The Broncos vs 49ers matchup brings another difficult test for Denver, and the biggest reason is Brock Purdy’s unusually clean start. Through the first three games of the season, Purdy has not taken a sack, putting him in rare company. Since 1990, only three quarterbacks have gone through their first three games without being sacked: Peyton Manning, Andy Dalton and Purdy.
That kind of early protection is a problem for any defense, especially one trying to reset after a narrow 11-10 loss in the most recent meeting between these teams. Denver did generate pressure in Week 3, including 24 pressures against Matthew Stafford, but the Broncos still have a larger issue to solve on offense and defense. Their running game has been among the league’s weakest through three weeks, which can make every possession and every defensive series matter even more.
Why Purdy is hard to disrupt
Sean Payton described Purdy as decisive and efficient, pointing to how quickly he gets through progressions and how well San Francisco mixes up its offense. That includes a blend of run plays, play-action and dropback concepts, which helps the 49ers keep defenses guessing. Payton also noted that San Francisco has been highly efficient in key situations, saying the offense is first in third down and first in red zone through three weeks.
The numbers back up the early season trend. Purdy has been especially effective against blitz looks, producing a 155.2 passer rating against pressure-related situations and completing 22.5% more of those attempts, while the 49ers’ offensive line has been one of the NFL’s best at preventing pressure this season. In other words, the Broncos will have to earn every disruption.
What Denver has to deal with
Patrick Surtain II pointed to the challenge San Francisco creates with Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel all threatening different areas of the field. That group forces defenses to stay disciplined, because one breakdown can turn into a big play quickly. It also means the Broncos cannot simply focus on one matchup and expect the rest of the job to get easier.
For Denver, the task is straightforward even if the execution is not: find a way to slow Purdy and make the 49ers operate under more stress than they have through three weeks. The Broncos did show some life with their pass rush against Stafford, but San Francisco’s combination of protection, timing and play design makes this a different kind of challenge.
If Denver wants to leave this game with a result better than the last meeting’s 11-10 finish, its defense may need to do something no one has done yet this season: put Purdy on the ground.
