Jimmy Garoppolo silences critics during 49ers 27-17 win vs. Chiefs

After an abysmal return to the field against the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo bounced back in the best way possible in Week 3 of the 2019 NFL preseason against the Kansas City Chiefs.

So much for the argument San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is going to have a terrible, terrible year after going a mere 1-of-6 during the Niners’ second NFL preseason game of 2019 against the Denver Broncos a week ago.

Garoppolo’s shabby performance in Denver, which marked his first on-field performance since tearing his ACL in 2018, caught both local and national attention. It sparked some serious questions whether or not he’d be able to live up to that lofty five-year, $137.5 million deal San Francisco inked him to a season ago.

Yet Garoppolo did about as much as he could possibly do to bounce back in Week 3 of the preseason, this time last Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs — the same location where Jimmy G tore his ACL.

And it was a solid night, for sure.

Despite starting off a little shaky, frequently missing his intended targets with some inaccurate throws, Garoppolo found his groove and ended up finishing the first half of the game, going 14-of-20 for 188 yards and a touchdown.

Three of Garoppolo’s four drives culminated in points, too, which helped keep San Francisco’s first-team offense in line with the high-flying Chiefs offense, led by 2018 MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Yet that touchdown drive was impressive. Garoppolo hit wide receiver Richie James for a 33-yard gain, which then set up a 20-yard touchdown pass to running back Matt Breida — a beautifully thrown ball, and an even more-impressive catch:

“It is what it is,” Garoppolo said of the scrutiny leading up to Saturday’s game. “All the hearsay and whatever noise going on, you just have to ignore it and go play football. I thought it was a good step coming back here to K.C. where it all started. Just get that out of the way, and it was a step in the right direction.”

Both Garoppolo and head coach Kyle Shanahan also admitted it was beneficial for Garoppolo to find his groove, not having to worry about being pulled after just a handful of snaps — something Garoppolo didn’t enjoy in Denver.

Postgame Recap from Kansas City

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Granted, the Chiefs defense remains questionable heading into 2019, and the 49ers are surely going to face some stiffer defensive competition during the regular season.

But the fact Garoppolo went into a hostile environment at Arrowhead Stadium, kept up with Mahomes and Kansas City’s first-team offense for two quarters and managed to find a rhythm says something, too.

The Niners won’t play Garoppolo for their fourth and final NFL preseason bout on Thursday, Aug. 29 against the Los Angeles Chargers, meaning Jimmy G’s next field time will be during the regular season in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But at least after his efforts against the Chiefs, fans can relax a bit knowing Jimmy Garoppolo looked far more poised and capable than all those worrisome takes from the week before.