How Brock Purdy's offense performs

Because of this, even though Purdy continued to be successful, he had to put in more effort for each piece of production. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, his shooting percentage in tight windows has almost doubled. In 2023 it was 12.8% and this season it is 24.6%. However, Purdy still ranks high in efficiency metrics, while Mason also made gains in productivity. Significantly, he performs well on both ends of the field. That balance will benefit a receiving corps that is also not lacking in impact despite Aiyuk's early-season slump.

But the numbers are clear: There is still meat on the bones for this good 49ers offense. The unit will almost certainly need McCaffrey to reach its full potential, but the improvement can continue until then.

Perhaps receiver drop rate provides a good summary. The 49ers finished 2023 with the lowest drop rate in the league at 1.9%. But at the start of this season, they rank 15th with a drop rate of 4.1% – right in the middle of the pack.

Sometimes it's so easy to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. And for the 49ers, more consistent work in this regard in September would have taken their offense to new levels.

October now offers the chance to make up for this lull.