4 observations from Jimmy Garoppolo in 49ers win vs. Bengals

No. 2: Jimmy Garoppolo still loves to play between the numbers

Just like Jimmy Garoppolo not being able to pass deep with any sort of consistency, it’s also a safe assessment to realize his efforts passing outside the numbers are going to be few and far between, too, an aspect the CBS broadcast crew pointed out when Garoppolo tried hitting Aiyuk on the left sidelines on a would-be third-down conversion, except for the Bengals were able to break up the pass.

Those attempts are rare, and teams are still focusing their coverages against Jimmy G by guarding the middle.

Not a bad idea when one factors in just how much he targets the area of the field in between the numbers, as shown from his Week 14 Next Gen Stats passing chart:

Again, the bulk of his passes are no further than 10 yards out from the line of scrimmage, which was effectively an extension of the run game, as the Niners were without No. 1 running back Elijah Mitchell in the game.

Read More: Jimmy Garoppolo is consistent, and that’s both good and bad for 49ers

But it’s also another point of realization Garoppolo won’t venture beyond the numbers much at all either, even when he’s going to be called upon to pass more than 30 times.

Good thing San Francisco’s offensive system is innovative enough to get receivers open in this tighter window.