NFC, 49ers and Brock Purdy
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Brock Purdy's night could have unraveled quickly Sunday, but the San Francisco 49ers star stayed calm and went on to dominate the Chicago Bears.
Brock Purdy was doing it all on Sunday Night Football against the Chicago Bears in Week 16. The 49ers quarterback has been lights out since returning from his latest injury and continued his terrific play against the Bears despite the fact that the 49ers punted for the first time since November.
Brock Purdy threw three touchdowns and ran for two more as the San Francisco 49ers held off the Chicago Bears in a thriller at Levi's Stadium.
But it’s not all good news for the 49ers. Left tackle Trent Williams was shaken up on the first play from scrimmage — Purdy’s pick-six — and is questionable to return with a hamstring injury. Austen Pleasants came in to replace him.
Brock Purdy flourished in anonymity. Caleb Williams struggled in a fish bowl. Now the 49ers’ and Bears’ quarterbacks meet with NFC supremacy as the goal.
On Monday Night Football, Purdy threw a career-high five touchdowns for 295 yards with just one interception, in what was arguably the best performance of his career. He also became the first quarterback in red and gold to throw five touchdowns in a regular-season game since the legendary Joe Montana.
Purdy made the play on first-and-goal from the 6, rolling to his left before evading a pair of would-be tacklers, moving up to the line of scrimmage, and firing over to the left side to a wide-open Kyle Juszczyk for a touchdown. Purdy is now 18-of-24 for 209 for two touchdowns and an interception, plus five carries for 23 yards with two TDs.
With Bowers done for the year, Ashton Jeanty could also see a higher target share from Geno Smith. The former Boise State star made his best play as a receiver last week against the Texans, catching a deep ball down the sideline and shrugging off a tackle for an electrifying 60-yard touchdown.
Brock Purdy threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings with 2:15 to play, and the San Francisco 49ers forced an incomplete pass on the final play from the 2 to beat the Chicago Bears 42-38 and set up a Week 18 showdown for the top seed in the NFC.
Brock Purdy entered Levi’s Stadium expecting to trust his arm against the Chicago Bears. Even with George Kittle out with an injury. But the San Francisco 49ers quarterback ran some crazy circles around the defense, literally.