Albany Times Union (Sunday)

49ers try to add to Pats’ woes Tough critique

Garoppolo makes his return to New England as San Francisco QB

- By Kyle Hightower Foxborough, Mass.

When Jimmy Garoppolo arrived as a rookie quarterbac­k in New England in 2014, it didn’t take long for his teammates to give Tom Brady’s new backup a nickname.

“What a lot of us used to call him is a ‘gamer,’ ” Patriots veteran safety Devin Mccourty recalled this week. “From the first time he took snaps in the preseason, he’d be making plays — whether it’s staying alive in the pocket, whether it’s making a great throw.

“I would just say he was a guy who somehow made big plays.”

Three seasons later, Garoppolo got his chance to show off those skills, starting two games in 2016 while Brady was serving his four-game suspension as part of the “Deflategat­e” scandal.

Once the player assumed to be Brady’s heir apparent in New England, Garoppolo now returns Sunday to face his former team for the first time since being traded to San Francisco (3-3) in 2017.

No longer the wide-eyed youngster waiting his turn, he’ll be back on what he called his “old stomping grounds” fresh off making it to his first Super Bowl as a starter last season. He’ll also be trying to add to the recent struggles of a Patriots team that is now being led by Cam Newton and finds itself below .500 through five games for the first time since 2001.

New England (2-3) hasn’t started 2-4 since Bill Belichick’s first season in 2000, when the Patriots went 5-11.

“It’s an exciting week. Get to go back to where it all started for my NFL career,” Garoppolo said. “Can’t wait until Sunday.”

Belichick said he sees a quarterbac­k on film that has gotten better since the trade.

“He led the 49ers to the NFC championsh­ip last year … so I don’t think there’s any question about his skill level and what he’s been able to accomplish and what their team’s been able to accomplish,” Belichick said.

Garoppolo struggled earlier this season in losses to Arizona and Miami and missed two games with an ankle injury. But he is coming off a three-touchdown performanc­e in last Sunday’s win over the Rams.

“We’ll be ready for his best,” Belichick said. “I’m sure we’ll get it.”

Newton said this week that he is still far from playing his best football.

“I just haven’t been good,” he said. “I haven’t matched enough good plays together for my liking. That’s what it comes down to.”

Newton sat out the Patriots’ 26-10 loss at Kansas City on Oct. 5 after testing positive for COVID-19. In his first game back last week against the Broncos, Newton rushed for a season-high 76 yards. But he struggled in the passing game, completing 17 of 25 passes for 157 yards, no touchdowns and two intercepti­ons.

 ?? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images ?? 49ers quarterbac­k Jimmy Garoppolo spent several seasons as Tom Brady’s backup with New England before being traded in 2017.
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images 49ers quarterbac­k Jimmy Garoppolo spent several seasons as Tom Brady’s backup with New England before being traded in 2017.

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