Jimmy Garoppolo is Capable of Leading 49ers in the Playoffs
One of the drawbacks that critics had about the San Francisco 49ers’ legitimacy was quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo was viewed as a weak link that would end up getting exposed because this was his first true season as a starter. It was also brought up that he “hides” behind an elite defense and running game. Well it turns out all he needed was a chance to prove himself. Look no further than the multiple close games that Garoppolo came through in for the 49ers.
From winning a shootout against Drew Brees to leading a game-winning drive against the Rams. Garoppolo has shown time and time again that pressure is nothing to him. If anything, he thrives in it. Even when he makes a costly interception (only half are his fault), he comes back on the next drive to make amends with a score. The guy is cool, calm and collected in high stakes moments with a killer demeanor.
That is why Jimmy Garoppolo is capable of leading the 49ers in the playoffs.
Despite having zero playoff experience, Garoppolo has already been tested in plenty of playoff caliber games. Having that experience on his resume does count for something, especially when those games went down to the wire. Playing in those situations will benefit him and the entire team if a similar one arises in the playoffs.
“The more you can be in those games, it’s not always the most fun thing to go through every single week, but the more you can be in those the stronger it makes your team.” Kyle Shanahan on how the close games prepares them for the playoffs.
Ever since the 49ers started their tough three-game stretch in week 12, every game has essentially been pressure filled. Garoppolo rose to the occasion in every single one of those games. The crazy part is that he doesn’t have experiences in high pressure games, yet that never stopped him from playing as if he did.
Perhaps that could be accredited to sitting behind Tom Brady all of those years as a Patriot. Getting to see how Brady constantly handled the plethora of pressure filled moments had to have rubbed off on Garoppolo to at least a certain extent. That is what Brady and the Patriots do every year. They rise to the occasion of a high stakes game and pull out a victory. Being around that could have left a lasting imprint on Garoppolo, which is why he has excelled over and over again despite not having started many games.
It’s likely why he played lights out on Sunday night with the entire nation watching. Garoppolo saved his best performance for last with the NFC west and first-round bye on the line in Seattle. The pressure had never been heavier on Garoppolo than in that game at a place that the 49ers hadn’t won since 2011. Yet he played an absolute elite game, despite not recording a touchdown. He also didn't record a single incompletion in the second half of the game. Garoppolo was on the money from start to finish and it earned him a 90.1 elite grade from Pro Football Focus.
Even if he plays poorly for the majority of a game (Ex. week 16 vs. Rams), he can still deliver when the game is on the line. Once again, Garoppolo practically thrives in those moments. It just gives credence to the short-term memory he has as well as his overall mentality. The best part about those games is that he didn’t “hide” behind the defense and the running game. Much of those close wins can be accredited to how he performed, which is a great sign that he can shoulder the burden.
Now the margin for error does become extremely thin in the playoffs, so playing well below average like in week 16 will not be sufficient. Nevertheless, any concern about lack of playoff experience for Garoppolo should be quelled. He’s been playing in high stakes games for weeks now and just delivered one of his best performances in the biggest game of his career. There is little reason to doubt that he cannot continue to ride his strong performance into the divisional round and so on.
