He is the second gifted playmaker San Francisco has misplaced to harm early this season. Operating again Christian McCaffrey (calf pressure/Achilles tendonitis) was positioned on the short-term injured reserve listing on Saturday.
Samuel leads the Niners in targets (19), receptions (13) and receiving yards (164) by way of two video games. On Sunday, he had eight receptions for 110 yards.
Because the 49ers confirmed of their 23-17 Week 2 loss on the Vikings, changing one All-Professional expertise is difficult sufficient. Shedding two may flip San Francisco’s season the wrong way up.
The following few weeks will both change Purdy’s narrative or verify suspicions that the expertise round him is the principle motive for his success.
He struggled in his first skilled street begin with out McCaffrey, ending Sunday’s recreation towards Minnesota 28-of-36 for 319 yards, one landing and one interception.
Per data from Pro Football Focus, he had three turnover-worthy performs and was sacked six occasions on 16 defensive pressures.
Minnesota offered a blueprint for different defenses to comply with by incessantly blitzing Purdy. PFF data shows the Niners quarterback had a 64.3 passer score when blitzed and averaged 6.7 yards per try — versus a 129.2 passer score and 10.8 yards per try when not blitzed.
San Francisco nonetheless has a pair of excellent weapons, tight George Kittle and vast receiver Brandon Aiyuk, however a lot of what made the Niners laborious to defend was their multitude of elite choices.
Defenses can deal with Kittle and Aiyuk and pressure Purdy to beat them whereas concentrating on wideouts Jauan Jennings and Chris Conley.
Luckily for the Niners, they play the one crew with extra harm misfortune to start the season, the Rams, in Week 3.
Los Angeles’ offensive line is riddled with accidents, and the crew can also be with out its prime two vast receivers, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
That is about the one solace for San Francisco, which instantly seems far more weak that it did getting into the season.
