Niner Noise
FanSided

Jimmy Garoppolo: 3 ways 49ers QB can improve his numbers in 2020

By Nathan Bannerman

Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
49ers Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Spending less time in the pocket

The main goal of the offensive line is to keep the quarterback standing. The Niners offensive line tried to do its best, despite having some key injuries throughout the year. However, this is where Jimmy Garoppolo, who was sacked 36 times, can take his play to the next level.

In 2019, only four other quarterbacks sacked more than Garoppolo made the postseason. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen were sacked 37 and 38 times, respectively. Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson hit the turf 44 times, and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was the most-sacked playoff starter with 48.

Throughout the season, Garoppolo was almost perfect when it came to the run-pass option (RPO or play action). When looking at his NFL Next Gen Stats, you can almost tell when play action was called. Typically, Garoppolo would fake the handoff to his running back, who’d run to the right side of the line of scrimmage (LOS). Garoppolo would pull the ball last second and scramble to his left. This is the side he was most successful when it came to pass behind the LOS. He had a passer rating of 128.2, which was miles above the league average.

However on his right throwing side, whether it was an attempt behind the LOS or even just over 10 yards down the field, he was well below average.

Here’s an example of just how quick Garoppolo needs to be:

https://twitter.com/thecheckdown/status/1224125992027021312

Whether it’s a coincidence this errant pass was to Garoppolo’s right side or not, he just needs to be a split second faster with his decisions. The Chiefs defense stepped up the pressure on this play, however, it’s imperative Garoppolo makes a quick and smart pass.

Another aspect Garoppolo could improve on is his running game. With only 46 yards rushing, there is lots of room for growth. I’m not saying he needs to be a mobile quarterback like Wilson, but if the 49ers have offensive line problems next year, he’ll want to find a way out of the pocket to pick up positive gains.