49ers mailbag: Purdy’s NFL-leading passing stat, chances at No. 1 seed, Wilks’ big sideline move

SANTA CLARA — Fans celebrating the 49ers’ first win in a month sent questions via social media for us to answer in this week’s edition of the 49ers mailbag:

Purdy is the best downfield-throwing 49ers QB since ____? (@j.mata530)

Two things strike me: Brock Purdy’s unabashed aggressiveness, and his NFL-best 9.3 yards-per-attempt average. On the latter note, that would be the best single-season mark ever by a 49ers quarterback. Joe Montana’s 9.1-yard average in 1989 ranks first among passers with at least four starts and 100 passes. The 49ers’ leading career averages: Jimmy Garoppolo (8.3), Steve Young (8.2), Nick Mullens (7.9), Montana (7.6), Y.A. Tittle (7.3). Purdy is averaging 8.8 yards per attempt through 18 career regular-season games.

“I’m aggressive with what I do and how I throw the ball,” Purdy said after Sunday’s 34-3 win in Jacksonville. “I still have to learn times and situations in games I have to be smart with the ball. They do a good job of not just handcuffing me. They let me play quarterback in an aggressive way and get the ball to the guys when they’re open.”

Is the No. 1 seed in the NFC realistically in play for the 49ers still? (@j.mata530)

Eight games remain, so the 49ers (6-3) are just past the halfway point and in reasonable shape to land a high seed in the NFC playoffs. The No. 1 seed? That’s the goal, and it’s achievable, but only if they pull off key wins (see: Dec. 3 at Philadelphia) combined with some stumbles by the Eagles (8-1) and the Detroit Lions (7-2). The Eagles are coming off their bye and face a gaunlet: at Kansas City, then home games against Buffalo and the 49ers before road trips to Dallas and Seattle. The Lions have a five-game cakewalk before closing at the Vikings, at the Cowboys and against the Vikings.

The 49ers were not perfect yesterday. What do they still need to work on for the playoffs? (@david581)

Christian McCaffrey kind of addressed this postgame: “What I liked is that it wasn’t perfect but we just stayed with it. We kept going, kept going. The defense came up huge with a bunch of turnovers. Offensively, we have a lot of things we can still get better at, which is exciting. We learned our lesson these last three weeks. We just have to play good ball every week. We have to execute. We have to minimize mistakes. And go out there and do what we need to do.”

Do you think Steve Wilks being on the sideline was the huge difference-maker for the defense? (@tyler.webb14)

What helped most were the coverage disguises and the best pass rush since Week 1, calls he happened to make on the sideline after moving down from the booth this game. He congratulated players but not exactly with maniacal emotion. My binoculars strained to find him on the sideline interacting with players, although television closeups showed him congratulating players such as Charvarius Ward (end zone pass defense) and Javon Hargrave (1 ½ sacks). After each series, Wilks typically would study video on a tablet by himself, then talk to position coaches. Fred Warner commended the streamlined communication: Wilks was able to send calls directly into Warner’s helmet for the first time this season, which obviously didn’t hurt.

Will Wilks remain on the sideline? (@DanielUkiah)

Wilks getting out in the Florida air seemed to breathe life and accountability into the 49ers’ defense by Sideline Steve (as coined by our Instagram friends at @ourSF49ers).

Will Arik be OK to play this coming Sunday? (@brucemahan6)

Defensive tackle Arik Armstead said he should be OK but he took great exception to Brandon Scherff’s “dirty” hit that could have resulted in a serious leg injury.

“I had a lot of respect for him, but tripping me, kicking me in my knee, I could have got seriously hurt,” Armstead said. “It was just a dirty play.”

Armstead limped off the field but returned to play 34 snaps (60 percent of the defensive action).

How do the Niners fix the line midseason? (@hulkmsaterfunk)

Which line? The offensive line got Trent Williams back and that made a huge difference, with Jon Feliciano aptly filling in for left guard Aaron Banks. The defensive line added Chase Young to the mix and his 35 snaps were only two fewer than Nick Bosa’s, 11 more than starter Clelin Ferrell’s and 14 more than Randy Gregory. The betting line? The 49ers are generally considered co-NFC favorites along with Philadelphia to reach the Super Bowl according to the sportsbooks, with almost as good a chance of playing on Feb. 12 as the defending champion Chiefs.