sacked once on 11 pressures! He’s the best quarterback in the NFL against the blitz, seeing the field perfectly and making zero turnover-worthy plays. Remember 2025? His completion rate dropped to 62.6 percent and he had six of his 13 interceptions *when blitzed*, even though he only saw the blitz on 26.6 percent of his dropbacks. This year, they’re blitzing him at a 31.5 percent rate, and he’s playing *even better*. The story is simple: Purdy’s making the big plays and avoiding the bad ones, no matter the situation.
The Niners’ Ground Game Has Found Its Legs
Their run game was a real struggle in 2025. Like, really struggled. They were 29th in EPA per rush and 24th in rushing success rate, and those explosive runs just weren’t happening. But guess what? This season, it’s a completely different story. The 49ers are now 10th in EPA per rush and eighth in rushing success rate. That’s a huge turnaround.
So, yeah. The Niners are 4-0. Purdy is playing out of his mind, and their run game is clicking. They’re a problem right now, simple as that.
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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