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Brock Purdy has played well enough during the 49ers’ 3-0 start that he’s vaulted to second in MVP betting odds behind only Josh Allen.
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He leads the NFL in passer rating (133.1) and QBR (93.8) by comfortable margins while tying Kirk Cousins with a league-high nine touchdown passes.
But while his positive plays are the ones that rightfully garner all the attention, Purdy’s ability to avoid the negative plays with the rest of the offense is topping the charts.
The 49ers haven’t allowed a sack through three games this season, which hadn’t been done since the Cincinnati Bengals went three games without yielding a sack in their first three games of 2014, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
It’s a number that figures to get tested Sunday against the Denver Broncos, owner’s of the NFL’s sixth-highest pressure rate of opposing quarterbacks and seventh-most sacks. The Broncos ended last season in the AFC Championship Game where they lost to the New England Patriots while missing their starting quarterback Bo Nix. Their defense ranked second in total yardage and third in scoring.
“The film doesn’t lie,” 49ers center Jake Brendel said. “It’s a very aggressive defense.”
San Francisco’s offensive line anchored by left tackle Trent Williams — who left Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals in the second half after suffering a stinger — has played well in pass protection. The 49ers have the league’s lowest pressure rate from defenses at 22.5% and the NFL’s highest success rate overall. Their passing game, statistically, is miles ahead of the rest of the league. Their estimated points added per drop back is plus-0.58, more than double the second-place Dallas Cowboys at plus-0.27.
Not allowing a sack on 83 passing plays is part of the reason why.
But it hasn’t only been the offensive line. The 49ers have played from ahead in each of their three games, minimizing obvious passing situations and third-and-longs. Purdy has been brilliant at moving within and escaping the pocket. And coach Kyle Shanahan’s scheme has made it difficult on opposing pass rushers by throwing different looks at them, like when Myles Garrett spent Week 1 dealing with chips from tight end George Kittle and crack blocks from fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
“I think just a group, we protect very well,” Shanahan said. “And that is the O-line. Like I said earlier, just what the tight ends and the backs, and sometimes receivers are doing with chip help. Sometimes chips don’t solve all your problems. It might give you a little extra time, but there’s two less guys that are out (running routes) so it’s hard to get guys open.
“So we’ve done a good job mixing that stuff in. When we haven’t done that stuff, our five guys held up well. And when they haven’t, Brock’s done a good job getting rid of the ball, which also means somebody did a good job getting open fast. So everything goes into it. If you’re ever doing good in protection … it’s a little bit of everything.”
The Broncos are coming off a thrilling win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, 30-26, that included a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown by former 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga. They allowed 482 yards but sacked Matthew Stafford four times and hit him 14 times. Purdy has taken seven hits all year.
Latest on 49ers injuries
Receiver Mike Evans did not practice Wednesday after suffering a rib injury in Sunday’s win over Arizona. Shanahan said he hopes Evans can return to practice later in the week. Williams missed practice with a neck injury and linebacker Dre Greenlaw was out with a quadriceps issue, though he was doing work on the side field during the portion of practice open to reporters. Those three, along with Christian McCaffrey, typically don’t practice Wednesdays.
A newcomer to the injury list was defensive lineman Keion White, who was out with a hamstring injury. He did light work on the side field at the start of practice.
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White was one of three defensive linemen on the opening day roster was healthy for last week’s game. He has sacks in each of the last two games and has lined up both at defensive end and defensive tackle amid all the injuries. It’s unclear if he’ll be available for Sunday.
Former first-round pick returns to practice
The 49ers got some good news on the injury front, though it won’t matter much for this week.
Mykel Williams received an ovation from his teammates as he broke down the huddle at the start of Wednesday’s practice, his first since having his practice window opened after tearing his ACL last November. Williams began the season on the physically unable to perform list and isn’t eligible to return until next week against Seattle, at the earliest.
“Mykel’s just mixing in today,” Shanahan said. “Today’s his first day back in a year. So (we) probably won’t go full speed today with the amount of plays we got on Sunday, but big first day for him just to get back in there.”
The 49ers are currently without Nick Bosa, CJ West, Alfred Collins and James Thompson Jr., and they missed Romello Height on Sunday. Height returned to practice with a cast on his broken hand Wednesday and could return to play the Broncos. The 49ers started Ogbo Okoronkwo opposite White on Sunday.
A familiar face at receiver is back
The 49ers on Wednesday added 2018 second-round draft pick Dante Pettis to the practice squad amid their injuries at receiver.
Pettis, who turns 31 on Oct. 23, spent the last two years with the New Orleans Saints after missing all of 2023 with an undisclosed injury with the Chicago Bears. Pettis spent training camp with the Buffalo Bills and was released at final cuts. The 49ers also signed former first-round pick Brandin Cooks to the practice squad last week.
The 49ers let go of Pettis midway through the 2020 season before he was signed by the New York Giants, where he spent two seasons.
Pettis never lived up to his second-round draft status with the 49ers. But with Evans missing practice, Ricky Pearsall out for the season, De’Zhaun Stribling expected to be out until mid-November and Demarcus Robinson out for the foreseeable future with a high-ankle sprain, the 49ers need bodies at the position.
Their top receivers at practice on Wednesday were Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins and KhaDarel Hodge.
Pettis wound up leaving the 49ers midway through his third year with the team.
“There was no relationship issue, that’s just how it worked out,” Shanahan said when asked about Pettis’ departure six years ago. “I think people get confused sometimes with saying people are in the ‘dog house.’ … People sometimes get that confused with just coaching. I always loved Dante.”
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