Shanahan explains why Purdy didn’t attempt deep passes against the Seahawks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
In the 49ers’ 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Brock Purdy never threw the ball 20 yards or further for the second time this season.
Purdy’s average target depth was just 5.8 yards, which was his lowest in 2024. On Monday, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan explained why the offense was limited in the air.
“I would have been surprised at the way they play their coverage if we had tried more,” Shanahan said via conference call. “They’re a pretty bend-but-not-break defense. That’s usually how it goes, and it’s hard to get the big plays going.
Purdy’s longest pass was a 19-yard completion to wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who took the ball another three yards for a 22-yard gain. That was the longest play of the offense, which is not typical for a unit known for its explosive play.
“You don’t want to force them,” Shanahan said. “You hope to put them in situations where you can get them. But most of the stuff they gave us was covered in it.”
Purdy completed 21 of his 28 passing attempts for 159 yards, which was his lowest total of the season and the lowest allowed by Seattle’s defense since Week 3 when they held the Miami Dolphins to 140 yards through the air.
Just two weeks ago, Seattle’s defense surrendered nearly 300 yards through the air to Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams’ offense in their Week 9 overtime loss. Purdy and the 49ers’ seven penalties set them back in instead of forward.
“They’ll force you to take longer rides,” Shanahan said. “We knew it was going to be a challenge going into the game and what we were ready for. And I think we were ready for the challenge, but we couldn’t overcome all those penalties and setbacks that we got.”
On the 49ers’ fourth drive of the game, the offense was on the field for seven full minutes and yielded just 26 net yards. Of Purdy and the offense’s 14 plays, three were negated by penalties, including false starts by Aaron Banks and Colton McKivitz and a holding penalty committed by Jennings.
“I thought [the penalties were] one of the biggest problems for the offense today,” Shanahan said. “I actually thought we played a better game offensively than that Thursday night game. I don’t know how many 14-play drives I’ve been on that didn’t end with points, a missed field goal or a turnover.”
The 49ers have a big task in Week 12 against the 7-3 Green Bay Packers, a team that will take advantage of the opportunities presented by a sloppy, heavily punished opponent.
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