He’s the fastest draw in the West
Garoppolo has NFL’s quickest release
SANTA CLARA When Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t busy handing off the football in Monday night’s 44run salute, he wasn’t too busy holding on to it for a pass, either.
Garopppolo got the ball out so fast in the 49ers’ rout of the Rams that, according to NFL stats, his average release time of 2.3 seconds was the second-quickest of his career and the league’s speediest last weekend.
“It’s important that the guys get open that fast, too,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday. “But, I mean, Jimmy’s best asset is, well, just look at how he throws. How many people have that quick twitch and can decide to throw with the ball getting out of their hand physically as fast as him?
“I don’t know anyone who can do it faster.”
He may need more of that quick trigger Sunday when the 49ers (4-5) visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (27) and red-hot pass rusher Josh Allen (51/2 sacks).
In Monday’s 31-10 win, Garoppolo was 12 of 14 for 138 yards with his two touchdown passes when unloading the ball in under 2.5 seconds.
“Going against the (defensive) front we were going against, it was part of the game plan, to get the ball out on time, and that helps the O-line out,” Garoppolo said.
Aiding and abetting his quick release: He’s been in shotgun on 89 of 93 dropbacks the past three games (vs. the Bears, Cardinals, Rams), compared to a 66 percent rate previously in his 49ers career, according to NFL stats.
“Any quarterback is naturally more comfortable in the gun. You’re away from the D-line. I’m comfortable with both,” Garoppolo said
of the shotgun formation and playing under center.
The shotgun, dating back to his Eastern Illinois days, takes advantage of Garoppolo’s talents, which NFL all-time completion leader Drew Brees spoke about three months ago after witnessing the 49ers’ practice with the host Los Angeles Chargers.
“He’s got that wider base, very quick in getting the ball out, right? Very quick in through the progression,” Brees told this news organization on Aug. 21. “It actually reminds me a lot of the way I tried to play the game.
“It was funny, because he said, ‘I watch you and Aaron (Rodgers) a lot. Your ability: foot down, ball out.’ I was like, ‘OK, that’s cool.’ ”
None of Garoppolo’s targets Monday went beyond 15 yards, and none near the sidelines, all of which makes the immediate spine of the field Garoppolo’s happy place. He lined up under center just once and ran just one playaction dropback.
One play he wished he had back: a third-quarter checkdown to Jauan Jennings, which he took instead of a deep shot to Trent Sherfield.
“At that time of the game, it’s a touchy subject, I guess you could say,” Garoppolo recalled. “You want to take the big shot but you don’t want to make a stupid play and get a strip sack or something like that.”
Garoppolo’s thrown for 1,936 yards, he’s completed 66.4 percent of his passes (97.6 QB rating), and, most important of late, he’s committed no turnovers in the past two wins over the Bears and the Rams.
Sunday’s counterpart, rookie Trevor Lawrence, is completing 58 percent (33rd-ranked) with eight touchdown passes, nine interceptions
and a 72.1 rating.
WARNER’S SELF-CRITIQUE >> Linebacker Fred Warner may be coming off an All-Pro season and massive contract extension, but all is not well, and he knows that.
“Last year, I was playing at a high level, obviously All-Pro, Pro Bowl. Am I doing that right this second? I wouldn’t say so,” Warner said. “I’d say we have eight games left I can prove that. I can be a better player for this team, for myself.”
Warner called it “one of the most frustrating things in the world” to put in extra work and not get favorable results.
“Every player and person goes through hard things in their career and life,” he added. “This is for sure one of the hardest things I’m going through right now. At the same time, I look at how blessed I am to play this game.”
As for the impact of his contract, he said: “Going into this year, it was a little piece in the back of my mind, ‘I’ve got to show up and show out and do more.’ It probably hindered me a little bit. I’m past it and looking to get better as a player.”
MITCHELL NOT PRACTICING >> Running back Elijah Mitchell did not practice Wednesday, a day after surgery on a fractured finger. Shanahan considers him day to day and is keeping the door open for Mitchell to play Sunday.
Fellow running back JaMycal Hasty (ankle) remained out of practice, as did defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (calf).
Limited were wide receiver Deebo Samuel (shin), cornerback Josh Norman (ribs) and right tackle Jaylon Moore (knee). GREENLAW, TARTT RETURNING >> Linebacker Dre Greenlaw practiced for the first time since requiring groin surgery, having been out since his pick-six in the season opener.
The 49ers have three weeks to activate Greenlaw
off injured reserve, as will be the case for safety Jaquiski Tartt, who also resumed practicing after missing three games with a knee contusion.
Azeez Al-Shaair has filled in for Greenlaw at weak-side linebacker and “he’ll be e hard to unseat right away. It’ll take Greenlaw awhile to pass him up again,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan noted that Tartt, also, won’t automatically reclaim his role from rookie substitute Talanoa Hufanga.
“We’re not trying to replace (Tartt) either,” Shanahan said. “He’s played at a high level for a number of years. But even before he got hurt, we were trying to get Huff in there, too.” SAMUEL HONORED AGAIN >> For the second time in three weeks, Samuel received the NFC’s offensive player of the week award. The only other 49ers wide receiver to ever win that award multiple times in a season was Jerry Rice (1990, ’92, ’94), and the last 49ers player to win the OPOW award twice in a season was Frank Gore (2009).
Samuel is 21 yards away from becoming the 49ers’ first 1,000-yard receiver since Anquan Boldin in 2014. Pro Bowl voting began Wednesday and Samuel could be the 49ers’ first wide receiver to go since Terrell Owens last earned a spot for them in 2002. COVID MEASURES >> The 49ers are one of five teams who haven’t had a player (or coach) miss a game on the COVID-19 reserve list; the others are the Las Vegas Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons, the Indianapolis Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs.
On Wednesday, all NFL teams were told of increased COVID protocols following Thanksgiving: players and coaches will be tested Monday and Wednesday after the holiday, and masks must be worn inside club facilities from Nov. 25 through Dec. 1, ESPN reported.