Brock Purdy and the 49ers fell simply wanting hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy again in February, however NBC Sports activities’ Chris Simms believes a change at quarterback may have gotten the job finished.
“If [Green Bay Packers quarterback] Jordan Love performed within the Tremendous Bowl, the 49ers can be the Tremendous Bowl champions,” Simms proclaimed on the newest version of “Chris Simms Unbuttoned.”
Love spent his first two NFL seasons studying behind future Corridor of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers earlier than taking the reins throughout a breakout 2023 marketing campaign.
The 25-year-old performed all 17 video games in his first full season because the crew’s starter, throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on a 64.2 completion price (579 makes an attempt).
“Jordan Love, what he did on the finish of the yr, the final 10 weeks of the season, they took the coaching wheels off and he performed at a phenomenally excessive degree,” Simms stated. “And [he] actually was requested to do extra [than Purdy] undoubtedly on a bodily foundation.”
After a 2-5 begin, Love led Inexperienced Bay’s outstanding turnaround to earn the NFC’s No. 7 playoff seed. And after beautiful the No. 2-seed Dallas Cowboys on the street, the Packers earned a playoff assembly with the No. 1-seed 49ers within the divisional spherical.
Whereas Inexperienced Bay finally stumbled in a 24-21 loss to San Francisco, Simms nonetheless believes Love, other than two expensive throws, together with a game-sealing interception on the ultimate drive, outperformed Purdy.
“In the event you went again [to the NFC Divisional game], Jordan Love had the 2 interceptions on the finish of the sport. Jordan Love in that sport performed higher than Brock Purdy,” Simms stated. “Brock Purdy ought to have thrown seven interceptions in that sport. He received fortunate that night time. We’d all be speaking in a different way if Inexperienced Bay may catch. It was not a great night time.
” … When [the 49ers’ offense] is engaged on all cylinders, there’s not lots that Purdy does to deliver the offense again up. Now, he does greater than Jimmy Garoppolo used to do and it is undoubtedly an enchancment in that and all areas, however I would nonetheless prefer to see some extra.”
After a rocky begin to the season, Love completed his first full marketing campaign because the starter robust.
In the meantime, Purdy strung collectively a historic marketing campaign in his second yr with the 49ers and first full season because the starter. The 24-year-old led the league in passer score (113.0) and had 31 touchdowns with 4,280 passing yards all whereas main his crew to Tremendous Bowl LVIII.
With the 2024 offseason program underway, Purdy and the 49ers have flipped the script and are targeted on persevering with their Quest for Six. However Simms believes San Francisco already would have fulfilled that quest had Love been the crew’s starter underneath heart.
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