No one on the San Francisco 49ers seemed more excited with the team's 33-22 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday than quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, for obvious reasons.
Aside from the fact that he had the satisfaction of putting in a solid performance (322 yards on 17-of-28 passing) after hearing his share of criticism following a shaky showing (181 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, one fumble) in the team's 30-18 loss to the Indianapolis Colts one week prior, Garoppolo was elated to be able to return to his hometown of Chicago and produce a win in front of over 100 people who came to cheer him on.
Garoppolo, who grew up just down the road from Chicago in Arlington Heights, Illinois, led the 49ers to victory in front of the family, friends, and former coaches that were in attendance. Not surprisingly, he was in a very happy place following Sunday's win.
"It means a lot," Garoppolo said. "Every game does, but coming back to your hometown, home city, just carries a little different feel to it. It really does. Just landing at the airport, pulling into the city, the familiarity, all that good stuff, it's a special feeling. It's a good day."
Garoppolo was visibly fired up immediately after the win on Sunday, as cameras caught him in boisterous celebration as he left the field.
LET'S GO 🗣 @JimmyG_10 pic.twitter.com/4P9suqQs8W
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 31, 2021
He was a little more subdued when speaking to reporters after the game, suggesting he was more relieved over the fact the team snapped their four-game losing skid than he was being able to silence his critics for a week.
"I think our team just needed a win," Garoppolo said. "Losing four in a row like that, you've got to do something about it. I think our guys did. We came ready today. There was a good mindset on the sideline. Guys were talking. You could feel each other. When we're playing like that, that's when we get dangerous."
Still, it'll be a welcome change for Garoppolo to be able to go at least a few days without criticism and without hearing any debate over how much longer he should remain as the 49ers' starting quarterback over rookie Trey Lance. Garoppolo has always done a fine job of handling the outside noise that comes with being an NFL quarterback, but that doesn't mean he and head coach Kyle Shanahan won't be unhappy over not hearing questions about his status.
"I think it's nice to maybe not have to listen as much for a week," Shanahan said Sunday. "I think Jimmy does it as good as anybody. Jimmy's not a social media guy. He's not a guy who's sitting there watching stuff. I think he's been around the league long enough to know that stuff doesn't help you. But you have to answer questions too and stuff, so you're aware. But that goes with the territory. For the quarterback, the coordinators, the head coach, that's part of this business. That's what we sign up for, and if you can't deal with it, you usually don't last. He handled it very well this week."
Garoppolo didn't throw any touchdown passes in the win over the Bears, but he was able to find the end zone twice with his legs. His first rushing touchdown came on a two-yard run early in the third quarter to bring the 49ers to within 16-15, even though the ball was supposed to go to wide receiver Deebo Samuel on the play.
"We just timed out the motion wrong with the noise and stuff down there," Shanahan said. "Deebo tried to hit it -- it was going to Deebo, then he stopped. Jimmy made a decision that he would just take it. I still thought he probably should have handed it to Deebo. When it was said and done, I thought he made a great decision."
Garoppolo said of the play, "We were late in the play clock. There was some motion. The O-Line couldn't really hear right. So there was a lot going on there. But I knew where the play was designed to go. I tried to give it to Deebo. I said, 'Go, go, go!' We both kind of froze for a second. But it was plays like that today -- not perfect but whatever it takes."
The second touchdown came on a zone read in the fourth quarter to give the 49ers a 30-22 lead. Garoppolo kept the ball and ran in from five yards out, getting the blocking he needed along the way.
"The D-End crashed, took it around the edge, and someone gave me a great lead block," Garoppolo said. "I don't even know who it was but someone -- it was a hard hit on that one."
Garoppolo was so fired up after the touchdown that he launched the ball into the stands. Perhaps someone he knows came away with the souvenir.
Jimmy G strikes again! #FTTB
📺: #SFvsCHI on FOX
— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/kMplq8vSNN
"My college roommates were sitting in that end zone, so hopefully one of them caught it," Garoppolo said. "It was just so much emotion. I'm not used to running them in like that to begin with, so when it does happen, it was pretty cool."
2021 has been a topsy-turvy year for Garoppolo, who has had to deal with injuries and the fact that this is almost certainly his final year as the starting quarterback for the 49ers after their decision to trade three first-round draft picks to select Lance. The win over the Bears stands as unquestionably one of the high points of his season so far.
"I thought he played real well," Shanahan said. "I don't think anything was bothering him as much in the game. He seemed healthier. But I thought he had a hell of a game. I thought guys made some plays for him too. I thought it was a real good day for the offense."
