49ers' Nick Bosa 'Secured His Defensive MVP' vs. Commanders, George Kittle Says
Dec 25, 2022
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 24: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after forcing a fumble during the fourth quarter in the game against the Washington Commanders at Levi's Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
In what has been a tight race for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa has at least one vocal supporter in his own locker room.
George Kittle told reporters Bosa "secured his defensive MVP" with a dominant performance in Saturday's 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders.
The 49ers tight end went on to say he doesn't see a reason why Bosa shouldn't be in the MVP conversation:
#49ers TE George Kittle on Nick Bosa: "I think today secured his defensive MVP. I don’t know how it doesn’t. If you look at what he does every Sunday compared to everyone else around the league whether it’s offense or defense, I don’t know why he’s not in the MVP conversation."
While it seems unlikely Bosa—or any defensive player—will garner much MVP discussion, he would presumably be one of the few players on that side of that ball who could steal a vote away from one of the top quarterbacks.
It's assumed the voting for Defensive Player of the Year will come down to a battle between Bosa and Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons. Other players who could get into the mix include New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
If we go with the assumption that Bosa and Parsons have pulled ahead of the pack, the 49ers star certainly has a statistical advantage. His two sacks on Saturday brought his league-leading total up to 17.5 for the season.
Bosa also added four quarterback hits and two tackles for loss against the Commanders. He is up to 42 quarterback hits and 18 tackles on the season. The three-time Pro Bowler has put up those stats despite missing one game in Week 6 because of a groin injury.
Parsons didn't have a sack, quarterback hit or a tackle for loss on Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 23-year-old has 24 quarterback hits, 14 tackles for loss and 13 sacks overall. He has played in all 15 games for the Cowboys this season.
Since returning to the lineup in Week 7, Bosa has recorded at least one sack in eight of the past nine games.
Bosa could also benefit from being arguably the best player on what has been the NFL's best defense this season. San Francisco allowed 20 points to the Commanders, ending its streak of seven consecutive games holding opponents to 17 points or fewer.
San Francisco's defense ranks first in yards allowed (290.3 per game), rushing yards (75.0) and points allowed (15.3). It is tied for third in turnover differential (+9) and tied for fourth in takeaways (24).
The 49ers haven't had a Defensive Player of the Year winner since Dana Stubblefield in 1997.
The San Francisco 49ers' path to the Super Bowl is starting to become clear with them likely set foreither the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs. The...
Brock Purdy's OROY Betting Odds Skyrocket After 49ers' Win Over Seahawks
Dec 16, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on December 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Despite having only played three full games, Brock Purdy is skyrocketing up the betting odds for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
DraftKings has the San Francisco 49ers quarterback with +1200 odds (bet $100 to win $1200) to win the award after Thursday's 21-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
The only players with better odds than Purdy are wide receivers Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets (+175), Christian Watson of the Green Bay Packers (+300) and Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints (+400) and Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (+500).
Purdy was thrust into the starting lineup when Jimmy Garoppolo broke a bone in his foot during the 49ers' first offensive possession in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins.
The final pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Purdy had only taken 18 garbage-time snaps in three games up to that point. He proceeded to throw for 210 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-17 win over the Dolphins.
In his first two starts, Purdy has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 402 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. The 49ers clinched the NFC West with their victory over the Seahawks.
It seems unlikely that Purdy would be able to win the award due to a smaller sample size. He will start a maximum of five games in the regular season, though head coach Kyle Shanahan could potentially rest him in Week 18 if their playoff seed is locked up.
The fewest games played by any player to win Offensive Rookie of the Year since 2000 was Odell Beckham Jr. (12).
Olave leads all rookies in receiving yards (887), with Wilson a close second (868). Watson has been a scoring machine with eight total touchdowns in the past four games. Walker leads the Seahawks with nine total touchdowns, despite missing two games due to an injury.
Purdy's case will be helped by virtue of being a quarterback. There were concerns in the wake of Garoppolo's injury that the 49ers were no longer a viable threat to reach the Super Bowl in the NFC.
If the early returns for Purdy are any indication, San Francisco can still compete with anyone in the NFC.
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49ers' Brock Purdy 'The Most Poised Rookie I've Ever Had,' Kyle Shanahan Says
Dec 16, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Lumen Field on December 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan offered high praise for quarterback Brock Purdy.
Speaking to reporters after Thursday's 21-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks, which saw the 49ers become the first team this season to clinch a division title, Shanahan called Purdy "the most poised rookie I've ever had."
Purdy was thrust into a starting role after Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken bone in his foot on the 49ers' first offensive possession in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins. The 22-year-old threw 210 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-17 win.
In his first two starts, Purdy has completed 70.2 percent of his attempts for 402 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He went 9-of-9 in the first quarter against the Seahawks, becoming the first 49ers quarterback to do that or better since 2001.
Brock Purdy went 9-9 for 73 yards and a touchdown in the 1st quarter.
He's the first 49ers QB to go 9-9 or better in a 1st quarter since Jeff Garcia in 2001 against the Bills. pic.twitter.com/vkT8GcEzzM
Those numbers would be good for any rookie, but it's especially impressive for Purdy because he was the final pick of the 2022 NFL draft. He arrived at training camp in a battle with Nate Sudfeld just to make the roster.
The 49ers announced on Aug. 30 that Purdy made the 53-man roster. The Iowa State alum had a solid preseason with 346 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in three games.
San Francisco came into this season expecting Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, to be the starter, but he suffered a fractured fibula and ligament disruption in a Week 2 win against the Seahawks.
Garoppolo may be able to return for the postseason, but Purdy's performance over the past three games at least suggests the 49ers are still a Super Bowl contender if he will be leading them the rest of the way.
Kyle Shanahan Says NFC West Crown Isn't 49ers' 'Final Goal' After Win vs. Seahawks
Dec 16, 2022
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 16: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers leaves the field following the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't satisfied with just winning a division title.
Speaking to reporters after the Niners clinched the NFC West with a 21-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, Shanahan said this "isn't our final goal by any means."
"I'm very proud of our team and what we accomplished throughout the year to get to this," he added. "Our goal is to get into the tournament, and we accomplished that today, but now it's all trying to set that up to be the best situation we can and hopefully get some of our guys back, too, in the process."
The 49ers were something of an unknown coming into this season, despite reaching the NFC Championship Game last year.
Trey Lance was set to take over as the starting quarterback, though they did have Jimmy Garoppolo as the No. 2 signal-caller on the roster. It was unclear what the offense would look like with Lance at the helm.
A fractured ankle ended Lance's season in Week 2. Garoppolo had some struggles initially as he was getting back up to speed against opposing defenses, but he was in the midst of arguably his best season with 2,437 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.
Garoppolo suffered a broken bone in his foot against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13. While it remains unclear if he will be able to return this season, Brock Purdy has kept the offense playing at a high level.
The final pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Purdy is completing 69.1 percent of his passes for 612 yards with six touchdowns and one interception in the past three games. Christian McCaffrey has been incredible with 880 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns in eight games since being acquired from the Carolina Panthers.
San Francisco's defense, meanwhile, leads the NFL in points allowed (15.0 per game) and yards allowed (286.1 per game).
Shanahan's attempt to downplay winning the division title makes sense. This 49ers have had a Super Bowl-caliber roster for the past four seasons. They advanced to the Super Bowl in 2019 before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Injuries derailed San Francisco's 2020 season, but it rebounded with a run to the NFC title game last season.
Since a 3-4 start this season, the 49ers have rattled off seven consecutive wins to clinch their second division title in the past four years. They are certainly capable of being the NFC representative in Super Bowl 57 if Purdy and the defense keep playing at a high level going into the postseason.
Elite Defense and O-Line Can Lift 49ers Past NFC's Best in the Playoffs
Dec 16, 2022
49ers DE Nick Bosa
There's a perception in today's NFL that a team cannot make a legitimate Super Bowl run without an elite quarterback. Well, the San Francisco 49ers are poised to put that theory to the test.
San Francisco is now on its third starting quarterback of the season. Yet, as the 49ers showed once again on Thursday night, their defense and offensive line are strong enough to challenge the best the NFC has to offer.
Are the Seattle Seahawks among the conference's best? No, but the 7-7 Seahawks aren't pushovers either. Thursday's game was a tough, physical divisional battle that San Francisco faced in a hostile environment. While the 49ers didn't exactly make it look easy, they dominated in the trenches, forced mistakes on defense and delivered a decisive 21-13 victory.
The 49ers have now won seven in a row and are as hot as any team in the NFL. They continue rolling with that aforementioned third-string quarterback.
Let's talk about rookie quarterback Brock Purdy for a moment, because he is one of the top stories in San Francisco right now. Taken with the 262nd and final pick of 2022, Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant on draft weekend and largely unknown in Week 1.
Starter and 2021 third-overall pick Trey Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending foot injury two weeks ago, which handed the keys to Purdy.
In his two-plus games since, Purdy has done nothing to disappoint. Against Seattle, he finished 17-of-26 for 217 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a key first down on San Francisco's final drive. He did it all without one of the 49ers' best players in wideout Deebo Samuel.
More importantly, the rookie has shown poise, accuracy, a solid understanding of Kyle Shanahan's offense and an ability to push the ball down the field. Just check out this play from Thursday, during which Purdy surveys the field, works through his progressions and finds tight end George Kittle breaking loose in the secondary.
The bottom line is that anyone high on the 49ers a couple of weeks ago when Garoppolo was healthy should still be extremely high on them—even with Mr. Irrelevant running the offense.
And plenty of folks should be high on the 49ers because of their defense, their running game and their offensive line.
The line, headlined by All-Pro Trent Williams, can open holes for in-season trade acquisition Christian McCaffrey. The former Carolina Panthers star has become a force in San Francisco and came into Thursday's game with 426 rushing yards, 316 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Against Seattle, McCaffrey rumbled for 108 rushing yards, 30 receiving yards and a touchdown.
That line helped pave the way for a ground-oriented nine-play, 71-yard drive at the end of the game to chew up the final 3:35 and seal the win.
The line can also give Purdy time in the pocket to survey the field, which is critical in a passing attack predicated on spacing. Shanahan doesn't rely heavily on timing patterns but rather utilizes the threat of the run and route patterns to get receivers open.
Brock Purdy has thrown 62% of his passes to open receivers tonight. HC Kyle Shanahan has drawn up a great game plan to make it easy for his rookie QB and SF is in control
If Purdy has the time to see receivers breaking open, he's shown that he can be dangerous. The 49ers are loaded with offensive playmakers, and they're expected to have Samuel back at some point in the postseason.
The 49ers expect Samuel "to return at some point during the regular season," according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner.
Purdy has shown that he can get the ball to those playmakers.
Brock Purdy has found his TEs and RBs tonight with great success. He's 11/14 for 89 yards & 2 TDs. their EPA/TGT is 0.43, an extremely efficient number when measuring how successful these throws have been in helping SF score
Then, there's the defense, which has been dominant since giving up 44 points to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. Since then, San Francisco has not surrendered more than 17 points in any game.
Coming into Thursday, the 49ers ranked first in rushing yards allowed, 12th in passing yards allowed, first in total yards allowed and first in points allowed for the season.
This elite defense—headlined by Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner—gives San Francisco a big margin for error, almost regardless of who is under center.
This margin, San Francisco's ability to protect the passer (24 sacks allowed on the season) and its ability to run the ball are exactly why the 49ers can get past teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.
The Eagles, who own an NFL-best 12-1 record, have been spectacular. However, they've thrived on racking up points (first in scoring), getting sacks (49) and forcing turnovers on defense (23).
Philadelphia also ranks a modest 24th in yards per rush allowed (4.7).
Dallas is a similarly built team, ranking third in scoring, third in points allowed, logging 48 sacks and amassing 23 defensive turnovers—but also allowing 4.4 yards per play on the ground.
While Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott may give the Eagles and Cowboys the edge at quarterback, respectively, San Francisco matches up extremely well with both the Eagles and the Cowboys. The Minnesota Vikings, who are 10-3 but are also a largely offensive squad, are an even better matchup for the 49ers.
Minnesota ranks 10th in scoring but dead-last in yards allowed and 24th in points allowed. That's not a formula that plays well against a 49ers defense that limits points, especially in the second half.
San Francisco did allow 10 second-half points to Seattle, but it's worth noting that starting cornerback Charvarius Ward exited with an injury before the Seahawks found their first touchdown.
According to the Amazon broadcast, Ward exited for a concussion evaluation and was cleared but did not return. Before that, he was spectacular against star Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf.
Charvarius Ward aligned across from DK Metcalf on 25 of 35 routes (71% shadow) in the first three quarters before leaving the game with an injury.
Seattle was still held to 277 total yards and 16 first downs while converting just four of 13 third-down tries. Rookie sensation Kenneth Walker III was held to just 3.9 yards per carry after averaging 4.7 coming in.
Geno Smith was sacked three times and faced constant pressure throughout the game.
Now, before we prematurely crown the 49ers as Super Bowl favorites, it's worth noting one big fact. We haven't seen how Purdy performs when facing a significant deficit. There's a difference between being a reliable game-manager and being a signal-caller who can spark a comeback.
Of course, with this defense and offensive line, the 49ers may not face a large deficit again before this year—at least until Super Bowl LVII, if they get that far.
The 49ers' formula of winning in the trenches, with defense and on the ground has taken them to two NFC title games in the past three years. There's every reason to believe it can take them to a third in the coming months.
Seahawks' 'Pathetic' Defense Ripped by Twitter; Geno Smith Struggles in Loss to 49ers
Dec 16, 2022
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, right, runs toward the end zone to score past Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs (6) and linebacker Cody Barton during the first half of an NFL football game in Seattle, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
The Seattle Seahawks are far removed from the good ol' days of the Legion of Boom defense, but it's still somewhat surprising to see a Pete Carroll-coached team struggle so mightily to stop the ball.
Unfortunately, that trend continued as the Seahawks suffered a 21-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football in front of their home fans at Lumen Field.
Facing a rookie quarterback would usually be an advantage for the Seattle defense, but 49ers signal-caller Brock Purdy didn't seem phased. He engineered a nine-play, 86-yard touchdown drive on San Francisco's second possession, and he found George Kittle for a 54-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the third quarter.
When Seattle's defense managed to get stops, the team's offense failed to do its job. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was under pressure throughout most of the game and couldn't develop a rhythm, finishing with 238 passing yards and a touchdown that didn't come until late in the fourth quarter.
NFL Twitter was not happy with the effort shown by the Seahawks on defense, but fans also didn't let the offense off the hook for failing to show up as well:
That was such a pathetic defensive effort by the #Seahawks
An awful play all around by the Seahawks' defense. A coverage bust leading to George Kittle getting wide open and then Quandre Diggs whiffing on the tackle, leading to a 54-yard TD. Getting ugly here at Lumen Field. 49ers lead 21-3.
The offensive situations we have been in tonight have been…not great. The best defense in the league exposing the offense. Defense wins championships. The LOB proved this when they dominated the best offense in the league in SB XLVIII. #Seahawks
Now that the 49ers will--finally--run repeatedly and seize control, should be noted: Seattle's defense has done the work it had to do to keep the Seahawks in this game.
The offense, the run game, the pass protection failed the entire operation.
The Seahawks entered Thursday ranked 28th in total defense, allowing 378.7 yards per game. It's a far cry from the team that terrorized opposing offenses in the early 2010s.
After falling to 7-7, Seattle remains on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. Things will not get easier next week when the Seahawks take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Eve, so the defense will have to take advantage of the extra days of preparation to avoid another subpar showing.
Brock Purdy Stirs 49ers Super Bowl Hype on Twitter as SF Clinches NFC West Title
Dec 16, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field on December 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers are NFC West champions in large part because of their backfield combination of Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey.
Just like everyone drew it up at the start of the season.
San Francisco clinched the division crown Thursday with a 21-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Purdy threw two touchdowns, both of which went to tight end George Kittle, and led the 10-4 visitors to their seventh consecutive win.
Social media had nothing but praise for the rookie signal-caller:
At this point, Brock Purdy has to have the inside track to being the 49ers QB of the present AND future. 49ers will be too afraid to deal him or Trey Lance in off-season, so they'll battle it out all summer.
The biggest storyline for San Francisco is how it has survived so many injuries. It is down to its third quarterback of the season with Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo both sidelined, and do-everything playmaker Deebo Samuel was also out Thursday.
Enter Purdy, who was Mr. Irrelevant in this year's draft but is now a household name among all 49ers fans after leading the team to consecutive wins over the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seahawks.
He provided the highlight of a first half largely controlled by the defenses by faking a screen to one side of the field, turning around and faking a screen to the other side, and then hitting a wide-open Kittle over the middle for a touchdown on a beautifully designed play.
It was McCaffrey's turn to find the end zone after San Francisco's formidable defense set him up in ideal position with a monster Dre Greenlaw hit on Travis Homer and long fumble return by Charvarius Ward. By the time Purdy found Kittle for a 54-yard score on the first possession of the second half, the game was seemingly over.
The two-touchdown sequence sandwiched around halftime was a reminder of how perfectly set up San Francisco is for a quarterback to have success. There are playmakers such as McCaffrey and Kittle all over the field, and Nick Bosa spearheads one of the best defenses in the league.
Still, Purdy has played better than anyone could have realistically expected, and the NFC West-champion 49ers are Super Bowl threats as a result.
The NFC West division champion could be crowned Thursday night. And with how well the San Francisco 49ers have been playing, there's a decent chance that it...
