NFC Notes: Brock Purdy, Kenneth Walker, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

San Francisco lost 28-18 to the Chiefs in a game where QB Brock Purdy posted a career-low 36.7 passer rating. Purdy admitted he needed to play better despite the absences of WRs Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings in Week 7.

“I think I’ve just got to play better for sure just with my throws and some decisions. That’s pretty simple,” Purdy said, via Jordan Elliott of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I’ve obviously got to watch the film again and stuff, but my instant reaction is I’ve got to play better. The second interception was on me again. Ronnie did his job. I thought he just got hemmed up. I didn’t know where he was going to come out on his route, so I just tried putting it on him, and then he ended up breaking out pretty good. So, Ronnie did his job. It was on me.”

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay said the team is not executing on game day what they’re preparing for in practice.

“There are things that we do throughout the course of the week, and you expect it to be able to translate, and unfortunately there’s just some lapses in (our) ability to be able to translate some of the practice stuff to the game-day execution,” McVay said, via The Athletic. “It’s a fair question. Ultimately, we’re all in this together. We have to do a better job. I’m not going to make any excuses about that.”

McVay is encouraged by the team’s defense and believes they’re starting to gel together as a unit.

“I think we’re starting to find our identity, putting guys in the right spots and being able to take advantage of their skill sets,” McVay said. “We got healthier … we’ve scored two touchdowns in the last two games, we’ve forced some turnovers, been able to really apply a lot of pressure. I’m really pleased with the trajectory of where our defense is going right now.”

• McVay expects WR Cooper Kupp to return Thursday against the Vikings. (Sarah Barshop)
• McVay isn’t sure what Kupp’s workload will be in his return: “That’ll be something that as we’re putting it together and really diving into it, we’ll have a better feel for, but definitely excited to have him back.” (Barshop)

Seahawks

Seattle cruised to an easy win over the Falcons in Week 7 thanks in part to RB Kenneth Walker III‘s two-touchdown performance. Seahawks QB Geno Smith praised Walker for pushing through an illness to do whatever he can contribute to winning.

“He was sick today, man,” Smith said, via Ari Horton of the team’s official website. “Two touchdowns on his birthday. That was sick, man. I thought he did a great job. Obviously, he was under the weather, a little bit of his flu game today on his birthday. I think that’s spectacular. It might be the first time that’s ever happened, but he’s a guy we rely on the way that he fought and battled it out. I know he wasn’t feeling his best, but to come out and do what he did on his birthday, I thought that was excellent.”

Walker discussed what it was like going through the game while sick and credited the training staff for putting him in the best position.

“I felt fatigued. Our training staff did a great job of helping me to stay hydrated,” Walker added. “I feel like just everything was kind of hard. Being sick, but we got the dub, so it’s all good.”