12-01-2023, 11:15 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-01-2023, 11:16 AM by OutsiderFan.)
(12-01-2023, 09:42 AM)Mick Wrote:(11-30-2023, 01:54 PM)OutsiderFan Wrote: Brock Purdy has had 4 opportunities out of 17 games played to lead a comeback win.
His first opportunity was in 2022, when he led the Niners to defeat the Raiders in OT, after trailing at halftime 14-17. He led what would have been a game winning FG drive in regulation, but Robbie Gould missed at the buzzer.
His second opportunity was in 2023 at Cleveland. The Niners trailed by 2 pts and he led a what would have been a game winning FG drive in regulation, but Jake Moody missed at the buzzer.
His third opportunity was in 2023 at Minnesota. The Niners trailed by 5 pts and he threw picks on their last two drives of the game.
His fourth opportunity was in 2023 at home vs. Bengals. The Niners trialed 17-10 entering the 4th Quarter. Purdy threw one of the worst picks you will ever see inside the Bengals' 10. The Bengals punted the ball back, but Purdy threw another pick that resulted in a TD for Bengals. He drive for a TD to make it 24-17, but the Niners gave up a TD right after.
So realistically, Purdy hasn't had many opportunities to "lead 4th quarter comebacks" because his team has so rarely trailed in 4th quarters. But he has led what would have been last minute game wining FG drives in half his 4th quarter trailing situations, only to have the FG kicker miss both times.
But you need your Defense to participate in executing 4th quarter comebacks too. The Niners Defense did everything is could against Minnesota and Purdy didn't deliver. But the Defense didn't do its job in the comeback pursuit against the Bengals.
So honestly, out of 4 chances to have a 4th quarter comeback win, Purdy did his job in 2 of them, and only one of them did he really have a chance and not deliver on his end.
I don't think there is any reason to believe Purdy can't lead his team to comeback wins. He just hasn't been in many comeback situations But even in the few he has been in, he's shown he can do his part if his teammates do their job too.
Reminds me of the 1985 49ers vs. the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. Montana led the 49ers to a comeback win. Niners scored 13 of their 20 points in the 4th quarter. I'm left to wonder why they couldn't score in the first three quarters.
Still, some common strengths at offensive positions:
Montana = Purdy
Roger Craig = McCaffrey
Rice = Aiyuk
John Taylor = Deebo
John Frank = Kittle
Rathman = Juszczyk
Wallace = Williams
Barton = McKivitz
Cross = Brendel
Lots of similarities. Would rather have Jesse Sapolu and Guy McIntyre than the guards we currently have.
The 49er Super Bowl defense was very different from this year's defense. The DBs (Lott, Fuller, Wright, McKyer) were the strength of that unit. Line (Carter, Fagan, Roberts) was strong. LBs except for Haley were good, not great (Ellison, Walter
I think you mean 1988 Niners.
Bill Romanowski was a rookie in 1988 and was a good LB, even had a pick in the Super Bowl. Michael Walter and Riki Ellison were better than people think. I remember at the time lamenting they weren't Mike Singletary or even Vaughn Johnson, but they were on two Super Bowl winning teams - though Ellison was hurt and replaced by Matt Miller in 1989) so couldn't have been that bad!
Speaking of comebacks, this is the most bizarre one the Niners have ever had, one year previously, in 1987. Good one in honor of Bill Walsh's Birthday yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbUBNzb1Xuw
As for Niners at Eagles, I'm heartened by these facts:
Niners 42 Cowboys 10
Cowboys 23 Eagles 28 (Cowboys with ball at 6 yard line and under a minute left before imploding)
Niners 31 Seahawks 13 (really should have been no more than 6, but 0 Offensive TDs allowed)
Seahawks 35 Cowboys 41
If the Eagles barely beat Cowboys, the Niners crushed them and the Seahawks, and the Seahawks were driving for game winning TD in final minute in Dallas, it seems the Niners will beat the Eagles.