A game changer
New golden boy has ’em going Garoppoloco
Can a player win the NFL MVP award if he starts only the last five games of the season, all of ’em after his team has been eliminated from playoff contention? Probably not. But Jimmy Garoppolo might make a run at it just for fun, and almost by accident. If 49ers’ fans and players have a say in the matter, he might get the trophy for Christmas.
Yes, we’re getting a little silly here, but why fight the fun? Why hold back when everyone in the 49ers’ locker room and in the stands at Levi’s is going Garoppoloco?
Everyone except Jimmy G.
When Robbie Gould kicked the last-second field goal to beat the Titans 25-23 Sunday, the 49ers on the sidelines stormed the field like they’d just won the Super Bowl. Except for Cool J. Garoppolo kind of took in the scene, found teammate Marquise Goodwin and exchanged a hug, then sauntered onto the field like he’d just punched out after his shift at the factory.
After the game, he even looked the part, dressed in a blue work shirt, rumpled jeans and sneakers. Right out of the Steve Young Collection. Tom Brady wouldn’t dress down like that to change his oil.
For the quarterback of a team bound for nowhere, Garoppolo is creating a fairly big stir, determined to lead these nowhere guys somewhere.
Stir? For instance, Tom Brady turned 70 years old Sunday. At least that’s how old he must seem to Bill Belichick. Brady’s still ballin’, but he’s 40, and Belichick must wince when he sees what Garoppolo, 26, is doing. Belichick knew he was trading away a good one, but did he know how good? Did anybody?
Maybe Jimmy himself. He would never say it, but he doesn’t seem awestruck by being 3-0 as the 49ers’ starter, after going 2-0 as Brady’s fillin last season. That 5-0 projects out to a career winning percentage of 1.000.
In those five games, incidentally, Garoppolo has led three game-winning drives, including Sunday’s, when he had 1:07 to work with and, after a Carlos Hyde rush for no gain, completed consecutive passes for 7, 24 and 14 yards.
Of course, it’s easy to look good when you’re surrounded by great talent. Funny thing is, that talent didn’t look so talented until it surrounded Garoppolo.
Tiny sample size, sure, but so far Garoppolo has been cool, slick, nimble and hot.
Leading up to a 5-yard TD pass to Garrett Celek in the second quarter, Garoppolo settled quickly into the pocket. Looked right, nope. Looked left, felt pressure and sprinted out of the pocket to his right, using his left hand to wave Celek into position. And zing!
Clearly the 49ers have been underutilizing Garoppolo. He should be in the parking lot after the games, directing traffic.
Garoppolo’s numbers aside (381 passing yards Sunday, a 106.8 passer rating), the kid is creating a stir. Fans come to games early to watch his warm-up routine, where he dribbles two footballs between his legs. Wait, that’s Stephen Curry. Hard to tell ’em apart, buzz-wise.
Remember when the 49ers were Team Three-And-Out? Sunday they opened with a 12-play drive, five of them Garoppolo completions, three of them for first downs.
Facing a ton of blitzes — “I love it when they blitz us like that. It creates holes in the defense.” — Garoppolo showed not only poise but pocket presence, escapability and, of course, cool. He doesn’t mind throwing a pass as he’s being clobbered. Also: He leads his receivers, which means more yards and fewer injuries. He can throw the football. “A lot of pinpoint throws, a lot of very catchable throws,” said Titans coach Mike Mularkey, on what he saw in Garoppolo. “Very tough-to-defend throws . ... I mean, he made a lot of plays out of the pocket. He made a lot of plays for that offense.”
When was the last time the 49ers heard that from an opposing coach?
Garoppolo said he always talks to the offense on the sideline before every drive. So what did you tell ’em before the winning drive, Jimmy?
“I don’t even remember, to be honest,” Garoppolo said with a smile and a shrug.
Goodwin explained it, saying, “He’s just very in tune with everybody. It’s crazy. I don’t think I’ve ever played with anybody like him. If you look, my route, it may have been a good route and it may have not, but I don’t have to run a perfect route.”
Start the chant. MVP. MVP.