NFL
Brock Purdy emulates 1980s Joe Montana in 49ers’ victory over Bucs
It hadn’t been achieved for over three decades but the current San Francisco quarterback has now matched the performance of a true NFL legend.
The San Francisco 49ers once again demonstrated their candidacy to win the National Football League’s National Conference by defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-14 in Week 11 of the 2023 season. This victory was fuelled by an exceptional performance from quarterback Brock Purdy and the formidable front seven.
Perfect Purdy for 49ers
San Francisco’s quarterback concluded the game with 21 completed passes out of 25 attempts, amassing 333 yards and three touchdowns. With these outstanding figures, Purdy became the first San Francisco quarterback since Joe Montana in 1989 to achieve a ‘perfect’ rating (158.3). Montana accomplished this feat in Week 10 of that season against the Atlanta Falcons, completing 16 of 19 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, and adding a rushing TD.
Purdy’s scoring connections were with Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey. Among them, Aiyuk’s was particularly remarkable, covering 76 yards early in the third quarter.
After the game, Purdy stated that despite his perfect rating, there were some plays he would like to attempt again. He also emphasized that his achievement was not an individual effort but rather the result of the collective effort of his entire offensive team.
“What an honor, but at the same time, there are still some plays I wish I could have executed differently,” Purdy remarked. “I’m not entirely satisfied just with that, but I thought it was a great game with the guys around me, the coaching, the plays, all of it. That’s a testament to the team.”
Mayfield will have nightmares about Bosa and Young
San Francisco’s front seven terrorised Baker Mayfield throughout the afternoon. The quarterback faced relentless pressure, with sacks credited to Nick Bosa, Chase Young, Arik Armstead, and one combined by Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
The first player selected in the 2018 Draft threw a costly interception in the final quarter. Mayfield targeted Chris Godwin in the end zone, but safety Ji’Ayir Brown came away with the ball.