3 things Jimmy Garoppolo must achieve in 49ers bout vs. Lions
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Jimmy Garoppolo must have a no-interception game
A two-thirds completion percentage would be one thing, especially with zero touchdowns thrown. But the one area that could ultimately derail Jimmy Garoppolo’s grasp on San Francisco’s starting quarterback gig, aside from injury, is if he reverts back to being the turnover-prone signal-caller he’s been for much of his career.
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Yes, that’s a true point.
Garoppolo owns a 2.7 interception percentage over his career, and his 49ers tenure has seen a split increase of 2.9 percent. Typically, any quarterback getting close to 3.0 percent or above is awfully turnover-prone. Case in point, former Niners quarterback Nick Mullens led all qualifiers last year with an interception percentage of 3.7.
Jimmy G is going to toss interceptions this season, yes. No getting around that. But cutting down on those over-the-middle throws where he somehow didn’t identify a lurking linebacker would be a smart start.
And with a Detroit defense not exactly pegged to generate a lot of interceptions this season, it sure would be a refreshing start to see Garoppolo come away from Week 1 with a turnover-free game.
San Francisco and Detroit kick off on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. ET from Ford Field.
Next. 49ers' 3 biggest concerns with Week 1 just days away. dark