SANTA CLARA — Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo knows how to attack Brock Purdy’s weaknesses, but never would acknowledge that they actually exist.
Spagnuolo limited Purdy and the 49ers’ offense to just 19 points in regulation during the Super Bowl earlier this year — he clearly knows something. But he would never say it publicly.
Spagnuolo has been in the NFL since 1999. He knows what to say and what not to say about his upcoming opponent. So when he was asked this week about Purdy, it’s no surprise that Spagnuolo said, “I can’t find a weakness in this quarterback.”
Sure you can’t, Steve.
Even Purdy knows he has weaknesses. So I asked him about them this week.
“Steve Spagnuolo has always been extremely complimentary of your play,” I said. “And this week, he said that you have no weaknesses. Would you agree with his assessment of your play?
“I would disagree,” Purdy said with a laugh. “I think I’ve definitely got stuff to work on and get better at. I appreciate the comments, but there’s always something, in the NFL, there’s always something to get better at. As a quarterback too, you can never be perfect, there’s always something. So, I appreciate it, but yeah, I’ve got to get better too.”
You have to respect Purdy’s honesty. He’s a good quarterback but he certainly isn’t perfect. Arm strength always will be an issue for him, which is one reason he has been struggling in the red zone without Christian McCaffrey. He doesn’t have the velocity to power the ball into the end zone between defenders, so he throws safe passes in front of the goal line or toward the pylons.
He’s also much better against zone coverage than man-to-man coverage and has struggled to decipher simulated pressure — see his last two games in Minnesota.
Purdy’s six turnvers this season are a big reason the 49ers are 3-3 and not 4-2 or 5-1. That’s why this Sunday’s rematch with the Chiefs is so big for him. He needs a signature win without McCaffrey to prove that his weaknesses are negligible.
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