Did the 49ers' Loss to the Browns Expose Brock Purdy's Flaws?

The loss to the Browns was an excellent diagnostic for Purdy, because things have come so easily to him early in his career.

Brock Purdy just had his worst start in the NFL. What did we learn about him?

To be fair, he faced the No. 1 defense -- the Browns. They're historically good. In addition, he played in the rain and the wind, which never is easy on a quarterback. Keep those things in mind when evaluating Purdy's performance.

Still, the loss to the Browns was an excellent diagnostic for Purdy, because things have come so easily to him early in his career. It's like he's not even trying. He has the best roster in the NFL, he almost always has a lead, someone almost always is open for him to throw to and he almost always knows where that open player is. He's good.

But he did not play well against the Browns. Here's what we learned.

1. PURDY DOESN'T THROW A WET BALL WELL

Which is surprising, because he played at Iowa State, where it must have rained once or twice. And on Sunday in Cleveland, it didn't rain the entire game. Still, the ball was slick, and that affected Purdy big time. He could not place it where he wanted it. Even when he had clean pockets and time to throw, he was scattershot.

Maybe he should have worn gloves. 

2. PURDY STRUGGLES AGAINST TIGHT MAN-TO-MAN COVERAGE.

Most of the time, Purdy faces soft zone coverage because lots of opponents can't match up with the 49ers' excellent offensive weapons. This allows Purdy to pick defenses apart, because he's so smart. Given all the motions and shifts the 49ers do on offense, Purdy typically can diagnose the coverage before the snap and know where the void in the zone will be. That's how he makes it look so easy.

But when it's man-to-man coverage, he can't know pre-snap which offensive weapon will win his one-on-one matchup and get open. He has to stand in the pocket, step up and search for an open receiver as the play progresses. That's not easy. That's when he looks like a seventh-round pick, because he doesn't have the stature to hang tough in the pocket for an extra second or two, nor does he have the arm talent to drive the ball into tight windows, especially when it's windy.

Fortunately for Purdy, not many teams can play tight man coverage as well as Cleveland.

Unfortunately for Purdy, he'll have to confront the rain and the wind again soon. Winter is coming.