Kansas City Chiefs: Behind Enemy Lines With The San Francisco 49ers
Garoppolo was thought to be the savior during the offseason with a strong finish late in the season. Now that the pressure is on, how has he looked?
CW: In 2017, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo played like a franchise quarterback in his five straight victories and earned himself a contract worthy of a franchise QB. Unfortunately, Garoppolo hasn’t looked like the same player in 2018, but I don’t think it’s related to the pressure associated with being the new face of the Niners’ franchise.
Last season, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was forced to cater his offense to his new quarterback, who was acquired late in the season and had minimal knowledge of the playbook. After a full offseason with the team, Garoppolo is now running Shanahan’s scheme, using Shanahan’s full playbook – and similar to quarterbacks before him, Garoppolo has found that it takes time to fully master the offense.
The 49ers also started the season against one of the league’s top defenses, with their rookie tackle moved to guard due to multiple mid-game injuries, and without their top pass catcher. So, the sky isn’t falling for Garoppolo – yet.
The 49ers did little to bring in some playmaking depth to surround Garoppolo with this offseason outside of McKinnon. Can he still have great success with what he has in 2018?
CW: I get this question a lot because the Niners’ roster lacks any big-name offensive playmakers; even McKinnon was a change-of-pace back prior to his arrival in San Francisco. However, Shanahan and 49ers general manager John Lynch believe they have the right players in place for Shanahan’s offensive system to thrive.
Earlier this offseason, Shanahan told reporters that having a wide receiver of Julio Jones’ caliber wasn’t a prerequisite for offensive success. While Shanahan would obviously love to have a receiver like Jones at his disposal, traditionally he prefers smaller, quicker wideouts – the 49ers’ current receivers range in height from 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-1, and in weight from 180 to 211 pounds.
Last season, the 49ers led the NFL in most offensive metrics with Garoppolo under center, including points-per-drive, yards-per-drive and scoring percentage. Over the offseason, Lynch added a pair of rookie wide receivers to the roster, and WR Pierre Garcon returned from injury. Once Garoppolo’s go-to receiver Marquise Goodwin returns, the Niners’ QB should have enough talent around him for success – provided he reverts to his 2017 form.
The offensive line has struggled a bit against both the Vikings and Lions. Is that a concern going forward?
CW: I’m much more concerned about the team’s offensive line than the 49ers’ front office is. San Francisco had both the cap space and the draft picks necessary to significantly upgrade their OL, but chose to only upgrade the center position. Lynch and Shanahan are obviously counting on Garoppolo to overcome poor pass protection with his quick release and improvisational skills. Ironically, Garoppolo was the source of the offensive line woes over San Francisco’s first two games, as many of the team’s sacks were caused by the QB holding on to the ball too long while in the pocket.