The 49ers head into Super Bowl 50 having shown tremendous heart after falling 17 points behind against Green Bay Packers during NFC championship game win, yet still managed to put Brock Purdy at the forefront as leader who can bring them from behind.
Mahomes will make his fourth Super Bowl appearance and Purdy his second, while they meet again on February 2 in Las Vegas for another showdown.
Mahomes’ Passing Game
The Chiefs’ offense is one of beauty. From star running back Isiah Pacheco and wide receiver Travis Kelce to dangerous slot cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, their roster is designed for success.
Patrick Mahomes reached 400 yards passing for the 10th time this season during an AFC Divisional Round win against the Chargers, throwing four touchdown passes while adding 68 rushing yards.
Mahomes’ ability to extend plays with his legs and find open targets must be respected by defenses. He’s not afraid to take hits to get the job done either – something the 49ers’ pass defense has allowed the highest quarterback pressure rate this year. This test awaits them.
Purdy’s Offense
Purdy brings several skills that surpass those of Garoppolo to help this offense reach new levels. First and foremost, he’s more accurate late in a down and has better success rates on deep dropbacks – not to mention an increased explosive play rate!
Kyle Shanahan’s ability to organize receivers with route concepts while disproving any notion he lacks significant arm strength also allows him to attack routes from across the field with his passing game. This gives him an edge.
Finally, he is more adept at dropping back and escaping pressure when necessary, which has hindered attempts by defenses to produce sacks against him.
Purdy’s Defense
Even though many criticize Purdy, his numbers disprove such arguments. He leads several key passing stats and appears driven to prove them wrong.
But he has not been flawless this season; he has committed four turnovers and missed open receivers at times.
On Sunday against the Lions, Mahomes struggled in the first half to deliver the ball to his receivers and had several interceptions; his passer rating dropped below 40; but in the second half things improved dramatically, as great quarterbacks typically do – taking bad games and turning them into Super Bowl wins, something Mahomes and his Chiefs will attempt to do on Monday night in Las Vegas.
Mahomes’ Running Game
Mahomes may be best known for his incredible throwing prowess, but he’s also an adept runner. In 2020’s AFC Championship Game win against the Titans he demonstrated this fact when he ran for a 27-yard touchdown after dodging a defense player, tightroped sideline and bulldozing into the end zone en route.
That type of initiative can help a team overcome an early deficit in the fourth quarter – something San Francisco will need in its rematch against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, who excel at turning back big deficits.
The 49ers offense will need to keep pace with Mahomes’s passing abilities and Kansas City’s tough defense, led by Roquan Smith (middle linebacker) and Kyle Hamilton (safety).
Purdy’s Passing Game
Purdy has played an instrumental role in elevating the 49ers offense with his ability to extend plays vertically. In 2017, he completed 38 deep passes (at least 20 air yards beyond the line of scrimmage) and holds the NFL’s highest deep throw grade rating.
Purdy wasn’t at his best against the Lions in the first half, but he found success early in San Francisco’s second drive when on their second play he found Brandon Aiyuk for a 41-yard touchdown.
Purdy showed why he hasn’t lost any steps since becoming a starter, by performing smartly in a playoff game and not panicking when things become tough. He knows what’s expected of him when facing such moments as these.
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