The Daily Sweat: New 49ers QB Brock Purdy gets first road test vs. Seahawks

What Brock Purdy has been through already can’t be described as easy.

Purdy, the last pick in this year’s draft, came in cold against the Miami Dolphins when Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury. He led the Niners to a victory. The next week Purdy faced a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that, for all its faults, still has a good defense. Purdy played very well in a dominant 35-7 win.

It’s a little unfair to say Purdy hasn’t been tested. Being a rookie quarterback on a team with realistic Super Bowl hopes is a stressful spot to be in. Purdy has made a good first impression.

That doesn’t mean Purdy is a sure thing as the 49ers head forward. Every week will be a different test. This Thursday is a big one, playing on the road in front of a fired-up Seattle crowd. Purdy played plenty of football at Iowa State, but this is the next step in his development.

The 49ers are favored by 3.5 points at BetMGM. That the 49ers are favored by more than a field goal — the lookahead line was 49ers -1.5 before Week 14 kicked off — gives a lot of respect to the 49ers’ defense, talent on offense around Purdy, and Purdy himself. We’ll see if that faith is justified.

The Seahawks will be desperate. They’re 7-6, with their playoff hopes fading after losing three of their last four. They were soundly beaten by the Carolina Panthers at home last Sunday. It’s a team that has lost almost all the momentum it had during a surprising start to the season. Geno Smith is still playing well, though committing more turnovers recently, but the run game and defense have fallen off. It will help to get rookie running back Kenneth Walker III back from an ankle injury.

Picking the 49ers is reasonable. Their defense alone will win many games. Even without Deebo Samuel, who will miss time due to a leg injury, the offense still has many playmakers. It’s a talented team.

But at some point, Purdy will be put on the spot. It might not happen until the playoffs. But it could be Thursday night, in front of a famously loud Seattle crowd against a Seahawks team trying to make the playoffs. What happens then will reveal if the 49ers can really win a Super Bowl with their new rookie quarterback.

Here's the first look at the sports betting slate for Thursday:

Four NBA games

It’s a light night in the NBA, though there are some interesting matchups. The Milwaukee Bucks, off an impressive blowout of the Golden State Warriors, play at the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis is a 2.5-point favorite. Two surprising West teams face off when the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Utah Jazz. The Pelicans, who were hot before Utah beat them by 21 on Tuesday, are favored by 1.5. And the Phoenix Suns play at the Los Angeles Clippers, who are coming off a great win over the Boston Celtics. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite.

NHL, college hoops action

College basketball is in a quiet part of the season, without many games of note. The only game involving a top-25 team on Thursday is Lehigh at No. 22 Wisconsin, which is favored by 22.5.

There are 12 NHL games, which helps. The best matchups are the Toronto Maple Leafs (-120) at the New York Rangers, who are on a hot streak, and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Florida Panthers (-115) in what should be a fun game.

What’s the best bet?

I’ll go with the Seahawks as a home underdog, though the 49ers' defense is tough to bet against. This is mostly a pick against Purdy, on the road for the first time against a playoff-caliber opponent. If he can pass this test, it will be impressive.