49ers’ Brock Purdy reflects on lessons from four-interception fiasco
SANTA CLARA — Quarterback Brock Purdy says repeated nerve-stingers to his left shoulder won’t hinder him from playing in the 49ers’ game Sunday at the Washington Commanders.
As for his mental state, he’s found learning experiences in the career-high four interceptions he threw in Monday night’s 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Here are the quick, rough-draft quotes from Purdy’s media availability Thursday:
On his shoulder after nerve stingers shooting pain and numbing his left arm:
“It’s been good. Got a lot of treatment done on it. Worked out soreness in the whole shoulder and trap area. But it feels good. I’ll be good for this game.”
On the risk of repeated stingers, having experienced his first the previous game at Arizona:
“Nobody said anything to me. Didn’t know until I got it against Ravens again. I guess the nerve is more susceptible to stinging again. But with treatment, time and recovery, I’ll be good to go. everyone is different. I was fine the whole game, then that one sack, I landed on it just right for it to go off. But the feeling came back. It’s part of the game.”
On film review:
“I feel our game plan was good, what we wanted to get done. It was the execution part where I didn’t do a good enough job. Our mindset was good. I fell short in terms of making it happen, Watching film there were plays to be made. We felt good. We were right there and had things dialed up. I just didn’t execute well.
“If we see them down road, we’d be excited to play them, but we’re taking it one day at a time.”
On the first drive (that went 74 yards on four plays before Purdy’s pass was intercepted in the end zone):
“We had two explosive plays, on third down and the next one after that to George. The emotion, everything being built up and feeling good, we called a play with what wasn’t the right coverage. I should check it down. In the moment, I was aggressive. We had two big plays and wanted to put this one in. That wasn’t the right decision. I have to grow from that. I have to play the play the right way and not feed off the emotion from the previous plays. That’s something I learned the hard way.”
On aggressiveness
“There’s a fine line of ripping something that’s tight window or tight contested, but at the same time being smart with where the game is at. I’ve played in enough games where I understand when I can be aggressive and take a shot, or check it down. It’s a situational thing. It’s where I have to grow and bank on experiences I’ve gone through.
“Being a quarterback in the NFL, you have to take chances and risks into windows at the right time, and that’s what I’m learning right now.”
On this week’s preparation:
“My process and routine is going to be the same, like all year. It’s about the moment, heat of battle, being smart with the ball, doing what coaches ask. Obviously it’s to be smart. In terms of the process, I’ll be the same guy I was all year in terms of getting ready for the game. It’s about heat of the battle.”
On if everything could go wrong did go wrong:
“It’s huge for me. There was the build up for it being a big game on Christmas and on ‘Monday Night Football’, and it was a big game.
“For me it’s a great learning experience, in not buying into what’s going on around and being said. It’s about being in the moment, make right decisions, protect the ball. Not to say I’ll be perfect moving forward. It’s football, you’re not perfect
“People can say things and you can buy into it. You need to have that chip on your shoulder, put your head down, go to work, show teammates week in and week out that you’re the guy.”
On Washington’s defense:
“It’s starts with the guys up front, Nos. 93 and 94. They’re very disruptive their whole careers and we respect them The boys in the secondary are sound in what they do. It’s about being smart with the ball with our reads and going through our progressions and being efficient. We can’t get greedy. I have to go through my reads and stay disciplined.”
On how he flushes bad moments
“The game and the situation sort of happened really quick. They went up quick. Second and thirsd quarters, they’re up multiple scores and we have to make a play. Mentally it was a good experience that you have to make it one play at a time, think clearly in terms of what we’re doing each play, and not try to get back into the game with one or two explosives.
Those are things I had to learn. Toward the end I was searching for big plays to get back into the game than playing quarterback. Those are things I had to learn.”
On teammates’ support
“It’s huge to hear guys had my back. We understand the big picture of what we’re trying to do. To have a bad game like that sucks and you don’t’ want it to every happen. Those guys get it. They understand the quarterback position and how tough it can be.
We’re trying to win this week, take it one day at a time and we’ll get to where we need to be by being in the present.”
On mentality
“It’s not being in the right state of mind at quarterback, having the aggressive trigger to make the big throw and big play, but shoot you don’t want to turn the ball over again. It’s a sucky state of mind. But that’s the learning experience, that every play has a life of its own and not try to win the game with big plays.”