Even in a dominant 37-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy couldn’t shake the feeling of one particular regret. For most QBs, a 26-yard scramble would be a career highlight under ordinary circumstances, but that wasn’t the case this time around.

“Honestly, I thought it was dumb – the whole ball fake at the end. I was like, ‘Bro, what did I just do?” Purdy explained in a post-game press conference. “In terms of just running down the sideline and scrambling and making a play, it obviously felt good.”

The play in question took place during the third quarter of this game when Purdy scrambled out of containment in an effort to light up the crowd in the stadium. Purdy attempted to evade a series of defenders to get out of bounds when he ran all the way down the left side of the field for a gain of 26 yards, which marked a season-long carry for Purdy.

Purdy approached the boundary, and he pump-faked a short pass to Titans linebacker Cody Barton.

“I’ve played against Cody Barton multiple times, and I respect him, and he’s a great player,” he added. “So for me to do that like, I was like, ‘Bro, I’m sorry.’ Stupid in the moment. I don’t know why I did that.”

Even in the very early part of this game, it seemed to be a promising battle featuring a stout 49ers offense. They were able to register four touchdowns and a field goal in five attempts. Despite the offense’s efficiency, the game lacked a true spark until Purdy’s electrifying scramble in the third quarter.

Well, in this one case, a warm evening at Levi’s Stadium turned into an electrified evening in an instant. The bench went into a frenzy, and Purdy’s legs were a definite message: Those six games missed due to a toe injury? They can be put in the rearview mirror.

His scramble is not only a thrill but a relief in a way that Purdy feels he believes in his body again. Purdy’s eyes, improvisational instincts, and ability to run with the ball when he saw an opening gave a different dynamic to a very powerful offense.

The 49ers did not have a problem with the Titans in the end, solidifying their place in the NFL with one of the most dangerous offensive attacks when they are playing at their level.

Kyle Shanahan praises QB with electric display

While Purdy concentrated on where he went wrong, Shanahan and the players concentrated on all of the things he did right.

Purdy had one of the most well-rounded performances of the year with 23-of-30 passing attempts for 295 yards and three touchdown throws. He also had four first downs with his legs, including this 26-yard scramble, which seemed to work wonders for his confidence in being able to do so.

One of the most exciting moments of this day took place in a 1-yard jump pass touchdown to tight end George Kittle, which gained admiration and laughter from the coaching staff.

“We give him crap for it a lot,” says Shanahan with a grin, “but when it works, we call him Michael Jordan.”

“Brock was awesome today,” Christian McCaffrey added in regards to a touchdown of his own scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.

However, in a night full of fireworks, Purdy’s apology left a mark much like Purdy’s highlights. While the 49ers remain atop and ascending, one must not ignore Purdy’s emergence both as a player and a leader.