Brock Purdy is giving the Seattle Seahawks plenty to think about ahead of Week 5.
The 49ers entered last season dealing with major injury losses, including key defensive pieces like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, while Purdy also missed significant time on offense. Even with all that chaos, San Francisco still went 12-5, reached the playoffs, and somehow kept its defense at a high level.
This year started with more injury concern in San Francisco during the preseason, especially on offense, and that made the early outlook look shaky. Instead, the 49ers are 2-0, their defense has been dominant, and the offense has looked unstoppable.
That’s the version of San Francisco Seattle may have to deal with twice this season, and it makes the Week 5 meeting feel a lot different from the first matchup between these teams last year. The Seahawks were never going to treat the 49ers lightly, but what has happened through two weeks should force a fresh look at the division rivals.
When the teams met in Week 1 last season, Purdy guided the 49ers to a 17-13 win in Seattle. He finished with 277 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. It was not his sharpest outing, and injuries plus uneven play later kept him from settling into a steady rhythm.
That is not the quarterback San Francisco has gotten so far this season. Through two games, Purdy has looked like a different player, and with the defense also playing at a high level, the 49ers have the feel of one of the league’s best teams.
Purdy remains the key piece, because when he’s rolling, the whole offense follows. And over the past two seasons, he has shown he can play some of his best football.
For Seattle, that means preparing for a much more efficient version of Purdy when the 49ers come to town in Week 5. Both defenses have been strong early, but if either offense finds space, this matchup could look nothing like last year’s 17-13 grind.
There is one wrinkle, though: Purdy is working with a very thin wide receiver group. That became even thinner in Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins, when Demarcus Robinson suffered an ankle sprain. Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling was also lost in Week 1 and will be out at least two months.
Even with those issues, the Seahawks are likely to see a very different San Francisco offense than the one they faced last season. Purdy is the reason, and he may end up being the reason again if these division rivals meet a third time later on. Seattle has a real problem on its hands.
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Now comes the part Seattle would rather avoid: interest from the outside. With the Giants suddenly in need after Jaxson Darts season-ending injury, Lock is a name that could come up, but the Seahawks may be wiser to treat him as more than a movable asset. A reliable backup is one of those pieces teams only miss once they no longer have it, and Seattles situation makes that lesson feel especially current. [Read more 🡒]