PHILADELPHIA — For all the genius of Kyle Shanahan this season — all the mistakes, confidence, arrogance and winning — the NFL’s laws of averages suggested there had be a bottom to his quarterback bag. The only question was whether the San Francisco 49ers head coach could evade the moment, maybe outrun it, trick it or wizard it away and keep this improbable roll going.
But when the end finally came, the moment was as cruel as it was definitive.
Rookie third-stringer-turned-savior Brock Purdy couldn’t throw. Fourth-stringer Josh Johnson couldn’t play.