The San Francisco 49ers play the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football and might have to start their fourth-string quarterback. Current starter Brock Purdy is questionable with oblique and rib injuries and was limited in practice all week. The uncertainty around Purdy can give NFL bettors an edge on the 49ers-Seahawks betting markets.
Is Brock Purdy Playing on Thursday?
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters it won’t know about Purdy’s status until Thursday. Purdy was injured Sunday early in San Francisco’s blowout win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and might not have been questionable on a regular week.
After losing quarterbacks Trey Lance (ankle, Week 2) and Jimmy Garoppolo (foot, Week 13) to injury, the 49ers won’t want to take any unnecessary risks with their third-string quarterback, because losing him for an extended period would thrust veteran Josh Johnson, who joined San Francisco’s roster less than half a month ago, into the starting role.
It’s worth noting that no reports of the 49ers working out additional quarterbacks came out following Purdy’s injury. They also did not sign an additional quarterback as of Wednesday. Purdy told reporters he “feel[s] good,” despite the injury, and bettors should expect the rookie to start.
What Happens if Brock Purdy Sits?
Though unlikely, there remains a non-zero chance that Purdy sits. No active NFL quarterback has a comparable resume to 36-year-old Johnson, who has spent time with 14 NFL teams and is on his fourth stint with the 49ers yet never played in a regular-season game for them until his two plays last week.
Johnson saw action as recently as last season, when he started one game for the Baltimore Ravens, a 20-point loss to the Cincinnati Benglas, but completed 70% of his passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also played a big role in one game for the New York Jets, when he completed 65.6% of his passes for 317 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Purdy or Johnson will have to play without wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who is out for the next few weeks. The 49ers should still be able to lean on their stocky defense and solid running game, but scoring points in two-minute drills or converting on third-and-long would become much trickier.
49ers-Seahawks Betting Tip
Despite the concerning news about Brock Purdy‘s status, the spread hasn’t moved: The 49ers remain 3.5-point favorites. Some books have taken enough action on the Seahawks to stack the juice in their favor, putting the 49ers in the plus money to cover.
It’s hard to justify backing the Seahawks, who just lost at home to the Carolina Panthers, against the 49ers, even if Purdy can’t play. The fact Purdy’s questionable status didn’t move this under the key number of 3 begs the question of what would. Bettors who are high on the 49ers should buy the current spread in the plus money before it ticks back down.
