The San Francisco 49ers unleashed a brand new trick play against the Jets, but unfortunately, it didn’t have the success they might have envisioned during practice. Let’s break down the play itself, but first, let’s listen to Brock Purdy explain how it all went down.
This play, now known as the “Pur Dog,” originated during training camp. Purdy mentioned that the idea was to keep defenses on their toes with some unexpected plays. In his words, “It was fun to hand the ball off, toss it to Debo, and then I’m out running on the edge. I just told Debo, ‘Give me a shot. Don’t overthrow me or underthrow me, just give me a chance.’” Unfortunately, the play didn’t go as planned during the game.
Now, let’s break down the actual play. It wasn’t a double end-around, but rather a handoff to an end-around. The ball started in Jordan Mason’s hands, then made its way to Debo Samuel. Right away, there was defensive pressure, and it was almost a disaster with a near fumble. Debo, too, was immediately met by defenders, and the play was called dead.
Interestingly, Brock Purdy was running down the field as if he were ready to block former 49er D.J. Reed. He even had a couple of steps on Reed, but Debo couldn’t set up the pass due to the pressure. Purdy threw his hand up, signaling that he was open and ready for the pass, but Debo didn’t have time to uncork it.
The play, while creative, didn’t fully materialize because of the pressure from the Jets’ defense, especially from Quinnen Williams. What could have been a spectacular play – Brock Purdy catching a 30-plus-yard touchdown pass from Debo Samuel on Monday Night Football – was left as a “what if?”
So, the question remains: will we see the “Pur Dog” play again? There’s speculation that it could be shelved, much like the Trent Williams trick play from 2021. However, there’s hope that Kyle Shanahan might bring it back later in the season, surprising an unsuspecting team. Only time will tell if we’ll get to witness Brock Purdy catching a touchdown pass. What do you think? Should the 49ers give the “Pur Dog” another shot?