One thing’s for sure: the 49ers don’t make it this far without Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey.
San Francisco is three wins away from its sixth Super Bowl title thanks to some huge new additions this season. While the rookie quarterback, Purdy, has come out of nowhere to become one of the league’s biggest storylines, McCaffrey has completely transformed the offense and made it a force.
Entering Sunday's playoff showdown with the Dallas Cowboys, 49ers general manager John Lynch joined 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” Wednesday to break down what’s impressed him from Purdy and McCaffrey.
Since taking over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in the first quarter of Week 13, Purdy has led the 49ers to seven straight victories, including his playoff debut last week against the Seattle Seahawks. Even Lynch has been caught off-guard by Purdy’s feet, as his ability to extend plays has led to some big gains for the 49ers.
“You saw some running ability in college, but I didn’t know he was this good an athlete,” Lynch told hosts Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky. “He’s a very good athlete. Pete Carroll’s calling him Fran Tarkenton. His ability to move on the field, create and extend, that has been surprising for us. I can’t say that we saw that. I saw a good athlete, I didn’t see this. He’s been tremendous for us.”
Lynch said the 49ers had their eyes on Purdy and another linebacker with the No. 262 pick, but they decided to make the quarterback Mr. Irrelevant. Smart job by the front office.
Likewise, Lynch and his support staff deserve a lot of kudos for pulling the trigger on the McCaffrey trade, sending four picks to the Carolina Panthers for McCaffrey during Week 7. Since then, CMC has scored 12 touchdowns in 12 games while “unlocking” the rest of the 49ers offense. The Niners are averaging 38.3 points per game over the last month.
“He’s been a godsend,” Lynch said. “Everything you see on the field. You think you know a player and then you have a different reality when you see them up close, when they’re on your team. He’s just as good as good as we thought he’d be on the field or better. I think the intelligence that he plays with is really just elite. His skill, his versatility, all that.
“I think it’s just the commitment to being that player is really what you don’t know from afar. Man, this guy, I tell people all the time, he works coaches’ hours. He’s here in the morning when you get there and he’s still here when you’re leaving. It’s just so impressive. There’s an aura of confidence when it comes with having a guy like Christian on your side like that. He’s like our version of (Nick) Bosa on defense."
The Cowboys know that they won’t be facing the same 49ers team that bounced them from the playoffs last season. It’s simply not the same with Purdy and McCaffrey in the backfield.
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