What Brock Purdy Needs to Do More of to Keep the 49ers Soaring

The 49ers will have a phenomenal chance to continue winning games if Brock Purdy does more of this.

Nov 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Riding a three-game winning streak into the Bye Week had to have put the San Francisco 49ers on cloud nine.

But what probably put them there the most was their win against the Cleveland Browns. Yes, the Browns aren’t some elite team to feel giddy over, but their defense is.

Going against them on the road in frigid temperatures is tough, especially for Brock Purdy. However, Purdy made it look easy out there.

He never once looked phased by the cold temperatures and handled the Browns’ scary defensive front incredibly well. Purdy played sound football in that game and demonstrated what he needs to do more of to keep the 49ers soaring. 

49ers need Brock Purdy to do more of this

Nov 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) attempts to throw a pass during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

He has to throw the ball away and learn to fight another down. That's what allowed him to be successful against the Browns by taking care of the football. He wasn’t looking for the big play most of the time, as he’s been doing since 2024.

Purdy had a career-high six throwaways. That’s more than double the amount he’s thrown in any other game in his career. It’s proof of how reckless he can be. 

That’s why his performance in that game was both impressive and surprising. He needs to come close to replicating that performance moving forward.

Ultimately, he needs to stop trying to be Josh Allen. Being a playmaker here and there is fine and dandy, but not a chunk of the time. He does that way too much at times, like against the Carolina Panthers. 

Nov 24, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) drops back to pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Of course, he can get away with it when he’s facing less threatening defenses or pass rushers to a degree. Purdy had to be conscientious of the ball, knowing Myles Garrett could cause a fumble at a moment's notice. 

But Purdy has been way too focused on making the big plays. That’s why he is averaging 3.14 seconds to throw this season, the second-longest rate of any quarterback with 150+ pass attempts.

It’s more than 0.2 seconds longer than in any other season of his career. Purdy can get away with it for now, but against strong defenses and in the playoffs, he has to be more like the version of himself against Cleveland. 

If he does that, there’s no reason the 49ers can’t continue to soar. 

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