FLOWERY BRANCH - The Atlanta Falcons are staring down another tough quarterback test Sunday, and this one comes with a very different challenge than the week before. After getting exposed by Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears’ passing game, Atlanta now has to deal with Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers and the quarterback steering the operation, Brock Purdy.
Shanahan’s reputation around the league is already established, but Purdy is doing plenty of heavy lifting himself. Through six games, he has piled up 1,460 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Among quarterbacks who have played six games this season, he leads the group in completion percentage at 69.6%, passer rating at 118.1, and EPA per dropback at +0.30.
What makes Purdy so difficult is not a single jaw-dropping trait. It’s the way he stacks the little things. He processes quickly, throws with precision, and makes the right decision again and again in Shanahan’s system.
That kind of production may not grab headlines the way some of the league’s other stars do, but it gets the job done. Atlanta knows exactly where the 49ers’ offense begins.
"He's a very, very special quarterback," Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "I haven't studied the rest of the league - and I'm watching a lot of his tape right now, but it's hard to imagine someone who is playing the position better than he is right now."
Stefanski also pointed to the traits that make Purdy such a seamless fit in Shanahan’s offense, and those traits go beyond just accuracy.
"He's an elite processor. You see how quickly he gets through his progressions," Stefanski explained.
"He has elite accuracy. And I think he's an elite scrambler.
I think he's the best or one of the best off-schedule quarterbacks playing right now.
"You watch him - he's a smart scrambler. He's looking to pass.
And then when he runs, he can score from 50 yards out, as he's done. So just very, very smart.
Hard to get on the ground. This is a great player."
That leaves Atlanta’s secondary with another serious assignment after Caleb Williams and the Bears picked it apart a week ago. The return of veteran cornerbacks A.J.
Terrell Jr. and C.J. Henderson would help, but the Falcons need more than healthy bodies to survive this matchup.
They’ll need the front seven to speed Purdy up and keep him from settling in behind a clean pocket. Because when coverage breaks down against San Francisco, the damage can come fast. Purdy doesn’t need many chances to make a defense pay.
In Other News...
Nick Bosa Return Hope Just Got Very Real For 49ers Defense
Nick Bosas absence has been one of the biggest storylines hanging over the 49ers defense, and the latest signs are encouraging enough to keep the conversation going. Since the calf injury knocked him out in late September, San Francisco has had to manage without one of its most disruptive players, and the idea of getting him back has obvious appeal for a unit that feeds off edge pressure and game-changing plays.
There is real optimism around Bosas comeback, but the 49ers still do not have an official confirmation on when he will be ready to go. The timing matters because a return in early November would give San Francisco a major boost right as the season starts to tighten, and the defense is clearly watching this one closely. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Pass Rush Looks Different Even Without Key Edge Rushers
San Franciscos pass rush has been one of the clearest changes on the roster through the first six weeks, and the production has come even while the defense has been missing key edge help at times. The 49ers have consistently found pressure in ways they simply did not a year ago, with the front looking deeper, more varied and more disruptive than it did last season.
John Lynch pointed to a broader mix of reasons for the surge, from Raheem Morris influence on the defense to Chris Kiffins work with the line and the impact of added bodies up front. Osa Odighizuwa and Keion White have been part of that shift, while rookies Gracen Halton and Romello Height have also been pulled into the rotation as the 49ers have tried to keep the rush fresh despite injuries to Nick Bosa and Mykell Williams. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Have Real Freedom To Go All In
A strong start has left the 49ers in an enviable spot heading into the trade deadline, with the kind of flexibility that can change the shape of a season in a hurry. Between a healthy amount of salary-cap room and a roster built around veterans who are not getting any younger, San Francisco has every reason to treat this moment like a real window, not a passing opportunity.
What makes the situation even more interesting is how much draft capital the 49ers still have available to work with, which gives them room to chase help without stripping away the future. No move has surfaced yet, but that combination of urgency, resources and ambition is exactly why San Francisco is expected to be active if the right deal comes along. [Read more 🡒]