Brock Purdy/Brandon Aiyuk combo has 49ers’ offense rolling
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With just under eight minutes to go in Thursday’s win against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy scanned the field in search of a knockout punch.
Based on the Seahawks’ zone coverage, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan expected Purdy to check down to tight end Charlie Woerner for about 12 yards and keep the drive going.
While Purdy isn’t against such layups, he’d much rather throw the halfcourt alley-oop for a final exclamation point if given the opportunity. Which is why, instead of throwing where Shanahan expected, Purdy let a long pass fly well before receiver Brandon Aiyuk reached a final aiming point amidst four Seattle defenders.
“I couldn’t believe he was throwing it,” Shanahan said. “We’re all holding our breath as soon as he lets it go.”
As it turned out, Purdy’s pass had the perfect amount of touch, as he dropped it over a defender and between three others just as Aiyuk arrived. Aiyuk hauled it in, took on a defender and spun into the end zone for the game-sealing touchdown.
“He does that pretty consistently,” Shanahan said of Purdy. “Very rarely does he check it down and you tell him he missed the deep one. He looks at it that way. He proved to us while the ball was in the air it was the right decision.”
There’s plenty to be said about that throw and Purdy’s growth in his second NFL season, but there’s an equally important takeaway that’s flown under the radar: While Purdy’s decision might have been surprising to everyone else, his connection with Aiyuk made it a no-brainer.
“It’s that trust, that faith in each other,” Purdy said. “What we do every single day at practice and stuff, it’s showing on the field. It feels good.”
On an offense loaded with stars, Aiyuk has emerged as Purdy’s most consistently dangerous and reliable target. It’s no coincidence that Purdy and Aiyuk’s emergences have come simultaneously because their games, in many ways, are ideal complements to each other.
Since Purdy stepped in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13 last year, Aiyuk and Purdy have played 16 regular-season games together. In that time, Aiyuk ranks 12th in the NFL in receiving yards per game (77.8), first in yards per reception (17.3) and yards per target (12.0) and third in yards per route run (2.91) and is tied for second in receptions of 20-plus yards among players with at least 20 receptions (36.1%).
