Several days after the season finale against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is taking time to reflect on — and explain — why an offense that had been prolific all season was stifled for much of the night.
Entering the matchup, it featured the NFL’s No. 1 third-down offense against the league’s top third-down defense, and Seattle clearly won that battle.
Purdy says game was decided on third-down
San Francisco converted just 2 of 9 third-down attempts, an area Purdy said ultimately decided the game. Speaking Tuesday with Mike Florio on NBC’s Pro Football Talk, Purdy pointed to third down as the turning point.
"If you can't stay on the field, especially against a good defense, then they're gonna create some momentum," Purdy said. "Then their offense can go and do that. They just controlled the clock and it's hard to overcome and win."
Purdy doesn’t enjoy Florio’s Superman analogy
Whether facing adversity or cruising through success, Purdy has earned a reputation for staying calm and composed. Florio compared him to Superman still behaving like Clark Kent, which prompted a lighthearted response from the quarterback.
"I'm not really sure what you mean," Purdy said. "When you become Superman, you're still kind of Clark Kent.
Purdy agreed, however, that he likes to remain chill.
“I think for me, it’s always been, don’t let the highs be too high, don’t let the lows be too low,” he said.
The 49ers (12-5) will travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles (11-6) in the wild-card round on Sunday.
More 49ers news:
49ers historic collapse against Seahawks exposes Kyle Shanahan's biggest playoff weakness
Tatum Bethune ruled out of postseason for 49ers as Fred Warner could return
49ers sign former Arizona Cardinals captain ahead of wild card game vs. Eagles
49ers sign former Eagles Super Bowl LB to face former team in Wild Card round