Only one round of playoff football stands between the NFL's final four contenders and a trip to Super Bowl LVIII, which will kick off Feb. 11 on CBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount+. Two of the league's top underdog stories at quarterbacks, meanwhile, will go head to head in the NFC Championship, with Brock Purdy and Jared Goff guiding the 49ers and Lions, respectively.
How did the signal-callers get to this point? Who has the advantage going into the NFC title game? Here's a full breakdown:
The basics
How are the QBs built? How did their careers begin? And how do they play the game? Let's take a look:
| QB | Team | Age | Season | Size | College | Acquired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 49ers | 24 | 2nd | 6-1, 220 | Iowa State | 2022 draft (7/262) |
Jared Goff | Lions | 29 | 8th | 6-4, 217 | California | 2021 trade (Rams) |
Purdy and Goff couldn't have had more different ways of entering the NFL. The latter, a polished pocket-passing prospect out of Cal, went No. 1 overall in the 2016 draft. Purdy, meanwhile, was literally the last pick of his draft class, drawing the infamous "Mr. Irrelevant" nickname as a smart but seemingly limited pro prospect, relegated to backup duties to start his career.
Purdy is now one of the most recognized names in the game, entering with improbable poise after the 49ers lost their top two QBs to injury in 2022, then replicating his off-the-bench bravado as the full-timer in 2023. While he lacks the prototypical height for the position, and obviously benefits from an all-star supporting cast under coach Kyle Shanahan, the Iowa State product has proven adept at both taking what's given and shuffling to take big-play chances downfield, resembling a quick-thinking point guard.
Goff has endured a roller-coaster journey of his own, shepherding a Rams Super Bowl appearance before a quick falling-out in Los Angeles, only to revive his career as the resilient figurehead of an upstart Lions team. Slender but well-suited for old-fashioned pocket-throwing due to his height and a crisp, quick arm, Goff has proven more of a stationary player, operating almost exclusively in structure. But his consistency as a tight-window, on-time passer is a reason he's still standing at this level.
The numbers
Let's start with their 2023 regular-season production:
| QB | Games | Yards | Comp. % | TDs | INTs | YPA | Rating | Rush Yards | Rush TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | 16 | 4,280 | 69.4 | 31 | 11 | 9.6 | 113.0 | 144 | 2 |
Jared Goff | 17 | 4,575 | 67.3 | 30 | 12 | 7.6 | 97.9 | 21 | 2 |
You might be surprised to see how closely the two were in terms of total production; the passing yards, touchdowns and picks are practically even, which may speak more to Goff's impact, considering the 49ers were always considered NFC front-runners, now making their fourth conference title-game appearance in five years. Purdy was the more efficient of the two, leading the NFL in yards per attempt while completing close to 70% of his throws. Whatever you think of his ultimate upside, or how much his production is inflated by the talent around him, there's no denying he was an MVP-caliber distributor in his first full year as the starter. He also proved to be a greater threat to extend or make plays with his legs, even if the stats don't scream in that regard.
Now let's expand our view to each QB's career numbers:
| QB | Games | Record | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating | Rush Yards | Rush TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 25 | 20-5 | 5,654 | 44 | 15 | 111.4 | 157 | 3 |
Jared Goff | 117 | 66-50-1 | 30,429 | 185 | 82 | 93.6 | 495 | 12 |
This is obviously the biggest disparity when it comes to the NFC's final two QBs: experience. Purdy is still fresh on the scene, so both his biggest fans and critics are left to debate whether his tremendous early-career marks are either indicative of what's to come, or precursors to inevitable regression. One thing appears to be certain: Purdy's unexpectedly confident debut as an emergency rookie starter wasn't a total fluke. Skeptics will point to Jimmy Garoppolo also guiding the 49ers to the playoffs as proof that anyone playing QB for Shanahan can thrive, but Garoppolo was never this efficient, dynamic or healthy for such a period.
Goff is perhaps an even trickier subject to dissect, given that he's been on every end of the spectrum for two different teams. With the Rams from 2016-2020, he went from overmatched youngster to pinpoint Pro Bowler to skittish starter, and L.A. trading him to Detroit quickly paid off thanks to Matthew Stafford's big arm instantly helping Goff's old team win it all. With the Lions, he's gone from passable afterthought to gutsy leader, once again capitalizing on the balanced offense at his disposal. It's apparent he's more reliant on his setup than, say, the NFL's top talents at the position. But the fact he's still swinging, even growing, is commendable.
The playoff resumes
How have the QBs fared in the postseason during their career? Have a look:
| QB | Games | Record | Total TDs | Turnovers | Rating | NFC Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 4 | 3-1 | 5 | 1 | 101.0 | 0 |
Jared Goff | 8 | 5-3 | 7 | 2 | 88.3 | 1 |
Unlike in the AFC, where Patrick Mahomes has literally played an entire season's worth of playoff games thanks to his all-world career with the aspiring dynasty that is the Chiefs, both of the NFC's remaining QBs are still in search of a defining finish. Goff came close in 2018, when his Rams reached the Super Bowl, but he effectively took a back seat to a Todd Gurley-led ground game that year. It should be noted, however, that Goff's two best postseason starts have come this year with the Lions -- he's had three TDs and zero turnovers to beat Stafford's Rams and the blitz-happy Buccaneers. Ironically, Stafford also enjoyed his best playoff performances once he swapped with Goff to go to the Rams back in 2021.
As for Purdy, well, the sample size is limited. But he's won every playoff start he's finished, considering he was quickly knocked out of the 2022 NFC championship against the Eagles, a rout that ended with San Francisco weighing emergency backup options. On the flip side, arguably his most concerning playoff start came this year against the Packers, a 24-21 nail-biter that saw Purdy unusually erratic in rainy conditions, only settling down for a final touchdown drive to avoid a Green Bay upset.
Facts to know
- Dollars and cents: Jared Goff's contract, once among the NFL's largest, is no longer lucrative compared to recent QB deals signed by all-stars like Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. But it still towers far and above that of Brock Purdy, who's on a rookie deal as a former seventh-round draft pick. Goff averages $33.5 million in earnings per year, to Purdy's $934,000.
- NFC powerhouse: Purdy's 49ers have beaten every team to reach the NFC playoffs this year at least once -- every team except the Lions, that is. With a win, Purdy can become the first QB since 49ers legend Joe Montana to sweep every playoff contender in his conference, including playoffs.
- History in the making: Goff and Purdy's matchup marks the first-ever postseason meeting between the first and last pick of a draft. Goff, meanwhile, can become the fifth QB to start a Super Bowl for two different teams if he advances with Detroit, following in the footsteps of icons like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
The edge
In the AFC, between Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, it's elite playmaker versus elite playmaker. Here, it's a more curious, more unpredictable matchup between what some experts might call top-tier "game managers." That's not to downplay either QB's talent or poise, by the way. But the matchup itself is probably a closer call than some realize.
Purdy has the flashier name because of the way he burst onto the scene as an improbable star, and his MVP buzz was mostly justified this year. In many ways, he remains the perfect kind of QB for Shanahan's offense. But Goff has been there, done that, for longer. How quickly we forget that he advanced to a Super Bowl five years ago. In terms of present-day traits, Purdy has more natural tools for off-script responses, but he's also been finnicky under pressure as of late, and his rare turnovers have come in streaks, not unlike Goff, who's also been less effective on the road and against high-pressure fronts.
In the end, Purdy probably enters with a slight advantage due to his setup; not only does he have the weaponry on offense, but a physical, opportunistic defense that can back him up. Just don't count out another chapter in Goff's surprisingly resilient story.
