49ers vs. Chiefs preseason preview: Can Jimmy Garoppolo bounce back?
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers visit the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 of the 2019 NFL preseason, and eyes are going to be on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and his bounce-back efforts.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is going to get more than just three drives’ playing time when the Niners visit the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3 of the 2019 NFL preseason.
At least that’s the plan: increase Garoppolo’s field time more than the mere handful of snaps he received when San Francisco paid a visit to the Denver Broncos a week ago.
This time, however, Garoppolo returns to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City — the site where he tore his ACL in Week 3 a season ago, all but derailing the 49ers’ chances to contend for a playoff berth in 2018.
Considering Garoppolo’s ineffectiveness in Denver, and the fact Week 3 of the preseason is traditionally viewed as a regular-season dress rehearsal for most teams, head coach Kyle Shanahan would be more than wise to let Jimmy G shake off a lot of the rust he’s been carrying for nearly a full year since the devastating injury.
Along with Garoppolo, Shanahan will likely suit up and play a good chunk of his starters and first-team units for the first two quarters on Saturday, giving way to backups and reserves after halftime. San Francisco’s defense, in particular, should be a unit worth watching.
Especially considering the Chiefs, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, boasted the league’s best offense a year ago in record-setting fashion.
While neither Shanahan nor Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will open up their respective playbooks fully, it’s nevertheless going to be an intriguing chess match to watch during this NFL preseason bout.
Niner Noise breaks down that aspect, matchups to watch, injury notes and much more in this preseason preview for San Francisco.