Garoppolo on upswing, wants better
Jimmy Garoppolo is enjoying a surge in popularity after he has been a polarizing quarterback for much of his San Francisco 49ers’ tenure.
Garoppolo hasn’t thrown an interception in his past 100 attempts, matched a career-best with four touchdown passes in Monday night’s romp over the Cardinals and has a 71.3 completion percentage and 108.4 passer rating in his past five starts.
So what does it feel like to go from widely trashed — as he was after the 49ers lost his first start of the season, 11-10, in Denver in Week 3 — to the toast of the town?
“That’s the life of a QB,” Garoppolo said. “It’s always going to be a roller-coaster. Every season is. Nobody is going to just be perfect the whole season. … A lot of things are said out there. A lot of people have opinions.”
Perhaps the only person to disrespect Garoppolo recently is Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Arizona, as it had done in the past, loaded its front with six defensive linemen Monday to stuff the 49ers’ run game, inviting Garoppolo to try to torch them.
And Garoppolo complied. Again. Garoppolo has thrown 16 touchdown passes, three interceptions and averaged 311.8 passing yards (117.9 rating)
in five starts against the Cardinals since Joseph arrived in 2019.
Garoppolo, who is 3-2 against Arizona, has thrown four touchdown passes in a game four times in his career, three times against the Cardinals.
“Honestly, going into that game, I knew we were going to get that six-man line,” Garoppolo said. “I was just waiting for it. That D-coordinator has done it to us in the past . ... You’re excited as a quarterback. That’s your dream to get six linemen in there. You know it’s going to be easy to throw on that stuff.”
Added Garoppolo, “With five skill guys like we’ve got, plus the guys coming in (off the bench), I don’t know why you’d do it.”
Garoppolo sounds like he’s feeling it. And he was asked about his comments throughout the season that he feels his partnership with head coach Kyle Shanahan, which began in 2017, has grown this season.
“When Kyle is calling plays like he is and just letting me get the ball out and guys run with it, it makes for an easy style of offense,” Garoppolo said. “I think when you tie that to a good running game, it’s hard to stop.
“But me and Kyle — we’ve got a way to go, obviously. We’re nowhere near perfect. But it’s just moving in the right direction. And we’re talking the same language right now, which is good.”
Garoppolo ranks fifth in the NFL in passer rating (104.1) and his hot streak has invited questions about the 49ers potentially trying to re-sign him in 2023, although that could involve significant financial complications.
Has Garoppolo considered his upcoming offseason? He dodged by saying he has been too consumed by game plans.
“I’m trying to worry about red zone today, man,” he said. “I’ll worry about that at the end of the year.” Injury report: Defensive tackle Arik Armstead (ankle,
foot) returned to practice for the first time since he suffered a hairline fracture of his left fibula on Oct. 3. Armstead, who was limited, is doubtful to play Sunday against the Saints at Levi’s Stadium.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring) is questionable to play against New Orleans after he was limited for his third straight practice. Shanahan said Samuel’s injury is different from the hamstring strain that forced him to miss a win against the Rams on Oct. 30.