The San Francisco 49ers are back in the playoffs this season after a gutsy performance against the Los Angeles Rams.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo overcame two early interceptions to make big throws late in the 27-24 win over the Rams, with the running game and defense also playing huge roles. After a 17-point comeback to punch your ticket to the playoffs, it’s hard to be too mad at mistakes from the QB or otherwise.
But those mistakes were made all the same and is likely why ESPN has Jimmy G as the fourth-worst quarterback in the playoffs. Seth Walder worked with statistics and beat reporters of the various playoff teams for his rankings.
In the top three, Walder has Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Tampa Buccaneers QB Tom Brady and Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in that order.
Garoppolo comes in at No. 11, with New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones following him at No. 12. In the final two spots, Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts takes 13th and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger is last in 14th.
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Logic Behind Garoppolo’s Ranking
Walder brings up the strengths and weaknesses for each QB. When talking about Jimmy G, he brings up an interesting split: when Garoppolo is throwing on a designed roll-out to get him out of the pocket, he has the second-best QBR of all quarterbacks this past season.
It makes sense considering the 49ers offensive style. Run the ball first, setting up play action and throwing the ball down the field. Getting Garoppolo out of the pocket is a key part of that, working away from the pressure and allowing him the best possible situation to complete passes.
On the other hand, Walder notes that Jimmy G’s deep-passing ability isn’t impressive. Per the story, Garoppolo has only thrown passes of 20+ air yards 7% of the time this season, and had the 26th-best QBR on those throughs.
It’s an odd combo to be good on the run, but not good down field. However, Shanahan’s offense has never looked to take a ton of deep shots, so that weird combo could be a product of how the 49ers run the offense.
49ers Insider Adds Two Cents on Jimmy G
As part of the rankings, Walder had ESPN’s reporters for each team offer a blurb about the quarterback. For the 49ers, that insider is Nick Wagoner.
Wagoner says that it’s clearly the last ride for Jimmy G in San Francisco, and that there’s pressure to perform. He may be out for the 49ers next season, but he is still making his case that he’s a starter in the NFL.
“Garoppolo’s future in the NFL is at stake,” Wagoner writes. “No big deal, right? This is most likely his last ride in San Francisco before Lance takes the keys to the car next season. But Garoppolo has handled this situation well, and a strong postseason would not only strengthen his position in the trade market but also earn him a lucrative contract wherever he lands.”
The 49ers want to go as far as they can, but Jimmy G improving his trade value in the process is something they definitely don’t mind.
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49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo Ranked as One of the Worst QBs in Playoffs by ESPN