Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Brock Purdy and George Kittle gave the rest of the NFC something else to worry about on Christmas Eve.
The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint.
There is a oft-repeated phrase around NFL circles, that “you want to be playing your best football at the end of the season.” The San Francisco 49ers might be the latest example of that theory. While the 49ers are down to their third-string quarterback, rookie Brock Purdy, they have won eight-straight games, including all three of Purdy’s starts. With talent on offense, and one of the league’s best defenses, the 49ers look scary right now.
But there was something about their victory over the Washington Commanders that should terrify the rest of the NFC.
The best statline of the season from tight end George Kittle.
The tight end caught 6 passes for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with the 120 yards representing a season-high. In the past two weeks, Kittle has four touchdown receptions, matching his four touchdown catches through the first 15 weeks of the season. And on Saturday against the Commanders the rookie quarterback and his tight end found a few different ways to punish the Washington defense.
The first play we will look at is a third-down conversion from early in the fist quarter. With the 49ers facing a 3rd and 7 at the Washington 49-yard line, the offense aligns with Purdy in the shotgun, and Kittle in the slot to the left. Kittle runs a dig route, with Jauan Jennings, aligned outside Kittle, running a quick under route:
On the right side of the formation, Kyle Shanahan dials up a post/wheel combination, with Christian McCaffrey running an option route underneath.
Washington rushes five, playing single-high man coverage in the secondary. With five players releasing on routes, that leaves the Commanders without a low-hole player. Purdy recognizes this, and knows that there will not be any inside help on Kittle’s dig route. So when the tight end starts his break, the ball is already coming out of Purdy’s hand:
On the other end of the play, Kittle does a good job at taking advantage of the defender’s leverage. Safety Darrick Forrest aligns on Kittle’s outside shoulder, giving him the inside, and Kittle does just enough to stress Forrest to the outside, before snapping off over the middle on his dig route. With a clear throwing lane, and the ball coming out on time from Purdy, the 49ers move the chains.
San Francisco would ultimately be stopped on fourth down at the end of this drive, but Purdy and Kittle were just getting warmed up.
Their next connection did not come until the third quarter. With San Francisco facing a 1st and 10 at their own 37-yard line, Shanahan called for his “branch” concept to the left side of the field, with the speedy Danny Gray running a vertical route on the outside, and Kittle running a deep out route:
A few things to note about this play. First, Gray’s route tasks him with releasing to the outside. This works to create space for Kittle’s out-breaking route, which you will see in a moment. Something else you will see is the pre-snap motion from Gray. Washington gives Purdy a zone response indicator, as nobody trails Gray across the field. While this is not a guarantee the Commanders are in zone coverage, Purdy has a working hypothesis when the play begins.
Washington is indeed in zone coverage, dropping into Cover 4. The cornerback has to cover Gray’s vertical route, meaning the safety is responsible for Kittle’s deep out. Forrest has to play that from depth, and with the space Kittle has to work with, the 49ers create another big play in the passing game:
Ok, so we’ve seen two decent gains from Kittle.
Let’s get to the touchdowns.
The first came later in the same drive. With San Francisco facing a 3rd and 4 at the Washington 34-yard line, the 49ers found a way to take advantage of a coverage rotation in the secondary.
First, their route concept. The main points to focus on are the pivot route from Jennings in the left slot, and Kittle running down the middle of the field using a vertical release:
Now, the coverage rotation:
Washington inverts into Tampa 2 on this snap. Before the play they show single-high, with Forrest in the middle of the field. But he will drop down, while the cornerbacks both invert into half-field zone coverage roles. With Kittle’s route splitting the two deep defenders, Forrest needs to carry Kittle’s vertical route, protecting that area of the field.
But Purdy begin the play by looking at Jennings’ pivot route, and Forrest follows the QB’s eyes. By the time Forrest realizes that Kittle is releasing deep, it is too late:
The touchdown broke a 7-7 tie, and the 49ers would not look back.
The second touchdown connection between Purdy and Kittle came two drives later. With just over five minutes left in the third quarter, Ron Rivera left his offense on the field facing a 4th and 1 at their own 34-yard line. Taylor Heinicke was stopped short on a quarterback sneak, and the 49ers had great field position.
After a short completion to Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco faced a 2nd and 9 on the Washington 33-yard line. Shanahan called for a boot-action design, with Purdy rolling to his left after carrying out a run fake. Kittle, starting on the right side of the formation in an in-line alignment, runs a shallow crosser.
Purdy does a good job at getting to the outside, and he hits Kittle in stride. The tight end does the rest:
Beyond the two touchdowns, however, the most terrifying play for other defensive coordinators to contemplate came late in the fourth quarter. With San Francisco facing a 4th and 3 at the Washington 11-yard line, Shanahan left his offense on the field.
Washington defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio called for a blitz, sending six after Purdy and playing straight man coverage across the board, without any safety help. The pressure scheme springs a free runner at Purdy, linebacker David Mayo, but the quarterback knows right where to go with the football.
He replaces the blitz with the ball, hitting Kittle on an in-breaking route:
Ballgame.
Weeks ago, we discussed how Shanahan used McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel to create opportunities in the passing game. We have also outlined how Purdy has kept the 49ers offense rolling since taking over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
And now Kittle has his best stat line of the season?
The rest of the NFC is likely on notice now, if they were not already. With how their offense is playing, and what DeMeco Ryans is dialing up on the defensive side of the ball, San Francisco is going to be a tough out in the playoffs.
