5 crazy stats that say everything about SF 49ers 2020 season

No. 1: Kyle Shanahan, SF 49ers need Jimmy Garoppolo to win

Say what you want about Jimmy Garoppolo and his long-term fit with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.

But there’s one thing abundantly clear: Jimmy G gives the Niners their best chance at winning.

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It’s not just the 2020 totals, although those are telling. San Francisco is 3-3 in games this year where Garoppolo started, while the SF 49ers are 2-5 in Nick Mullens’ seven starts.

Taking a look over the course of Shanahan’s coaching tenure, it’s pretty evident the Niners’ chances for success increase dramatically when Garoppolo is under center. When Jimmy G has started, Shanahan is 22-8.

When it’s been someone else, Shanahan has gone 6-25.

Mullens isn’t cutting it. It’s also clear the No. 3 option on the current roster, C.J. Beathard, won’t cut it. The veteran, Brian Hoyer, didn’t cut it early in Shanahan’s tenure back in 2017 either.

So, while there’s been plenty of slander aimed at Garoppolo and sometimes-justified criticisms whether or not he’s a long-term solution under center, 2020 is just another case example of why having at least modestly competent quarterback play is going to be essential for San Francisco to engineer any kind of success.

Shanahan and the SF 49ers are going through yet another painful realization of why consistency under center is of the utmost importance behind nearly every team’s overall success, and 2020 is hitting them in the face here as hard as possible.