Why Purdy-Stafford Week 2 clash is historic NFL QB matchup

Why Purdy-Stafford Week 2 clash is historic NFL QB matchup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Brock Purdy will get his first taste of the 49ers-Los Angeles Rams rivalry as a starting quarterback at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, but the NFC West matchup will be memorable for other reasons, too.

When Purdy and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford go head to head in the Week 2 tilt, it will mark the first time in NFL history that a signal-caller taken first overall in the draft will face one who was picked last.

Purdy, of course, is no stranger to firsts, given his meteoric rise to stardom during the 2022 NFL season when he took over under center in Week 13. Despite being the final pick of that year’s draft, Mr. Irrelevant led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game with a breakout campaign that saw him crush many longstanding NFL records along the way.

And already this season, after a commanding 30-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, Purdy became the first quarterback in NFL history to win his first six regular-season starts while also throwing two touchdown passes in each of those games. He also became the first quarterback in NFL history to have a passer rating of 95 or higher in each of his first six starts.

Pretty good for the No. 262 pick.

Purdy certainly will have to perform well again Sunday if San Francisco wants to keep its regular-season dominance over Los Angeles alive, especially with Stafford leading the opposing offense. The Super Bowl champion was selected No. 1 overall by the Detroit Lions in 2009 and was traded to the Rams in 2021.

Purdy will be facing a seasoned veteran on Sunday in a matchup like no other, that’s for sure. But it’s safe to say the 49ers struck gold themselves with the last overall pick, who so far has played like a savvy vet in a 23-year-old’s body.

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