Brock Purdy Assesses his Performance Against the Packers
SANTA CLARA -- Brock Purdy was clutch against the Packers, but he wasn't particularly good.
In fact, he struggled for most of the game. And afterward, he was brutally honest about his performance, as he always is.
Here's what Purdy said, courtesy of the 49ers' P.R. department.
Q: It wasn't one of your better games, but then that final drive you really locked in and made a number of plays. Was it hard to block out kind the early part of the game and focus in that final sequence, that final drive?
PURDY: “I mean, yeah, there's obviously plays that you think about as the game goes on. Like, man, I could have been better here. I could have hit that guy. He was open. You’ve got to just be better on third down. All that kind of stuff can run through your mind. But it's a testament to our team because the defense got a stop at the end, the field goal kicker missed and it's like we have what we wanted right in front of us. And so you have to clean the slate. You have to have a clean mind and not try to force anything, take what the defense gives you and find a way. We had time on the clock, so it's not like you have to be a superhero, make a play or anything. It's do what we call the quarterback pack tells you and go through the progressions and find a way.”
Q: Your ball placement wasn't as precise as it normally is. Was the rain an issue for you? Did it impact you?
PURDY: “Yeah, I think early on. Obviously, I put on the glove for the first drive it was coming down and then it sprinkled, so I took it off. So, I was still trying to sort of figure out what I wanted to do and I was sort of fed up with the glove, so I just obviously was throwing like I normally do. And there were some times where I'm dropping back, ball's a little wet from the grass, so sort of affected some accuracy and stuff, but that's football, so I have to be better in that area.”
Q: What was clicking on that final drive that didn't click throughout most of the rest of the game?
PURDY: “I mean, at the end of the day, I think I was just able to go through progressions and like I said, get to the check down efficiently and move the chains and stay up rather than get behind. Obviously, we got to a third down, [WR Brandon Aiyuk] B.A. was clutch on it and made a great play and you need that throughout a drive. But, I think early on in the game there were just moments where the check down was there and I was missing the check downs. Their defense did a good job with playing soft, keeping everything in front of them, sort of taking away our shots and as a quarterback you’ve got to be efficient and hit the check downs. And so, at the end I was able to do that. O-Line did a great job, boys did a great job in getting open and we found a way.”
Q: I’m sure it's less stressful for you to have big leads going in the fourth quarter, but to get a comeback win like this, was it important for you to get one of those under your belt and how can it be beneficial for you?
PURDY: “Yeah, I think it is important. Earlier this year we had games like Cleveland and Minnesota and Cincinnati at one point, you know you're down and you have to find a way. It's the fourth quarter, it's the NFL and then obviously we're in the postseason now, so we were all like, all right, this is it, this is our season. And so, for us to capitalize like that was huge for all of us. And then obviously for myself as a quarterback, it's good for confidence and all that, but we have too many good players on this team, so many players that are difference makers and we’ve got a great defense. And so, for us to not find a way, it's not right. So, for us to finally have a game like this and pull through at the end was huge for all of us.”
Q: There’s been so much talk about getting back to the NFC Championship Game and FB Kyle Juszczyk actually got a little bit emotional about it in the locker room. What does it mean to kind of get another crack at the NFC Championship?
PURDY: “It's been a fast year. Obviously it didn't end how we wanted it to last year, but we've taken it one week at a time. We were all-in this week. Green Bay is a great team and so to be able to pull through and finish that for us to get back to the NFC Championship, obviously I think guys are healthy for the most part after this game and we won it. We've been thinking about it, it's been sort of in the back of our minds like last year we had a team to do it and we feel like we didn't have a real opportunity at it after the quarterbacks got hurt in that game. So, I think we're really excited for it, but we're going to take it one day at a time, find out who we play tomorrow and be ready to roll for it.”
Q: I talked to former 49ers DL Junior Bryant yesterday. He spoke about the identity of this team and he talked about the weather, said that that could pose a problem for you guys, but he thought that you had the identity to push through any adversity. Is that kind of the sentiment that you guys are echoing right now in the locker room? Is that how you guys feel knowing that Junior Bryant, a former Niner says that about you? Is that what you guys see in each other?
PURDY: “A hundred percent. Like I said, it's the NFL, it's football, they have to deal with it too. It's not just our team's going to go through it, it's everybody who's on the field. So, at the end of the day, I'm so excited and proud that we got it done in all aspects. The defense did their thing when it mattered most. The offense did at the end. Special teams did a great job. So, for us it's like, man, it's football. Weather's going to happen and you have to find a way and we did. So that's the character of this team, that's what we stand for. And we’ve all got each other's back, it's not always pretty, but we’ve got each other's back. We got some real love in this locker room and everyone wants to play for each other.”
Q: On the throw to Aiyuk over the middle on that last drive there, where are you trying to put that and what kind of catch did he make?
PURDY: “I saw it was man, I saw that the middle of the field was open and that's where he was going. He did a great job of getting inside leverage and making his break. Obviously it was tight coverage and for me it was like, all right, just try to put it out in front of him and have it just be him, be able to get it and he did. He did a great job of getting underneath it and not letting the ball hit the ground. B.A.’s a baller man. Proud of him.”
Q: Why was it such a struggle to get Aiyuk the ball in this game? He's been so good all season.
PURDY: “Honestly, that's just sort of how the play calls go. It's not like we're going to get B.A. so many touches or anything. If it presents itself, it presents itself. But, I think, like I said, Green Bay did a good job. It was just keeping everything in front of them. B.A.'s a guy that can make explosive plays and we have him dialed up for those kinds of plays. Like I said, Green Bay sort of just made me go to the check down pretty quick and they did a good job with covering B.A., but B.A. also got open on some plays that I think I could hit him and then at the end we were able to connect well. So, that's the game.”
