When the Las Vegas Raiders took on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, it was probably expected that 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, the rookie Mr. Irrelevant who had led the NFL in passer rating (110.0) since he became the team’s starter in Week 13, would deal with the Raiders’ pass defense, which ranked dead last in DVOA. And that happened. In San Francisco’s 37-34 overtime win, Purdy completed 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 95.4. As has been the case throughout his improbable recent journey, Purdy did all he could to win.
What we did NOT expect in this game was for new Raiders starter Jarrett Stidham, the 2019 fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots, thrust into his first NFL start against the NFL’s best defense, to do as much. Stidham had completed 24 of 48 passes for 270 yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 46.4 in two seasons with the Patriots.
