With Mr. Irrelevant at quarterback, the 49ers shouldn’t be written off in the NFL

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With Mr. Irrelevant at quarterback, the 49ers shouldn’t be written off in the NFL Week 14 Power Rankings. A rookie selected with the final choice in the entire draught last April serves as the third quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

Mr. Irrelevant is, therefore, now very relevant.

Brock Purdy is the starting quarterback for the 49ers, a team constructed to win. When Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Purdy, a rookie from Iowa State, took over.

When Purdy entered the game, the 49ers could defeat the Dolphins 33-17. In addition to losing Garoppplo, the 49ers have also lost Trey Lance this season due to a knee injury.

It’s difficult to see a team surviving those defeats to claim the championship, but given how the 49ers are set up, it’s not impossible.

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On Sunday, Purdy showed an assurance that enabled him to play winning football. He is surrounded by a wealth of talent, particularly skill-player talent, which helps. He has a defense on the other side that can win games, which also helps.

Although the 49ers’ offense struggled against Miami, Purdy finished 25 of 37 for 210 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. These are impressive stats for a player who didn’t expect to play and probably only received a little practice time with the starters over the previous month.

One of the best offensive brains in the league, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, made things simple for Purdy, as he will continue to do as long as he is the starter. The 49ers approach is that. The system’s core runs the ball, making it simple for any quarterback manning the center.

That does not imply that Purdy and the 49ers will be guaranteed to play in the Super Bowl. Don’t write them off just yet, though.

The 49ers were on the rise before Garoppolo’s injury, but they must still be regarded as one of the better NFC teams. This week, they are still ranked eighth in my Power Rankings. With the loss of Garoppolo, some could argue that number is excessive. But Shanahan has my support, and Purdy can do the job in this scheme just fine.

The central question is whether he can win a game when things aren’t going his way. Can Purdy throw it well enough to win a crucial game if the running game falters?