FIRST THINGS FIRST | Brou vindicated by Brock Purdy's performance as 49ers beat Lions, advance to SB

Summary

The 49ers improbably came back from 17 points down in the NFC Championship to stun the Lions behind backup QB Brock Purdy. Purdy's teammates praised his resilience, and analysts debated whether his clutch play makes him the 49ers' weak link. We also see Dan Campbell's aggressive coaching decisions throughout questioned with the game on the line. The consensus is Purdy stepped up big in the 2nd half with uncommon poise and playmaking, while a couple late-game choices may have cost Campbell.

Takeaways

• 😊 Brock Purdy led an incredible comeback for the 49ers, tying the record for the largest deficit overcome in an NFC Championship game
• 😀 Fred Warner and Trent Williams praised Purdy's performance and resilience
• 👏 Purdy became the first QB in 30 years to have 150+ passing yards, 45+ rushing yards, 80%+ completion rate, 10+ yards per carry, and no turnovers in a half
• 😎 Purdy made some "Mahomes-type" scramble plays that impressed Nick
• 😕 Nick still sees Purdy as the 49ers' "weakest link" but gave him credit for his poise and confidence
• 👍 Purdy showed he can bring the 49ers back from deficits in back-to-back playoff games
• ❓ There's debate around whether Dan Campbell's aggressiveness cost the Lions the game
• 😟 Running the ball and burning a timeout before the onside kick lost the Lions the game
• 😃 Campbell had an 85% fourth down conversion rate in positive territory this season
• 😕 The fourth down calls were debatable but the bigger mistake was not preserving timeouts before the onside kick

Q & A

How much of a deficit did Brock Purdy lead the 49ers back from in the NFC Championship game?

Brock Purdy led the 49ers back from a 17-point deficit, which was tied for the most in NFC Championship game history.

How many passing yards did Brock Purdy have in the game?

Brock Purdy had 267 passing yards in the game.

What records did Brock Purdy break that were previously held by Joe Montana and Steve Young?

Brock Purdy broke the franchise records for passing yards in a playoff game previously held by Joe Montana and Steve Young.

What were some of the teams that Purdy played well against this season?

Some of the top teams that Purdy played well against this season were Dallas, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville.

What was unique about Purdy's performance in the second half?

In the second half, Purdy did something that no other QB had accomplished in the last 30 years - he threw for 150 yards, rushed for 45, completed 80% of passes, averaged 10 yards per carry, and had no turnovers.

What was the key mistake by Dan Campbell according to Nick?

Nick felt that Dan Campbell's key mistake was running the ball and burning a timeout when down 10 with 3 timeouts left - putting them in a nearly unwinnable onside kick situation.

What was Dan Campbell's 4th down conversion rate in positive territory this season?

Dan Campbell had a 85% 4th down conversion rate in positive territory during the regular season and playoffs.

Why did Colin disagree with Nick about the 4th and 3 decision?

Colin felt going for the tie on 4th and 3 would give momentum and make it a fresh game with lots of time left, while Nick said kick the field goal.

Why did Colin think Campbell's decisions didn't cost them the game?

Colin felt that San Francisco was the better team and would have won anyway, regardless of a few questionable decisions by Campbell.

What was unique about the Lions kicker in this game?

The Lions kicker was not their regular kicker all season. He had missed some extra points recently and was estimated to make the long field goal only around 70% of the time.

Outlines

00:00

🏈 Brock Purdy leads 49ers to comeback NFC Championship win

Paragraph 1 discusses how 49ers QB Brock Purdy overcame a 17-point deficit to lead the 49ers to a comeback win over the Lions in the NFC Championship game. It includes quotes from 49ers players Fred Warner and Trent Williams praising Purdy's performance.

05:00

⚡ Nick Wright discusses Brock Purdy's play in comeback win

Paragraph 2 analyzes Brock Purdy's performance in detail. Nick Wright says Purdy played poorly in the first half but showed resilience and made big plays in the second half to lead the comeback win. He credits Purdy but still sees him as the 49ers' weakest link.

10:01

😕 Coaches discuss Dan Campbell's aggressive 4th down calls

Paragraph 3 examines Lions coach Dan Campbell's aggressive 4th down play calling. The coaches say the calls were defensible but criticizes Campbell for running the ball late while trailing and burning a timeout, hurting their chances of a comeback.

Keywords

💡Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy, referred to in the script as 'Brock Purdy' and 'Brock,' is the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who played a crucial role in leading his team from a 17-point deficit to a victory. His performance, which included throwing for 267 yards and adding almost 50 yards on the ground, is highlighted as a key factor in the 49ers' success. The discussion around Purdy focuses on his resilience, his impact on the team reaching the Super Bowl, and comparisons with other quarterbacks, emphasizing his skill set and contribution to the game.

💡NFC Championship

The NFC Championship game is a pivotal NFL playoff game that determines the National Football Conference's representative in the Super Bowl. In the script, the 49ers' comeback from a 17-point deficit in this game is tied for the most in the championship's history. This context underscores the significance of the game and the remarkable nature of the 49ers' performance, led by Brock Purdy.

💡Game Manager

The term 'game manager' is often used in football to describe a quarterback whose role is more about managing the game flow and making safe plays rather than making big, game-changing moves. In the script, Brock Purdy is initially praised as a 'heck of a game manager,' which implies his effective control over the game. However, the discussion evolves to highlight his game-changing plays, suggesting that his role and impact extend beyond the traditional definition of a game manager.

💡Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the NFL, which determines the league champion. The script emphasizes Brock Purdy's crucial role in leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl, underlining the importance of his performance in the NFC Championship game as a decisive factor for their advancement.

💡Playoff Games

Playoff games are the postseason games leading up to the Super Bowl, where teams compete to advance through the rounds based on their regular season performance. Brock Purdy's record in playoff games, specifically being 4-0 in games he finishes, underscores his effectiveness and resilience under high-pressure situations, as discussed in the script.

💡Quarterback Performance

Quarterback performance in the script refers to the evaluation of Brock Purdy's gameplay, including passing yards, rushing yards, completion percentage, and his ability to execute plays without turnovers. His performance is highlighted as exceptional, especially in the second half of the NFC Championship game, setting records and being compared to legendary quarterbacks and plays that have not been seen in the last 30 years.

💡Game-Winning Drive

A game-winning drive in football is a critical series of plays led by the offense, usually in the closing moments of a game, to score and secure a win. The script mentions Purdy's ability to come back with a game-winning drive against Green Bay, showcasing his clutch performance under pressure and contributing to his reputation as a reliable quarterback.

💡Scrambling Ability

Scrambling refers to a quarterback's ability to evade defenders and make plays outside of the pocket, often turning a broken play into a positive gain. The script praises Purdy's scrambling ability, especially in the NFC Championship game, as an unexpected element of his game that contributed significantly to the team's victory.

💡Patrick Mahomes Comparison

Patrick Mahomes, a quarterback known for his exceptional playmaking ability, is mentioned in the script as a point of comparison for Brock Purdy. While acknowledging that Purdy is not in Mahomes' class, the script discusses Purdy's performances and potential, suggesting that while he may not match Mahomes, his contributions are still significant and impactful.

💡Aggressiveness in Playcalling

Aggressiveness in playcalling refers to the decision-making process in football, particularly the choice to take risks, such as going for it on fourth down instead of opting for safer plays like field goals. The script discusses Dan Campbell's (Lions' head coach) aggressive playcalling in the NFC Championship game, analyzing whether this approach helped or hindered the team's chances of winning.

Highlights

Brock Purdy led an incredible 17-point comeback for the 49ers

Purdy had 267 passing yards and added almost 50 rushing yards to seal the win

Fred Warner and Trent Williams praised Purdy's performance and resilience

Purdy is 4-0 in playoff games he's finished and broke franchise records

Purdy had an unprecedented second half performance

Purdy made some very impressive, Mahomes-like plays

Nick Wright was impressed by Purdy's scrambling ability and poise

The last two weeks show Purdy can lead comebacks, which is key

Dan Campbell's aggressiveness defines the Lions, but cost them late

The 4th down calls were reasonable, but burning a timeout before the onside kick cost them

Campbell has an 85% 4th down conversion rate, so his calls have statistical backing

The 49ers were the better team and likely would have come back anyway

Chris disagrees and thinks the Lions should have kicked the tying field goal

Trusting the backup kicker impacted the 4th down decisions

The 49ers got out slowly but were clearly the superior team

Transcripts

was headed to Las Vegas Brock pie led

the 49ers back from a 17-point deficit

tied for the most in NFC Championship

game history Brock goes for 267 through

the air added almost 50 on

the round to seal the game here's Fred

Warner and Trent Williams on their

quarterback what can you say about Brock

herie and his performance tonight heck

of a game manager wow manage the heck

out of that game boy he the reason we

going to have a chance to win us a ring

I love him what about Brock pie in this

game and his

resilience he did this all year he the

main reason we right here today he the

reason we going to the Super Bowl he the

reason we here he did it all year brw

you feel totally

Vindicated been a rough a

block I feel relieved that's what I felt

yesterday cuzz at half timee I was like

oh my tomorrow's really I'm not even

going to get any relief but uh look

here's what I'll

say why not believe in him now and I'm

not saying he's momes he's not in

Mahomes class but let's be honest who is

and I'm not saying he's Josh Allen or

Lamar but they not in mahomes's class

either they have bad playoff games here

and there too yeah pie really hasn't I

mean he played poorly last game against

Green Bay but came back with the

game-winning Drive this guy has done all

you could ask for of him he's 4-0 in

playoff games that he finishes he broke

Joe Montana and Steve you know the

franchise that they're in the record for

passing yards he played well against

some of the top teams in the league

struggled against some but played great

against others Dallas Philly

Jacksonville so on and so forth and then

yesterday in the second half I mean Nick

I I'm interested in hear what you say

because La here's what he did in the

second half it's never been done by any

quarterback in the last 30 years in any

type of game play off or a regular

season throw for 150 rush for 45 plus

complete 80% of your passes average 10

yards a carry and no turnover it doesn't

even include his best Play Bouncing the

pass off a dud helmet for 50 yard guar a

little luck every team needs a little

bit of luck and great play byuk by the

way but he made pery made look at these

plays these are not game manager plays

that pery made so here's aome yes that

that look like Lamar and then that throw

great catch too by you check and here

you

go look at this well this is scrambling

was his scrambling he doesn't know how

to slide yet clearly but his scrambling

was great and watch this thing this is

Mahomes that's a Mahomes type play I

mean seriously I'm not saying M but that

was you scramble a little and that was a

great play so those are three great play

all I'm saying is why not I don't I

don't know if I yeah that last one I

don't consider really I don't no no but

I want to give him credit for first so I

don't want to I don't want to okay um

cuz I really like the scrambling and

that is an element of his game that I

did not think he had at this andb be

like oh you weren't watch this was the

best scrambling game he's ever had and

and so I like that I was you people been

ask what is it going to take I thought

yesterday was so much more important and

impressive than the perfect passer

rating against Tampa that perfect passer

rating game didn't move me really at all

because I I've seen quarterbacks that I

know are bad do something like that

under those circumstances now that game

do I think he played well start to

finish absolutely not do I think that he

was one of the major reasons they were

down as big as they were I do and that

pick early was bad and it was that the

overthrow was so bad that it became good

on on the pass off the guy's helmet off

vor's helmet with all that said that to

me was a step massive step in the right

direction does it change the fact that I

think he's their weakest link it doesn't

but am I going to act like that was not

a lot of what I wanted to see where he

plays poorly or they just are in a rough

spot and he didn't seem to lose

confidence I think I think that the

getting away with that pass that ended

up caught for 50 yards from that moment

forward there weren't mistakes there

were a bunch before there weren't

mistakes and Coach I think the

scrambling element for a team that while

I'm not as down on the offensive line as

I think Brew is that is one of their

weaker spots that's an important element

and so I will I will give him

credit as much as I can given the fact

of what he did over the entirety of the

game I I thought it was the last two

weeks are the things that I've been

looking for so I I wanted to see whether

or not he could bring the team back and

we saw that that he hadn't been able to

up to that point so he does it against

Green Bay and then he does it massively

here against Detroit and you couple that

with Shanahan's record being down by

seven which was 4 and 42 going into the

Green Bay game so they've done something

that they've had real problems with and

I give them a ton of credit for that and

and there were a a significant amount of

really impressive plays the reason I

didn't love that last play you showed is

cuz he got away with it but typically

when you make throws like that where

you're throwing across your body into

traffic that's going to hurt you more

than than it helps you but he was poised

he was confident and as poorly as he

played in the second half he made a ton

of plays to bring him back in the first

half in the first half he he made so

many positive plays under absolute

pressure and he showed a lot of Po so

and it was the greatest got give him

Credit in NFC title game history the

answer is yes where you've indicated the

answer is without a doubt yes I don't

even want to do that he's been fighting

some opponents now now he's got to fight

champ so it's a little

different no I I look I'm going to be

grinding all 22 these next two weeks

before I make my pit Co Brew I'm just

letting you know right now s like coach

uh Chief's kingdom is at

capacity we one spot left open got

ite Isa the Midwest I am a mid west y

think about that Chiefs King Dan Campell

and the Lions aggressive all year it's

one of the reasons why they were in the

NFC Championship but was he too

aggressive this game up 2410 before half

long field goal nah with a chance to tie

it later on went for it again on Fourth

and three neither worked here's Campbell

afterwards it's easy hindsight and I get

it you know um I get

that

but I don't regret those decisions and

that's hard you know it's hard because

you know they didn't we didn't come

through it wasn't able to to work out

but I just I don't I don't and I

understand the scrutiny I'll get that's

part of the gig man pretty good uh did

Dan Cable's aggressiveness lose this

game no um and but there he did make one

Grievous error and it was not the fourth

down calls so listen I don't the the one

fourth down call that I disagreed with

the most was when they were up 14 I

would have kicked there personally

because I think there is a massive

psychological impact on San Francisco if

you're down three scores high scoring

game I feel like uh two scores you

always feel alive low scoring game I

feel like one score you always feel

alive so like in the Chiefs game I felt

like being up 10 was huge and that game

being up 17 would have felt huge I know

they have a shaky kicker that one I

would have gone for but that's a

judgment call he can make it we don't

know if he would have made it the the

the thing that was indefensible coach

was running the ball down 10 right here

when you have three timeouts and burning

one in the modern NFL I shouldn't say

modern in the new onside kick NFL if you

get in an onside kick game you

lose right you are better off being down

seven with all three of your timeouts

and a minute left then you are what they

did that lost them the game the game is

over the moment you run that play and

then call timeout the game's over I

don't care what you do that is not a

judgment call that is not I'm going with

my team what got us here so that to me

if they had just kicked the field goal

on first down they're fine you kick off

you get a stop you have a chance so that

to me was the massive mistake the fourth

Downs are more controversial but I at

least understand the logic behind it

there's no logic behind running it

burning a timeout now you're an onside

kick game and game's over it's a good

take yeah the onside kicks where it's a

everybody knows you have to onside kick

the percentage of getting that is so

small and to not have the three timeouts

you're you're just conceding the game at

that point conceding the game so I I

agree with you in terms of the fourth

down I also agree that being up 17 at

that point so it would have been 17 with

essentially 22 minutes left in the game

they scored you scored and now youve

you've exchanged blow so it's it's not a

big momentum killer but then to to get

stopped on fourth down after they had

the field goal that's where you start

for especially for an immature team that

he start feeling like oh no here we go I

don't know if we can win this but In

fairness to Dan it is all in retrospect

and let's bring up Dan's uh success here

so here here's what he's done in plus

territory he's had 20 attempts

throughout the course of the regular

season postseason and he's converted on

17 of them so he's got an 85% conversion

rate and and that's what he was going

with and that's what he said he's going

to go with and he and he stuck to it and

they've been very successful so it

didn't work and we're a little bit

prison of the moment because it didn't

work so now we're thinking okay he

should have done the other thing but but

he's been great at it all year long I I

don't think his calls and I agree with

you guys on those calls I I think he

should have tried to go up three scores

and obviously not run the ball there at

the goal line but I don't think it cost

his Mi mistakes cost him the game I

think San Francisco is the better team

and they got out slowly and then they

they were rolling by that time so I

think they would have won anyway but I

also I disagree with you here Nick the

fourth and three and I get it they like

you said you showed that graphic coach

seven and a half minutes left I I feel

like you should go for the tie tie the

game up and now we got a fresh game

there's a lot of time left seven and a

half minutes so we got a fresh game I

think it gives you the momentum and so I

think he should have kicked that field

they would have got the ball back now I

know San Francisco was rolling and they

scored right away anyway but I think

that I might agree with you if I trusted

that kicker more he wasn't the kicker

all year he had missed some extra points

recently like people are forgetting that

Badgley is you know about 70% to make

that to begin with so I think that's

that's where I feel a little difference

you got Harrison bucker kick