49ers’ Brock Purdy looks for another big win against Cowboys, Dak Prescott

SANTA CLARA – Sunday night’s event pits the NFL’s top $60 million-a-year quarterback against his 49ers counterpart who is playing at a $1.1 million stake.

Yes, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys is way above Brock Pudy’s pay grade with the 49ers.

Once the season ends, with or without a playoff fee, Purdy becomes eligible for a market-rate extension that should propel him to Prescott’s bank status. For now, they are each behind three-win teams, desperate to bounce back from bad losses and reignite their title dreams.

Purdy doesn’t think about future fortunes.

“No, for me, I had to play better against the Chiefs last week,” Purdy said Thursday of the 28-18 loss with three interceptions. “For me, I’m like, ‘Man, I gotta be better for my time right now, for the Dallas Cowboys coming up.’ I always try to find an edge for myself and my game, without thinking about what next year has in store.

“We are trying to win this Sunday and increase our record. That’s where my mindset is,” Purdy said. “I am focused on my team and this year. That’s good, and that’s all.

Purdy’s passer rating of 36.7 Sunday marked the lowest of his 34 career starts.

“If you keep playing like that, you’re not going to get the (money) bag like (Prescott),” former Cowboys star Michael Irvin said this week on Fox’s “Speak.”

Purdy is 2-0 against the Cowboys, after rallying January 2022 Divisional Playoffs then threw four touchdown throws (three to George Kittle) in last October’s 42-10 defeat at Levi’s Stadium.

Purdy exchanged pleasantries with Prescott after those games, but that’s the extent of their personal history, so there were no congratulatory texts (or “Thanks for resetting the QB market!”) on Prescott’s four-year, $240 million extension to open. day.

“It’s a big contract. I love it for him,” 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said. “But I’m also training against a $60 million quarterback. He just hasn’t been paid yet. He’s going to break the bank. Bravo to Brock.

Prescott is coming off the Cowboys’ bye week, during which he got engaged and eventually joined Purdy in the newlywed ranks. Before that, the Cowboys suffered their worst loss ever at AT&T Stadium, a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on October 13; Prescott failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 10 games, and he posted a season-low passer rating of 42.2 (17 of 33, 178 yards, two interceptions).

Prescott, during his Thursday press conference, described his start to the season as average, to which 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said, “I wouldn’t rate it as average.” He is hard on himself. He’s had so much success over the years that it’s still difficult to play against him.

Purdy and the 49ers were unlucky on Sunday when Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury on Sunday. While George Kittle (foot) and Deebo Samuel (illness) returned to practice Thursday, Jauan Jennings (hip) remained out, so Purdy is using whatever time he can to improve his chemistry with rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, as well as the veteran. Chris Conley.

“He went to see the movie and criticized it,” Conley said. “We expect the same thing that Brock always shows: he’s going to go out there, make those corrections and get better. This is what he has done historically and we don’t expect anything different.