49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy found himself in an unfamiliar situation during the team’s 37-34 overtime win over the Las Vegas Raiders; the 23-year-old had to win a shootout-style game.
Since taking over the starting job from Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a broken left foot against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13, Purdy hasn’t had to keep up offensively with an opposing quarterback.
Nonetheless, the 49ers needing Purdy to help them put up points wasn’t a situation that phased him as San Francisco got a glimpse of his maturity when facing a high-pressure situation. The rookie completed 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards for two touchdowns and one interception.
“I mean, for me, I’ve been in a lot of situations in college where we gotta go on a two-minute drill and move the ball, and the defense is trying to do certain things where I have to be alert to what they’re doing,” Purdy told SI’s Albert Breer for his MMQB column.
“And, honestly, when I got out there, I was like, 'I got a lot of good playmakers around me,' and I want to go out and just use the experience I have in terms of getting my feet set, ripping the ball to the guy that’s open, and not make it anything more than that.”
For the most part, the Iowa State product played in either low-scoring and tight games, such as the 21-13 over the Seattle Seahawks, or contests in which the 49ers won by double digits.
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Despite the 49ers not asking Purdy, to lead the team in a high-scoring game thus far, the young signal caller had the confidence to know he could take on the task.
“I mean, I’ve always believed in myself from college to this point, preseason, all that kind of stuff,” Purdy said. “I’ve always believed that I was good enough to play at this level, and all I needed was a shot and an opportunity.
“And so, for me, I don’t make it anything more than that, but I have guys around me, too. It’s not all Brock Purdy coming in and saving the day. I have a lot of leaders on this team, so I just got to give them the ball, and they do the rest.”
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49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the team saw against the Raiders that if San Francisco gets into a shootout-style game in the NFC playoffs, they know that Purdy can rise to the occasion.