49ers quarterback Purdy created NFL history against the Eagles in a number of ways.
The article “How 49ers QB Purdy achieved NFL history against the Eagles in multiple ways” first appeared on NBC Sports.
With his victorious return to Philadelphia, Bay Area 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy earned a prominent spot in NFL history alongside three of the greatest players to ever play the game.
With four passes for touchdowns and a passer rating of 148.8, Purdy had a spectacular performance on the national scene during the 49ers’ 42-19 victory over the Eagles last Sunday inside Lincoln Financial Field.
That was Purdy’s third touchdown pass of the 2023 NFL season with a passer rating of 140 or higher. He now shares the record with Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady for the most touchdown passes in a single season within league history.
In addition, it was Purdy’s sixth career game had a passer rating at 140 or above, which established a record regarding the most games in a player’s first two seasons by an NFL quarterback.
He had the option to ride the early bus into Lincoln Financial Field and spend a few hours before kickoff strolling around the grass.
Before kickoff, he could have tried to shake the memories by telling about how he tore up the throwing elbow in the NFC title game last year.
He had the opportunity to pause and consider how far he had progressed in the ten months after the injury.
As he prepared to leave Philadelphia, Purdy informed me over the phone, “It was Week 13 for me.” “I didn’t want to become very engrossed in the idea that this was the revenge concert or anything similar.
Of course, I wanted to win the game and go in and perform for my sons. We have a ton of important games left to play to wrap up the season. I was in the location.
I don’t think I would been as concentrated and thorough as I wanted to be if I had been consumed with the impulse to exact retribution on these individuals.
The Philadelphia final score was 42–19, but that doesn’t quite capture the extent to which San Francisco destroyed an Eagles squad that had been nearly unbeatable for the previous two months.
The defending NFC champions, who had impressive comebacks against the Cowboys, Chiefs, plus Bills, featured a quarterback playing as an MVP level, strong defensive line play, and an offensive line full of very competent players. They had eliminated every player after taking their best shot.
After a false start had set the offense back, Purdy’s team was able to handle a manageable third down with the completion on second-and-15 at the Niners’ 10 to Brandon Aiyuk on an explosive route to the left flat for 12 yards.
The Niners were up and running six plays later when he hooked up with George Kittle, who ran 32 yards.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Purdy’s 70% completion rate (19 of 27) was also his sixth straight game at 70 percent or more. Joe Montana had the longest such stretch in eight straight games throughout the 1989 season.
After also passing for four touchdowns in the Week 5 demolition of the Dallas Cowboys, Purdy recorded his second four-TD pass performance of the year.
Since Jimmy Garoppolo recorded four such games in 2019, this is the first time a 49ers quarterback has produced multiple games with four touchdown passes in a season.
Purdy has completed 74% of his throws, threw 11 touchdown passes, and intercepted one during the 49ers’ bye week within early November, enough for a rating of 138.4.
Purdy entered the last stretch of the season as the NFL MVP front-runner, and rightfully so—with the 49ers 9-3 and headed for the playoffs.