One Huge Question Looms for Brock Purdy After 49ers Win Over Miami

His sharp performance brings up a massive question about him.

Sep 20, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brock Purdy was extremely sharp in the San Francisco 49ers' Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins. He was a significant reason why they won that game.

Purdy completed 20-of-22 passes for 287 yards, three total touchdowns, and no turnovers. You couldn't have asked him for a better outing.

“It was real good. He was almost flawless," Kyle Shanahan said of Purdy's performance. "His last play was probably his only miss on the intentional grounding. Besides that, he was pretty perfect. He had an unbelievable game.”

Purdy truly did have an unbelievable game, but it was against the lowly Dolphins. It's safe to say that they're the worst team in the NFL.

Credit to Purdy for performing like he's supposed to against a mediocre team, but his performance in that game raises one huge question about him.

One huge question looms

Sep 20, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Can he play that sharp against actually good teams?

Because if he can, or even just get close to that performance, the 49ers will be an unstoppable force. The thing is, Purdy always looks great against mediocre teams/defenses.

Against great teams/defenses, not so much. Just look at last season. He never performed well against those great defenses, like the Seattle Seahawks or even the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Those were the best defenses he faced all season. And I know he dealt with a turf toe injury for a few of his starts, but that didn't matter when he faced weaker opponents.

He looked sweet in those games, like against the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts. Seeing him light up the Dolphins isn't surprising. He's done this many times against lowly teams.

Now, you could say he was sweet against the Los Angeles Rams, but they have been an overhyped defense since last season. I'd rate them as a middle-of-the-pack unit.

I don't care what the national media says. The Rams' defense is not great, but it's not bad either. Purdy's performance against them is a positive sign.

Now he needs to prove he truly has raised his game, and it starts against the Denver Broncos in Week 4, followed by the Seahawks in Week 5.

That will be the indicator of whether he's still the same player or if he's taking it up a notch, especially when the 49ers play the Seahawks. They destroyed the 49ers in their last two matchups.

A sweet performance against Seattle, close to what he did against Miami, will give credence to his MVP narrative and prove that he is their best offensive player.

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