After a perfect Sunday, 49ers’ Brock Purdy’s MVP campaign is so back

By at least one measure, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had a perfect Sunday — and is led many to say that his MVP campaign is so, so back.

Purdy finished Sunday’s 27-14 win over the Buccaneers with a perfect passer rating of 158.3, the first 49er quarterback to ever do so on more than 20 passing attempts (21-for-25, 333 yards, three touchdowns).

Mind you, the 49ers were missing both Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams for the second and third of those three losses, and both Samuel and Christian McCaffrey missed the second half of the first loss at Cleveland. But seeing the drop-off without Samuel and Williams, it’s fair to wonder if Purdy is even the most valuable player on his own team, let alone the whole league.

But that doesn’t mean he sucks, either. Before the weekend, FOX’s Nick Wright said that the 49ers would be “a more viable Super Bowl contender” if the Niners had Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, while the Bucs would be at the bottom of the league if the QB swap put Purdy in Tampa.While Wright’s take was certainly the boldest, he’s not the only Purdy skeptic out there by a long shot.

It’s also clear his own teammates are well aware of all the doubters of Purdy, with George Kittle quipping, “System quarterback, right?” after Sunday’s game.

Really, Purdy’s MVP candidacy will continue to be “so back” or fall to “so over” in the next three weeks, starting with heading to Seattle on Thanksgiving night. Then, an NFC title game rematch in Philadelphia against the Eagles team he didn’t face for long before injuring his elbow. After that, it’s against Seattle again, this time back at home.

But in the meantime? Get ready for the “Purdy MVP” discourse to return, with all of the doubters and believers taking their usual sides.