SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy has been incredibly successful as the 49ers' starting quarterback, but his most challenging opponent thus far is the one the team will host on "Sunday Night Football" at Levi's Stadium.
Purdy and the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-12 in the NFC divisional playoff round last season, which the QB admitted Thursday was the toughest game of his NFL career.
“Yes, honestly, I’d say so,” Purdy said. “They have a really good defense, and there were times when the pass rush or my rhythm, something just felt off in that game. They did a good job with just getting me offset with some little things. Sort of just rushed some things and felt like I didn’t get in a good rhythm in the process.”
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Purdy finished the game completing 19 of 29 passes for 214 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. His 87.4 passer rating from that game is the lowest of his career thus far.
“It was obviously a fourth-quarter game,” Purdy recalled. “It was a physical game. They did a good job of what they do up front, stopping the run and getting in on some pass plays and stuff, disrupting the rhythm of some of our concepts and the rhythm of myself in dropping back.”
Purdy and the 49ers' offense only made it into the end zone once, on a Christian McCaffrey run in the final quarter. Up until that point, each drive had stalled out, and former kicker Robbie Gould was responsible for the only 49ers points with three successful field goals.
The veteran kicker added another three points with three minutes left in the contest to put the game out of reach.
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Purdy shared that the team has been looking at the film from that game to help prepare them for their second prime-time matchup of the season Sunday night. He believes the 49ers have learned a lot from that performance, keeping in mind that some of the personnel has changed.
"I think it’s always good to have some experience with a team you’re playing,” Purdy said. “In terms of going against those certain guys, and feeling that pass rush and how they defend in the secondary. It’s good that I got some of that experience and the guys got that experience in January. Here we are months later and ready to go after them again.”
Purdy is expecting a tough, physical contest, but with more experience under his belt, he also wants an improved performance from himself. He might be his own toughest critic.
“At the end of the day, I do expect more out of myself to be able to take the next step and go through reads and progressions,” Purdy said. “Even with a pass rush that might be a little more aggressive. That’s where I’m at with that but definitely one of my toughest games.”