Game grades from 49ers resilient divisional round win over Packers
49ers Offensive Grades
The 49ers offense was inefficient at its best and actively harmful at its worst, but when the game had to be won, they made the plays necessary.
49ers Quarterbacks
Most of the time, arguments against Jimmy Garoppolo revolve around providing meaningful context to the inflated box score stats he normally has. But for most of the first half, Garoppolo’s unsightly stat line did not explain how well he was throwing the ball. He hit multiple players in stride only for them to drop the ball. But as the game progressed, Garoppolo’s play deteriorated.
At the end of the day, Garoppolo’s stat line will not tell the story of his play. In a game where the 49ers offense was decidedly below-average, Garoppolo played an equal role in that.
Grade: D+
49ers Running Backs
The rushing attack was remarkably inefficient, and although that primarily fell on the hands of the offensive line, the running backs were not much better. Elijah Mitchell, in particular, had what seemed to be a bone-headed play in a crucial spot. On 4th-and-1 in the fourth quarter, Mitchell had the ball and a clear outside lane behind Trent Williams, which seemed to be the play design. Yet Mitchell cut inside and was stuffed. Kyle Juszczyk had himself an explosive play, but the running backs for the 49ers had a rough game.
Grade: C-
49ers Wide Receivers
This grade will be remarkably higher because of the multi-faceted usage of Deebo Samuel. He put the team on his back when they needed a first down, and again, no matter where he is on the field, he can make a play. He was the reason the 49ers had a chance to begin with.
The rest of the 49ers receivers had themselves a less successful day. Both Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings had critical drops when the 49ers offense was floundering. It was a tough day for the 49ers receiving core sans Deebo.
Grade: C+ (Deebo: A, the rest: D)
49ers Tight Ends
George Kittle had a brutal drop but a spectacular grab and several chain-moving catches. The other 49ers tight ends had some bad plays on their own. In a game where the 49ers struggled to control the trenches, their tight ends played a big role in that.
Grade: D+
49ers Offensive Line
The 49ers offensive line got beat across the board. Right Tackle Tom Compton in particular had an atrocious performance. Jimmy Garoppolo was sacked four times and the 49ers run game was held to an inefficient 3.7 yards per carry. That usually won’t cut it in the NFL