3 numbers to know from 49ers vs. Giants: Brock Purdy was blitzed at a record rate

And the 49ers yards after catch offense proved to be just what the doctor ordered

Three numbers stood out to me when combing through the advanced box scores and data from the 49ers victory.

61

The Giants had 150 yards of offense Thursday night. The 49ers had 201 yards after the catch against the Giants. Think about that. The Niners had 61 more yards after the catch than the Giants did all night.

Deebo Samuel and George Kittle put forward incredible efforts when the ball was in their hands. They refused to go down on first contact, and showcased the type of will necessary to win. Both players finished with 219 receiving yards, and 130 of those came after the catch.

84.6

Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale came into Thursday night with the second-highest blitz rate in the NFL. Per Next Gen Stats, Brock Purdy was blitzed on a whopping 84.6 of his dropbacks. New York brought pressure on 33 of Purdy’s 39 dropbacks, which was the highest rate since Next Gen Stats began tracking.

Purdy handled the pressure well, as he also averaged the fastest time to throw the ball, at 2.34 seconds. All in all, Purdy finished 20-for-31, for 247 yards and two touchdowns against the Blitz.

So, when you’re reading about how poorly Purdy played this week, understand that lacks context, and he faced an extra rusher without his top target on essentially every dropback pass.

Here’s a look at Purdy’s throwing chart:

Purdy’s first quarter numbers: 5-for-11, 68 yards.
Purdy, after the first quarter: 20-for-26, 242 yards, 2 touchdowns

6

The number of explosive passing plays the 49ers had on Thursday night. An explosive play constitutes as a passing play of at least 20 yards and a running play of at least 15 yards:

Deebo Samuel – 40-yard reception
George Kittle – 29-yard reception
Deebo Samuel 30-yard reception
Elijah Mitchell – 18-yard rush
Deebo Samuel – 27-yard touchdown
Jauan Jennings – 24-yard reception

What’s the best way to beat the blitz? With a big play. Long, double-digit drives aren’t how you win in today’s NFL. They’re not sustainable and defenses prey on the opposition to make a mistake.

The 49ers continue to thrive offensively, thanks to several explosive plays. The Niners, despite missing a big-play threat in Brandon Aiyuk, didn’t miss a beat against the Giants. Will the offense generate six explosives a game? Unlikely, but they’re not far off that per game pace.

Read More