Welcome to the Quarterback Notebook — my weekly look at the NFL’s signal-callers, highlighting the biggest performances, notable plays, and interesting trends I spotted while breaking down film.
This edition focuses on what’s driving Brock Purdy’s recent dominance, why I’m ready to move on from Cam Ward, and why there’s reason for cautious optimism about Kyler Murray.
Brock Purdy
San Francisco looks a lot like its 2023 self, and Purdy’s efficiency numbers are among the league’s best. One striking metric: nearly a month into the season he remains the only starting quarterback who hasn’t been sacked. That owes a lot to his own quick decision-making, but the unit in front of him deserves major credit as well.
Per Next Gen Stats, Purdy has faced pressure on only 22% of his dropbacks — the lowest rate in the league — and just nine quick pressures, tied for the fewest. His average time to throw, about 2.91 seconds, ranks in the top five. A look at his hurry-probability curve over the past two weeks shows that at the three-second mark Purdy is only about 15.8% likely to be hurried, versus a 33.2% league average — meaning other QBs are roughly twice as likely to feel pressure at that stage of the play.
In short, Purdy is operating in a rare, quarterback-friendly environment: excellent protection, play-calling that neutralizes the rush, and a quarterback who gets the ball out. Still, he’s handled the limited pressure he has faced very well — on quick-pressure snaps he converted multiple impressive completions, including a jump throw from a collapsing pocket and a slick spin-and-throw on the move. One completion was fortunate, but he avoided a sack.
That “zero sack” stat is the product of alignment between elite line play, smart scheme (motion and play-action that blunt rushes), and Purdy’s own pocket instincts. The 49ers haven’t yet faced a truly dominant pass rush — recent opponents were hobbled or underperforming — so the coming game against Denver will be revealing. How Purdy and the line respond to a tougher rush could either cement a legitimate MVP case or slow the momentum.
Cam Ward
I held off for a while, but Ward’s poor showing in the 12-7 loss to New York convinced me he isn’t a long-term answer. I respect his aggressiveness, and Tennessee’s situation hasn’t done him many favors, but the tape shows recurring bad habits: inaccurate throws, needless sacks, turnovers, and poor decision-making — the mistakes typical of struggling quarterbacks.
A play in the Giants game crystallized that for me. On an RPO with tight man coverage and a safety over the top, the correct read should have been an easy handoff. Instead, Ward kept it, then made two poor decisions and followed them with a very bad throw right to a defender. He essentially threw the defender open. That single play mirrors a larger pattern of flawed process, and the sample of these errors is now too large to ignore.
Kyler Murray
Murray’s first full game as Minnesota’s starter wasn’t great on paper: 15-of-29 for 168 yards, three sacks, QBR of 25.4, and a middling PFF grade. But context matters — it was his first extended live action in nearly a year (only eight live-game passes during that span, counting preseason). He showed the rust you’d expect: hesitation on quick throws, some miscommunication, and reluctance to pull the trigger downfield at times.
Importantly, his mistakes weren’t costly in the way that destroys drives — his interception was a tipped ball and advanced metrics didn’t tag any plays as “turnover-worthy.” And there were flashes of the former first-overall talent: a big corner route to Jordan Addison off play-action, a deep in-breaking connection to Justin Jefferson before JJ left the game, and a touchdown where Murray changed the call at the line and manipulated the safety. Those throws suggest upside as he gets more reps and comfort in Kevin O’Connell’s scheme.
That said, O’Connell bears some responsibility for how behind Murray is physically and mentally. The preseason handling — a messy camp competition with J.J. McCarthy and essentially no meaningful reps for Murray — didn’t help his readiness.
Eagles passing map concern
Jalen Hurts could have played Monday with limited vision and still produced, but my bigger concern is how seldom Philadelphia targets the middle of the field. Hurts has long been reluctant to throw inside, and despite talk of a revamped offense, the team ranks near the bottom in middle-of-field target rate and isn’t running play-action from under center much. The passing profile is starting to look like past Eagles iterations rather than something new.
Best throw I saw this week
Surprising to say, Geno Smith is playing like a top-10 QB right now. That’s as much a credit to the offensive environment the Jets have built as it is to Smith’s skill set. Through three weeks he’s been efficient and confident, showing the best football we’ve seen from him since Seattle.
Best throw that didn’t count
Purdy made a spectacular throw that should have been ruled complete. It was an effort worth challenging, and head-scratching that Shanahan didn’t press for one. Credit where it’s due: that was a ridiculous attempt.
Worst throw I saw this week
Cam Ward’s turnover against the Giants is the clear nominee — the play I described above encapsulates his issues. Andy Dalton also deserves a mention for a baffling interception in Chicago; a rookie safety (Dillon Thieneman) subtly baited him and Dalton obliged with a throw that should never have been there.
Fan Take:
This snapshot of quarterbacks matters because it highlights how much context — protection, play-calling, reps, and coaching — shapes performance, not just raw talent. For fans, these trends could determine division races, MVP conversations, and whether teams stick with or move on from their QBs as the season unfolds.
Source: www.foxsports.com
