San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the top 10 plays of 2017
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Jimmy Garoppolo’s First Touchdown Pass with the 49ers
When it happened: Week 12 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Fans will easily remember this one.
The 49ers had acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo shortly before the NFL trade deadline, but he didn’t start right away. Instead, those duties remained in the hands of rookie QB C.J. Beathard, who suffered an injury late in Week 12 versus the visiting Seattle Seahawks.
This forced head coach Kyle Shanahan’s hand, who had no other choice but to put Garoppolo in the game for the Niners’ final offensive drive.
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Trailing 24-6 late in the fourth quarter, the game had already been decided. But here was a chance for Garoppolo to prove to everyone he was a legitimate starter.
All three of Garoppolo’s plays resulted in positive yardage.
The last one, as time expired, was a 10-yard touchdown pass from Garoppolo to wide receiver Louis Murphy:
Niner Noise broke down the play in this film-review piece you can read here. The way he was able to evade pressure within the pocket, display patience and make the quick-strike throw to Murphy is pretty incredible.
What’s more important, though — and why this play ranks No. 1 on our list — is Garoppolo showcased why he’ll be such a critical piece in the 49ers future.
This was a big-time throw, despite coming in garbage time. And it set the franchise up for even more success over the remaining five games of 2017.
Next: Top 20 games in 49ers franchise history
Let’s hope that success continues into the new year.