Tua Tagovailoa was among the NFL’s finest quarterbacks the whole season until he lost it during the playoffs. Do the 49ers have cause for concern that Brock Purdy may follow suit?
Purdy’s meltdowns have happened before. He typically throws interceptions when the 49ers lose; when he doesn’t throw a pick, they’re 3-0 this season. The 49ers may be in danger if Purdy trails and is forced to throw frequently.
Tagovailoa tossed the ball 39 times in the bitter cold during his awful playoff performance. In retrospect, Tua’s coach, Mike McDaniel, gave him too much control over the game and so set him up for failure. He lacks the arm power necessary to propel the ball through the chilly conditions. The Dolphins ought to have had a lot more ball runs.
And for that reason, Purdy shouldn’t experience a breakdown akin to the one Tua just had. Because he is a more cautious playcaller than McDaniel, Kyle Shanahan will devote himself fully to the run game to keep Purdy safe.
Despite being a great quarterback, Purdy never completed more than 37 passes in a game this year. Even though the 49ers are 2-4 when he throws an interception, there’s a strong probability they lose if he throws a pick in a postseason game despite throwing 39 passes.
In the postseason, Purdy’s passing attempts should be limited to about 25 per game by Shanahan, who is expected to rely more on the run game. Should Shanahan take that action, the 49ers ought not to.
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