LAS VEGAS — The 49ers’ 37-34 overtime win over the Raiders on Sunday was a roller coaster of emotions, but Brock Purdy appeared incredibly calm despite the pressure on his shoulders.
Afterwards, the San Francisco rookie quarterback shared why it’s important for him to keep his composure during the ups and downs of a game. Even when Purdy’s pass intended for George Kittle was intercepted in the third quarter, he calmly returned to the 49ers’ Allegiant Stadium bench and rebounded later in the game.
“I’m pretty hard on myself mentally,” Purdy told reporters. “The choice for George or a missed read. I always say to myself, ‘Man, you gotta get better, you can get better, you’ve shown you can.’ I don’t like showing that to my teammates or anything.
“I just have to ride the ups and downs and stay in the middle. Keep things so simple.”
As far as his 49ers teammates can tell, Purdy is a cool customer. Even when he had to field San Francisco’s offense to score and position the team to win, the rookie remained calm. The 23-year-old ended the game with 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Purdy’s performance was how unfazed he seemed when playing from behind. San Francisco was behind late in a game for the first time since Purdy took office for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13.
“Yeah, I think that was great for him,” said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan when asked if Purdy’s battle against adversity was a development point. “I mean, he had to – we had to come from behind, especially there at the end. Also, he made a lot of games today, but there are also a number that he missed. And that’s the coolest part. There were some he would like to have back. He was never too much or too much, whether he was struggling or going well. But there were some mixed plays and he always had to come back and keep attacking. …
“He was never gun shy, made some really good decisions and fought throughout the game and found a way to win.”
The 49ers’ traditionally stingy defense gave up 34 points to the Raiders, the most total they’ve given up since the Kansas City Chiefs hit 44 points against them in Week 7. They gained 500 yards and averaged 7.6 yards per game, so had to Purdy and Co. respond.
However, Purdy managed more than just the game. He helped plot a comeback after falling 10 points behind. The Iowa State product knows how important his behavior is to maintaining productivity on the San Francisco offense.
“The moment I start going downstairs or something and I start getting nervous, I have a feeling the guys are obviously going to sense that and feed off that,” Purdy said. “I just have to play my part, do my job, and keep things nice and calm, cool and composed, even if someone else messes it up too.”
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Shanahan added, “First of all, no one has ever missed some things. And I thought Brock played great today. But I’m getting used to him and all [I’m] pretty hard for everyone. So, there are a few that I know he missed and if he misses those and comes down, doesn’t have a lead and misses a lot, you can get tight. Especially all the staff and stuff they mix up, the protection stuff they made.
“But for the most part he was able to get his head out of the way and he stuck with it and made a lot more good plays than bad plays, which is key.”
Purdy’s coaches and teammates appreciate his unassuming personality. With the weight on him, Purdy paid tribute to the entire team.
“It’s been a good experience for all of us,” Purdy said. “Offensive did its part, defense did its part, and special teams rounded it out.”