Brock Purdy is not Tom Brady and there is a 99 percent chance he will never be one. However, the beginning of their epic journey in the NFL is strangely similar and it’s hard not to go back a little over 20 years when watching the 49ers’ young quarterback.
• Also read: The Broncos cover themselves in shame
There is obviously a simple parallel between the two, starting with the design. Brady was selected in the sixth round in 2000 when 198 players were selected over him. Purdy waited even longer in the spring of 2022, when he was selected as the very last player in the seventh round.
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Some would probably rightly say that the comparisons should stop there. After all, Brady has set the bar so high with seven Super Bowl victories, 19 division titles and a number of records. If Purdy ever achieves even a quarter of these standards of excellence, he will have a great career.
So Purdy isn’t Brady, but if we close our eyes a little we’ll see ourselves again in 2001.
Help of fate
Brock Purdy has never lost in his entire 12 NFL games since last season. Photo AFP
At that time, Brady initially established himself as the Patriots’ fourth quarterback. Within a few months he was promoted to reserve player for perennial favorite Drew Bledsoe and finally got his chance when he was injured on September 23, 2001.
Purdy also impressed his team in his first steps, but as the third quarterback he remained in the background. On September 18th, young frontrunner Trey Lance was injured before Jimmy Garoppolo also fell in December.
Without these injuries, who knows if Brady and Purdy would be destined to warm up on the bench…
When Brady arrived, he was an unknown despite the reputation he had earned at Michigan in the NCAA. The same picture emerged for Purdy after his time at Iowa State.
Both were considered physically limited athletes but proud competitors with a superior understanding of the game.
Brady came under the rule of Bill Belichick in 2001, a driver in his 40s who was in his seventh season as the league’s head coach. Purdy plays for Kyle Shanahan, also forty years old and in his seventh season.
The only difference in terms of coaching is that Belichick was the defensive guru looking for a first championship to salvage the poor image the NFL world had of him a few years earlier in Cleveland. Shanahan, on the other hand, is more of an offensive genius trying to forget the disaster of Super Bowl 51, when he led the Falcons’ offense into a colossal collapse when they led 28-3…against Belichick and Brady.
Similar situations
22 years ago, Brady wrote the first Hollywood chapter of his career by winning the Super Bowl. At the time, people said he was just a good little quarterback surrounded by the sixth-best defense in the league.
It took until 2007, when he truly excelled with 50 touchdown passes to quality receivers, for detractors to finally realize his true value.
Currently, despite his phenomenal success, Purdy is seen as the quarterback who only benefits from the Niners machine, with a defense that is at the forefront and excellent weapons on offense.
Brady had accumulated 2,843 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and completed 63.9% of his passes in his first 15 career games.
Purdy passed for 3,191 yards with 25 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in the 12 games he played in, with the exception of the Conference Finals when he was quickly injured. It’s honestly impressive.
Aside from the numbers, Purdy and Brady are similar in their innate desire to win, their leadership and the respect they command. Both advocate a methodical approach, although Purdy can afford more aggression due to the nature of the players around him. His average yards gained per pass (8.64) also exceeds Brady’s (6.4) in his first year.
For some, the story on the field ends, for others their own begins. At this point you could swear they used the same author to write the script.
WEEK 6
THURSDAY
MY CHOICE
- From Denver to Kansas City Chiefs
SUNDAY
MY DECISIONS
- Baltimore to Tennessee (to London) (9:30 a.m.) RAVENS
- Washington to Atlanta (1 p.m.) FALCON
- Minnesota to Chicago (1 p.m.) VIKINGS
- Seattle to Cincinnati (1 p.m.) BENGAL
- San Francisco to Cleveland (1:00 p.m.) 49ERS
- New Orleans to Houston (1 p.m.) SAINTS
- Indianapolis to Jacksonville (1 p.m.) JAGUARS
- Caroline in Miami (1 p.m.) DOLPHINS
- New England in Las Vegas (4:05 p.m.) robber
- Detroit at Tampa Bay (4:25 p.m.) LIONS
- Arizona at LA Rams (4:25 p.m.) RAMS
- Philadelphia at NY Jets (4:25 p.m.) EAGLE
- NY Giants at Buffalo (8:20 p.m.) BILLS
MONDAY
MY CHOICE
- Dallas at LA Chargers (8:15 p.m.) COWBOYS
*Teams furloughed: Steelers, Packers
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS: 10 out of 14 (71.4%)
OVERALL THIS SEASON: 51 out of 78 (65.4%)
THE CHOICES OF NEWSPAPER
Baltimore Ravens (3-2) v. Tennessee Titans (2-3)
ANOTHER MORNING IN LONDON
The Ravens defense is not letting it get to them early in the season. Photo AFP
For the third year in a row, your Sunday begins in London. The Ravens should bounce back despite their setback against the Steelers, as their defense ranks second in the league in points allowed and yards allowed. They are also in seventh place compared to the race, which should slow Derrick Henry down. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is capable of stopping himself. With the exception of DeAndre Hopkins, there is nothing among the receivers.
Washington Commanders (2-3) vs. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)
A YOUNG PERSON TO PROTECT
Sam Howell is taking sacks at an alarming rate. Photo AFP
Young Commanders quarterback Sam Howell is far from playing bad football. A big problem, however, is that if this trend continues, he will finish the year with 99 sacks to his name, which would be an all-time record. He needs to protect himself better, but the trainers also need to find a way to prevent him from getting decapitated. The good news is that the Falcons only claim five sacks, so Howell can wait to prepare his will. However, the Falcons’ ground game will be of great importance.
Minnesota Vikings (1-4) v. Chicago Bears (1-4)
THE CELLAR IN THE GAME
Jordan Addison could become the Vikings’ preferred receiver in Justin Jefferson’s absence. Photo AFP
The basement of the North Division is at stake and the two rivals are worth it… However, there is improvement on the Bears’ side with an aerial game that has produced 573 yards and eight touchdowns in the last two weeks. The Bears won’t intimidate anyone on defense, but the Vikings have been without star receiver Justin Jefferson for several weeks. Rookie Jordan Addison will no longer have the luxury of completing his routes without being overtaken. On the other hand, the Bears do not apply pressure and do not cause turnovers.
Seattle Seahawks (3-1) v. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
A riveting shock
Joe Burrow became himself again in the win against the Cardinals last Sunday. Photo AFP
The Bengals are coming back to life. After orchestrating just three offensive series that resulted in touchdowns in the first four games, Joe Burrow led four on Sunday. The Seahawks are giving up 280 passing yards each week (third-worst total in the league), meaning Burrow can’t contain a corner of his mouth that’s drooling. However, the Seahawks are playing well and the Bengals are allowing 154 rushing yards per game (second-worst total in the league). Now it’s Pete Carroll’s turn to drool.
San Francisco 49ers (5:0) v. Cleveland Browns (2-2)
TOTALLY DOMINANT
Nick Bosa and the 49ers defense are only giving up crumbs. Photo AFP
The 49ers don’t just win, they pulverize the competition. Their five wins have come by an average margin of 19.8 points. They also have 15 straight regular season wins dating back to last season, a franchise record. There is little hope for the Browns as quarterback Deshaun Watson will still be out and PJ Walker will take over. Their defensive line is excellent, but will not be able to keep the team in the game.
New Orleans Saints (3-2) v. Houston Texans (2-3)
BIG TEST FOR STROUD
Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud impresses in his NFL debut. Photo AFP
Texas rookie quarterback CJ Stroud continues to look good. He has seven touchdown passes and has never been the victim of an interception despite being surrounded by a very young team. The order will be difficult against the Saints, who have seven interceptions, the third-highest total in the tournament. Their rivals only score 15.2 points per game against them. The offense does what is necessary and takes advantage of the ball losses. How will Stroud react?
Indianapolis Colts (3-2) v. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)
MINSHEW AGAIN
Gardner Minshew never hides his cockiness. Photo AFP
With Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson injured again, this is an opportunity to witness the immortal Gardner Minshew’s quest for revenge against the team that fired him. However, it’s a safe bet that the Colts will look to be physical on the floor between Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss. The Jaguars do a better job of mimicking this tactic. Travis Etienne exploded with 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. The Jags have won three of the last four meetings against the Colts.
Carolina Panthers (0-5) vs. Miami Dolphins (4-1)
NO SIZE
Running back Raheem Mostert will see plenty of action in De’Von Achane’s absence. Photo AFP
Unless they get into the heat of the century before the game, there is no reason for the Dolphins to avoid this matchup. At 4-1, they are off to their best start since 2003 and are averaging 111 more yards per game than any other team in the league. The loss of sensation De’Von Achane takes away an element of speed, but Raheem Mostert is also explosive. The Panthers defend well against the pass (185 yards per game), but have not experienced a test like this yet.
New England Patriots (1-4) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2-3)
DESCENT INTO HELL
Bill Belichick has a lot to worry about these days. Photo AFP
The Patriots narrowly lost by 35 and 34 points. This is a sentence that could have been written many times in 1990, but not today. They haven’t scored a touchdown in the last 10 quarters. The problem is that Bill Belichick, the general manager, has been so bad in the last few drafts that not even Bill Belichick, the coach, can save him. The Raiders remain a within reach opponent until Maxx Crosby shows how much of an upset the Pats’ offensive line is.
Detroit Lions (4-1) v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)
LIONS, BE SERIOUS!
Aidan Hutchinson has terrorized opposing quarterbacks this season. Photo AFP
After the Lions’ first win against the Chiefs, the world praised the team, only to see them implode in the second game. They have since regained their status as serious contenders by winning their last three games by 14, 14 and 18 points. The Lions must avoid making a fuss, as they have done too many times, when the applause rises. The defense is giving up just 293 yards per game and Aidan Hutchinson will be tested against the Bucs’ surprising offensive line.
Arizona Cardinals (1-4) vs. Los Angeles Rams (2-3)
ONE WAY
Receiver Cooper Kupp made a remarkable return against the Eagles. Photo AFP
The Rams have the Cardinals’ number, with 11 wins against them in their last 13 meetings. The Cards fight honorably every week, but reality seems to be catching up with them as they have given up 31 or more points three times while their offense has been limited to 20 points or fewer three times. The same offense will have to function without carrier James Conner. The Rams are better than expected and the return of Cooper Kupp (8 receptions for 118 yards last Sunday) is a big plus.
Philadelphia Eagles (5:0) v. New York Jets (2-3)
ALWAYS SOLID
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles still have a spotless record after five games this season. Photo AFP
The Eagles haven’t beaten the competition so far as many expected, but they remain undefeated and are averaging 28.2 points per game. They also gain 4.6 yards per carry and limit their rivals to 309 yards per game. It’s anything but annoying! The Jets have found their groove on defense over the last three games and Zach Wilson is showing signs of life on offense. However, the pressure from the Eagles’ defensive front quickly sent him back into panic mode.
New York Giants (1-4) v. Buffalo Bills (3-2)
SEE YOU IN BUFFALO
Head coach Brian Daboll hopes to smile again when he returns to Buffalo. Photo AFP
Giants head coach Brian Daboll must be distraught over his team’s disgusting performance. The trip to Buffalo will not relieve him, he will rejoin the Bills, whose offense he led until 2022. The Bills defense lost solid assets in Tre’Davious White and Matt Milano, but will know they will dominate the Giants’ weak offensive line, which allowed 82 pressures in five games, resulting in 28 sacks. Tyrod Taylor is crippled in place of the injured Daniel Jones.
Dallas Cowboys (3-2) v. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)
Tension ahead
Justin Herbert and the Chargers are rarely involved in dull matchups. Photo AFP
It’s hard to complain about this Monday evening duel. All games involving the Chargers this season have been decided by seven points or fewer. We can already expect Brandon Staley to be involved in a controversial call on four down and Justin Herbert to put on a great show. The Cowboys, you never know. They defeated three rivals by 40, 20 and 35 points, but were defeated by 12 and 32 points. There is reason to believe that the defense will recover in a friendly stadium for the visitors.