Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was far from perfect during the San Francisco 49ers' 20-7 statement win on the road over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6.
In total, Garoppolo went 24-of-33 for 243 yards with zero passing touchdowns against one interception, all for a passer rating of 80.7.
While Garoppolo added a rush touchdown of his own during the game, it was the one pick which seemed to be problematic. At the 12:42 mark of the second quarter, and with the Niners on the Rams 1-yard line, Garoppolo attempted a fade pass intended for wide receiver Deebo Samuel, or so it appeared. But Rams cornerback Marcus Peters jumped in the way of the underthrown pass, picking it off and giving Los Angeles the ball back in what was then a 7-7 tie:
⛏⛏⛏@marcuspeters gets his second pick of the year! pic.twitter.com/9SQVLCC5k4
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 13, 2019
Tight end George Kittle appeared to be held on the play, and head coach Kyle Shanahan later told reporters he wasn't upset with Garoppolo's decision making at that moment.
"We got exactly what we wanted," Shanahan said of the play. "Kittle couldn't get away from the guy grabbing him. [Garoppolo] threw it up to Kittle, and I thought Kittle had him beat. But he just couldn't get away from [being grabbed]. Then another guy, who's guarding someone else, came into it.
"I wasn't too upset with Jimmy on that play. That was the call that I made, and I liked the look. Unfortunately, we didn't get the call."
Yet the Niners defense, which held Los Angeles to zero third- and fourth-down conversions throughout the game, rose to the occasion following the turnover. Rams quarterback Jared Goff and his offense were only able to drive to midfield before being forced to punt.
"Jimmy's a dog out there," Shanahan continued. "We love Jimmy, and I'd wear his jersey on the sideline if I could."
For those thinking Garoppolo had a bad game, chew on this: Goff was 13-of-24 for just 78 yards passing, which set a career low. Garoppolo, meanwhile, is now 13-2 as a starting quarterback.
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Written by:Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
