49ers Week 3 preview vs. Steelers: 3-0 a real possibility

Quarterback Comparison: Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Mason Rudolph

Combined, Mason Rudolph and 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo have just 12 NFL-level starts between them.

And Garoppolo has 12 of them.

That’s because Rudolph will be making his first start, while San Francisco is 8-2 in Garoppolo’s starts since he joined the team in 2017.

What will both quarterbacks look to do on Sunday?

Jimmy Garoppolo

Garoppolo had some issues in Week 1, of course, passing for just 166 yards and tossing a pick-six interception at Tampa Bay. But he answered that showing with a solid 297-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Bengals, moving his passer rating to 104.8 on the year — ninth among qualifiers.

The Steelers are allowing an average of 8.3 yards per pass so far this season, 28th best so far. They’ve had issues with crossing routes, slants and passes down the seam, which are areas Kyle Shanahan loves to scheme against. Garoppolo can handle those throws, too.

One might expect this to be a big part of San Francisco’s offensive game plan Sunday.

Mason Rudolph

Rudolph had his own respectable line during his limited action against the Seahawks, going 12-of-19 for 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, which wasn’t exactly his fault.

There isn’t much on Rudolph, of course, given his lack of pro-level field time. But Niner Noise previously broke down some of his scouting-report weaknesses, specifically how San Francisco’s defense will aim to bottle him up.

Rudolph, like many young quarterbacks, plays better off play action. This emphasizes the need for the Niners to shut down Pittsburgh’s top running back, James Conner, who’s the subject of key matchups to watch in Week 3.

First, let’s take a look at the 49ers injury report.