[Chiefspants]

I’ve watched a lot of the Niners this year (my wife had Purdy, Deebo and CMC on her fantasy team, so we usually followed them on NFL Gameday).

My read is that Purdy is a top tier QB in the Shanahan offense. Remember how Cheating Shanahan Senior made Jake Plummer look like a Hall of Fame QB against the mid 2000’s Chiefs and got him to an AFC Championship game? Hell, Shanahan JR. pretty much got Jimmy G a 4,000 yard season. Though system QB is an overused term, the Shanahan system has been a very real thing since the mid 90’s.

Purdy is better than Jimmy G and may grade out at an A within that system. Unlike Elway and Matt Ryan, I’m not convinced he could be elite outside the system - but I think he has the juice to be regularly successful under Shanahan Jr. He is more evasive than Jimmy G and throws less panic interceptions (very unlikely to throw a desperation closed eye interception when down 7-3 in the Super Bowl, for instance). Him being able to buy time when things go off script and him being more willing to save the fight for another down (unlike Jimmy) is big when the next down is another opportunity to get the ball to Deebo, Aiyuk, CMC or Kittle.

The dude hits his spots well, can make sharp intermediate throws to his playmakers in stride (10-20 yards). And while he only has a decent arm, he’s more Trent Green than Alex Smith in that he’s willing to throw it up and let his playmakers fight for the ball downfield.

He can’t be overlooked simply because if the 49ers are able to stay on script (I.E. keep the game within one possession), he’s less likely to get rattled, and has more home run hitters than Jimmy (like CMC or Deebo) who can get 6 in one play. When the Niners are able to stick to their game script, he can be patently infuriating running the Shanahan offense like we’ve seen several QB’s in the past (Jimmy G the first three quarters in Super Bowl 54 is a great example).

The formula to beat him, as many have suggested, is to build an early lead like we did against Baltimore and force him to take deep drops constantly. Eliminate his quick release game and force him to throw downfield and I like our chances. I certainly would feel better about our defense holding down a lead more than the Lions this weekend.

I.E. the Niners defense. They’re weird to watch. Their front four should be better and should be able to get home on their own. But often they just.. don’t? Pressure doesn’t seem to come consistently and sacks are usually done individually and more sporadically from their playmakers. Their front four could be so good that it makes up for their deficits in the secondary. They definitely should be taken seriously, as they have the talent to wreck a game. They remind me of our line with Houston, Jones, Bailey and Ford. A line that can rack up a lot of sacks but typically not generate consistent pressure and could disappear for broad chunks of the game. If they aren’t making it home, it should give Mahomes plenty of time to dice up their secondary.

The Niners are a good team who earned this Super Bowl bid. If they’re able to stick to their game script they are as formidable as the best Shanahan teams (their weapons are reminiscent to the 97 Broncos to me, even with a McCaffrey, ick). But we certainly have the talent to knock them off their gameplan on both sides of the ball and force this contest to be one that comes down to Mahomes vs. Purdy - and when we were able to do that in Super Bowls 54 & 57 - it brought the Lombardi to Kansas City.