Is this Jimmy Garoppolo’s best stretch of football?

Nov 26, 2022 - 5:37 PM

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Jimmy Garoppolo is playing very well. Is Garoppolo surrounded by the best complement of weapons during his tenure? Yes. Does Kyle Shanahan put him in advantageous situations with pre-snap motions, play designs, and game plans? Yes. His play has been efficient. Garoppolo looks confident. All of these factors can be true.

Is this Garoppolo’s best five-game stretch as a 49er? Let’s dig a bit deeper.

The 49ers traded a second-round pick for Garoppolo during the 2017 season. Garoppolo’s five-game run was filled with hope for the future in what was considered a lost season. This franchise was desperately looking to find their next franchise QB. Steve Young was the last QB to be considered the franchise. Jeff Garcia and Colin Kaepernick had some excellent seasons but never materialized into a long-term answer.

Under Garoppolo, the 49ers ripped off five straight wins to close 2017. The first NFL team to finish a season 6-10 after a 1-10 start. When you look at what Garoppolo accomplished in 2017, it’s remarkable, considering the roster around him. The biggest win came against the top-ranked Jaguars’ defense. The Jaguars would go on to the AFC championship game and nearly defeated Tom Brady and the Patriots.

The touchdown to interception ratio is concerning. Garoppolo’s numbers from this stretch were: 120/178, 67.4 completion percentage, 1560 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions. That equates to a 2.8 percent interception rate. Let’s not forget one of the seven touchdowns came on the final play of the Seattle game before his first start. Did the 49ers win under Garoppolo? Yes. That will be a familiar theme throughout the discussion.

In 2019, it took Garoppolo a bit of time to hit his stride coming off his ACL injury in 2018. The 49ers began the season 8-1 through nine games before Garoppolo truly got going. Sure, there is the Halloween matchup in Arizona, where Garoppolo threw for 317 passing yards and four touchdowns. But to leave out the New Orleans shootout would be foolish since it was clearly his best stretch in 2019.

Facing Arizona, Green Bay, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Atlanta, Garoppolo completed 71.1 percent of his passes for an average of 278.2 passing yards per game with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. The 49ers went 3-2 during this stretch. The Baltimore loss was a tough one, especially in the rain. We can all agree the Atlanta game was a total team letdown.

Overall, the five-game stretch ended with a 71.1 percent completion percentage, 1,391 passing yards, and a passer rating of 118.6.

The 49ers have won three straight games in 2022. Losses to Atlanta and Kansas City don’t fall on Garoppolo. Atlanta executed a fantastic game plan on offense. Two drops by Ray-Ray McCloud and Charlie Woerner certainly didn’t aid the offense.

Kansas City had its way with this defense. It was a total team loss. The defense blew assignments at times while being on the field too much. The Chiefs are a tough assignment for any defense.

This stretch of football has the 49ers at 3-2. Garoppolo’s numbers are a 71.8 percent completion percentage, 1,302 passing yards, ten touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 109 passer rating. The turnovers are down. Garoppolo’s game hasn’t changed.

He’s executing at a higher level. Christian McCaffrey’s addition, combined with steady offensive line play, has led to calm play in the pocket. Garoppolo knows where McCaffrey is as an outlet.

What do you think? Is this Garoppolo’s best stretch of games?