49ers 9, Redskins 0: Grades

Posted By on October 20, 2019

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) looks for a receiver as he is pressured by Washington Redskins defensive end Matthew Ioannidis in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The 49ers beat the Washington Redskins 9-0 on Sunday. Here are the 49ers’ grades:

GOOD JIMMY: A. He was the offense’s biggest asset. He scrambled four times for 20 yards on a wet, muddy field and made strong, confident cuts on his surgically-repaired left knee. Good Jimmy had to make these runs because nothing worked in the passing game early on. The 49ers had just five net passing yards at halftime. But, Good Jimmy finished the game by completing his final nine passes, and those passes gained 141 yards. He did all of this despite playing on the road, in the rain, without two starting offensive tackles, two wide receivers and one Pro Bowl fullback. Good Jimmy showed resilience, poise and skill — everything you’d want from a franchise quarterback.

BAD JIMMY: F. He was the offense’s biggest weakness. He missed seven of his first 10 throws, and didn’t not transfer his weight confidently onto his surgically-repaired knee when passing. So, he floated passes and missed open receivers. He also forced a couple of passes into tight coverage which the Redskins dropped. And in the third quarter, he threw an interception because he telegraphed his throw. The free safety read Bad Jimmy’s eyes, ran across the field and intercepted the pass. Bad Jimmy showed hesitancy, poor decision-making and poor discipline — everything you’d expect from an inexperienced quarterback coming off a torn ACL.

GAROPPOLO: C. He oscillates between Good Jimmy and Bad Jimmy multiple times during a game, even during a drive. He finished this game with a quarterback rating of 59.8, which is not good. But, he improved his career win-loss record to 14-2, which is phenomenal. Will the real Jimmy please stand up?

RUNNING BACKS: B. Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson Jr. all ran extremely hard even though they didn’t have much space to run without Kyle Juszczyk blocking. Their longest run gained just 11 yards. And yet, they finished with 117 yards on the ground and controlled the tempo of the game.

WIDE RECEIVERS: B. Deebo Samuel sat out with a groin injury, and Marquise Goodwin suffered a concussion during the first quarter and missed the rest of the game. Their replacements, Kendrick Bourne and Richie James Jr., both played well. They combined for 109 receiving yards. Dante Pettis could have made a long catch — he beat his man deep down the sideline. But, Bad Jimmy’s pass got intercepted by the free safety.

TIGHT ENDS: B. Ross Dwelley made a diving two-yard catch on fourth and one late in the fourth quarter. George Kittle caught only three passes, but all of them were on third down and all of them moved the chains. Even when the other team knows the ball will to Kittle, they still can’t stop him. The 49ers have two quality tight ends.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: C. They gave up two sacks and didn’t create big holes for the running game, but they didn’t have Joe Staley or Mike McGlinchey, the starting tackles. Considering what the line didn’t have, it played well enough.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: A. Dominant as usual. Dee Ford, Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa each sacked Redskins quarterback Case Keenum once. Bosa led the team with seven tackles and four tackles for loss. And Jullian Taylor made a critical fumble recovery after replacing Solomon Thomas at nose tackle.

LINEBACKERS: A-plus. Kwon Alexander was the player of the game. He punched the ball out of Redskins running back Adrian Peterson’s grasp late in the third quarter when the score was 3-0. Alexander sealed the win.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: A. They gave up only 50 net passing yards, and didn’t even have their best cornerback, Ahkello Witherspoon, who could return next week when the 49ers play the Carolina Panthers. What a group!

SPECIAL TEAMS: B-minus. Robbie Gould missed his seventh field goal attempt of the season, but he made three others, and those were the difference in the game.

COACHES: B-plus. Robert Saleh’s defense has given up just 10 points the past three games. He’s a brilliant defensive coordinator. Kyle Shanahan’s offense didn’t perform well in the rain, but it was missing key players. And Shanahan found ways to move the ball with the play-action passing game in the fourth quarter. Shanahan almost always finds a way. The performance was sloppy at times, but a win is a win is a win.

This article has 156 Comments

  1. This is the kind of win for a young team that will pay dividends down the stretch. I think the last time the 49ers were 6-0 was 1990. The team is built to win in November….

    1. Kyle Shanahan is getting a ton of credit, and rightly so, not only for his offensive brilliance, but also they way in which he’s helped create a close knit group and winning locker-room culture. However, the way in which this defense has been constructed, with all of the pieces fitting as snug as a completed jigsaw puzzle, it would be hard to imagine a scenario in which John Lynch isn’t among the conversation for Executive of the Year honors, when all is said and done this season.

      A remarkable development for a guy who many envisioned as nothing more than PR figurehead, who was hired for his perceived media savvy above all else.Good for John Lynch, who is not only golden in terms of representing the 49ers as an articulate spokesperson, but also proving to be a fantastic GM behind the scenes, and making the point that there is more than one “traditional” path towards placing yourself near the top of the NFL executive hierarchy, league-wide!

      Good for John Lynch, good for Kyle Shanahan, and good for Boy Wonder – Jed York, who has rightly taken a step back while allowing the football guys to do what they do best, without getting in the way, and mucking things up, a la Jerry Jones.

      Life is good, coming home from the east coast at 6-0, and on top of the conference!

      1. Lynch also deserves credit for trades he didn’t make. Asking price was too high for Khalil Mack, Odell Beckham, and Le’Veon Bell.

    2. Built to win in Nov? This is so far fetched. The team hasn’t fielded an offense against any team other than cincy who still hasn’t won a game.
      The offense regresses each week. Built to win in Nov? Surely you’re kidding. They match up against two teams with a combined 12-2 record and the other team is .500. That’s more wins than their opponents thus far combined.
      November is when this team will be challenged. It isn’t built to win. It’s squeaking by on the heart and soul of its defense. That’s the only functioning part of this team.

      1. One of those 12-2 teams we see, Seahawks and the Niners have played 4 common opponents so far. Both are 4-0. Want to look up the point differential between the Seahawks wins vs the Niners wins?

        I’n not afraid of November opponents, well see you back here in December for your plateful of crow.

        1. The point of the post is this team is not built to win in Nov with the offense it has now. The missed field goals and points left on the field will not translate to winning in Nov
          The team will have to play much better, fix the mistakes, and find an offensive identity to win in Nov
          I am not predicting wins or losses. Just addressing the comment this team as it is wins in Nov

          1. With the defense the team is fielding, it’s built to win any month. But especially as weather starts turning colder, conditions nastier in those outdoor stadiums GB, Baltimore, Seattle

          2. Where I come from, championship defense and running the ball travels well, and is especially made for November. Oh, and Staley, McGlinchey return in a couple weeks, along with Juice by November 11th….

          3. this guy!! lmao! you do realize we are the #2 rushing offense in all of football right??? #1 is baltimore…because they have the greatest rushing qb of all time ( projecting him ahead of Vick…as the #s suggest)!!
            You did watch the game and see that it was played in a monsoon right???
            you also realize the game was played without our top 4 wr’s…..top 3 OT’s…….and our stud fb!!!???

      2. This team is built to win, period. They’re doing it even with key players missing. Once at full strength (in a couple of weeks), watch out.

    3. I agree completely. I wish Grant had to be out there reporting under
      those conditions instead of sitting with his ole man in a comfortable place and makeing stupid comments. One thing about Grant he never changes. He is typical media at times. Very frustrating at more times then not.

  2. The good Jimmy bad Jimmy story line is crap. A phony way to keep a bad story line alive. Grade the player and leave off with fake story lines.

    Other grades are OK.

    3. too many teams have their own Good Jimmy, Bad Jimmy, and some teams appear to just have Bad Jimmys. Andy Dalton, today, was a totally Bad Jimmy with 3 INTs on consecutive series plus a couple of other turnovers. Derek Carr, across the bay in Oaktown , was Good Jimmy and Bad Jimmy in the first half at Green Bay and cost the Raiders a 14-point swing just before half and then threw a brutal INT in the EZ in the 2nd half.

      Russell Wilson had his own Good Jimmy and Bad Jimmy with a pick 6 in the first half this afternoon against the Ravens, too, and far too many pigskin gurus were already anointing him as the league MVP after 6 weeks.

      Relax because there will be many opportunities for Good Jimmy and Bad Jimmy QB play for every team in the league because there just are not that many outstanding QBs, and even the phenoms like Aaron Rodgers have their Bad Jimmy moments.

      1. Does Garoppolo need to improve? Yes. Is there room for improvement? Yes.

        But consider this: Garoppolo as a starting QB is 14 – 2.

        I’ll take a little bad Jimmy for that winning percentage.

    4. I suppose there’s a Good Grant/Bad Grant dynamic as well… Heck, we have two Sebbies battling it out the last couple days…

      1. In a monsoon. Give me a break! That’s the problem with reporting from your couch or being live at the game.

        1. He had 5 yards passing in the 1st half and threw a bad pick on the first possession of the second half.

          Rain or not, that’s bad. And you didn’t need to be at the stadium to realize it.

          1. Yet, take away a screen pass or two and Keenum would have had 25 yards passing. Horrible condition, it’s not going to look pretty but the difference in the game was SFs marginal ability to pass vs Was non existent

            1. uh, one defense entered the game #1 vs the pass in terms of yards passing while the other was #20.

          2. I’ll take a bad Jimmy with a 6-0 record all day, every day.
            Nitpickers love to nitpick.
            Last I looked, it was a team sport.

            1. If Garoppolo was bad all day they wouldn’t have a 6-0 record. His play is up and down, if you can’t acknowledge that it’s understandable because some fans can’t.

              Garoppolo today in the first half, early second bad. After that, very good.

              The difference between this year and last, is that when the offense screws up the defense has been there to bail them out.

              1. Maybe because of past comments, it’s sounding like you are criticizing his play.
                Maybe your not. Maybe you are just identifying that sometimes he plays bad and sometimes he doesn’t.
                In any event, why point out the obvious? Like what’s the point?
                Every player has good and bad outings. Second point, who gives a flying _ _ _ _ when your winning?

                In a game like that with those conditions, makes no sense to put a grade on a player, any player. You just try to survive a game like that and that’s what Jimmy and the Niners did today.

                Anyone evaluating that game live in those conditions has a better perspective.

              2. jack, grant….all JG haters for that matter……list your top 10 qb’s of all time…..then look up their stats…….thousands of incompletions….hundreds of int’s and dozens if not triple digit losses….EACH!
                Congratulations!!!! you guys discovered the fact that athletes fail sometimes!!! yay! your so smart!!
                i was under the impression that Curry hit EVERY shot, Jordan won EVERY game, Montana completed EVERY pass and Bonds hit EVERY pitch out of the park!!!! lmao

              3. Again, nitpickers gonna nitpick.
                And some have a long history of doing that around here.

                And I repeat, it’s a team sport.
                22 players on the field trying to achieve one goal – win.
                6-0, solidifies that theory for me.

              4. Nope, the difference between this year and last year is incredibly significant, sorry if some fans can’t see or accept that.

              5. Why not bench bad Jimmy and replace him with good Mullens until good Jimmy is brought in to replace bad Mullens?
                Hmmm, sounds like this should fit the nitpicking narrative.

              6. “the difference between this year and last year is incredibly significant,”

                Yes it is, on defense where they’re giving up only 10.7 points per game. Last year that Garoppolo pick turns into points, this year they force a turnover.

              7. I think one of the main driving factors for the current success of this team is experienced depth.

              8. There’s a big difference between “if” and “facts.”
                As the number and stats master around here, it’s a little surprising that you rarely emphasize the 6-0 number.
                After all, when all is said and done, that’s the bottom line.

              9. As the number and stats master around here, it’s a little surprising that you rarely emphasize the 6-0 number.

                ?

              10. “it’s a little surprising that you rarely emphasize the 6-0 number.”

                Jack Hammer says:
                October 20, 2019 at 12:34 pm
                6-0

                On to Carolina

              11. “I think one of the main driving factors for the current success of this team is experienced depth.”

                Improved depth, but not necessarily experienced.

                Two rookie tackles, Dwelley, Moseley. Young guys making the most of opportunities.

                The dline depth has been built up over years, so yes that group has experience for the most part with the exception of Bosa and Taylor.

                Have been a big fan of Saleh for a while, but the leap this year is from the guys he has around him. Players improved, line coach improved, secondary coach improved.

                Haven’t been this excited to see the defense take the field since that 1994 group after Sanders was acquired.

    7. Actually the Good Jimmy, Bad Jimmy is a reality. In fact I mentioned the three Jimmys in Grants other article long before I read this one. I added the average Jimmy to the Good and Bad one. Sort of like he did in his grades. Ironic! We both had the same thought at the same time. Two people see the same thing it might mean something after all.

      2. nope! 1 jimmy! hes confident he can make every throw….and when he throws a pick or an incompletion….he brushes it off and goes out there and keeps gunning it! hes a gun slinger! all the guy does is win…..he makes enough plays to win ‘cuz hes not scared or shell shocked after a mistake.
        he bangs porn stars, cashes fat checks and wins football games!

  4. Grant,

    Agreed on Jimmy and his lack luster performance. I think Mullins would have doubled our point total. Maybe because Jimmy is not a mudder and game conditions dictated a sloppy performance. I do see the same thing most of jimmys passes are floating and have no zip in other games also. I have seen a few passes thrown with confidence and power but very few. Maybe as the year progresses he will improve and confidence is the issue. He will need to pick up velocity if we are truly going to make a long run in playoffs.

    I think the main priority is GET A WR !!! We really missed on not getting A. Robinson Chi when it just took $$
    AJ coming off injury but a huge upgrade worth a first and third
    Sanders maybe a second rd and player would get it done – again upgrade
    Devante Parker has size but I wonder about his passion. Again he is playing in a dumpster fire now but not three years ago – possible upgrade
    Any other guys you see fitting in? A player we could pry away ?

    1. I disagree. I like the FO’s approach. Why throw away early round picks and huge money for aging, oft-injured receivers? We have Buckner and Kittle to extend next season. They’re waaaay more important than a rent-a-WR. I’m all for the WR by committee approach while we lean on a suffocating defense and a creative run game. They’ll buy us time as Jimmy G and the WR corp develop more confidence and a better rapport together. Don’t forget, Jalen Hurd and Trent Taylor could also be in the mix soon.

    1. Very cool. Unfortunate Bosa didn’t have a Shanahan flag to plant at mid-field as the clock ran out.

            1. I bet you sure wished Gould had made his first field goal.
              .
              Or Toilolo had made a block on that 4th down play when Kittle got stuffed on the goal line.
              .
              Then, yesterday’s game would have been PERFECT! ;p

              1. Yea, there were a number of unfortunate events that seemed to sabotage the line. I’d add Bourne should have scored had the throw been better….

  6. Thinking we see a little more Good Jimmy when Juice, Staley, McGlinchey return.

    If Trent Taylor returns 100% healthy expected a return of 2017 Jimmy

    1. I am not that sure. Good Jimmy needs to make an appearance when the team needs him and that is usually not under optimum conditions.

      1. In 2017 Trent Taylor was Garoppolo’s chain moving, drive extending security blanket.

        Taylor wasn’t 100% last year. JG seemed less decisive.

        1. well Goodwin also was somehow prolific w/ 2017 Jimmy; so maybe he’s just less decisive?
          plus Trent is oft injured & always seems to take longer than the average NFL player to heal;
          surgery was 8/10, so it’s been 10 weeks on what was supposed to be 4-6 weeks.

          the one thing that i wish he’d be mindful of is staring down receivers (and not holding the safety longer). even the best forget every so often, but right now he’s doing it at least 2-3 times a game.

  7. Gotta disagree on the O-line grade. I think they deserve a B. Those sacks weren’t all on them. Jimmy G was standing there for awhile before going down. If I recall correctly.
    I thought they played well again.

  8. Mullens > Garapolo.

    I’ve seen almost half a season of Garapolo and I think Nick Mullens is a more effective QB.

    Gardner Minshew looks better than Garapolo and please don’t quote chapter and verse about his weapons. They lost both their blocking TEs and their wideouts are young and just about as inconsistent as the Niners, but DJ Chark is leaving Pettis in the dust for 2nd year WRs.

    1. Belichick wanted to keep jimmy G as Brady’s replacement,
      Lynch and Shanahan gave Jimmy a monster contract and the Niners couldn’t find a anyone willing to trade a 3rd round pick for Mullen’s. Jimmy > Mullens

      1. We don’t really know if Mullins was available for a third round pick. Or maybe no one would offer much for JG. JG is not a bad QB, but so far he has not shown to be the guy who won those games in 2017 and who was given that Contract. He as played like a game manager, but without the managing part.

        2. Jimmy plays within the confines that Shanny creates……………he’s also got 16 games under his belt, coming back from a very bad injury…………..he’ll get better with more reps and a healthier offense. he’s still playing without his starting tackles, an all-pro fullback, Trent Taylor and some very young, relatively inexperienced receivers……….he’s competing with some serious weaponry missing.
          But the guy does what he needs to win, with what he’s got.

        3. CS, will……omg! good jimmy led a scoring drive after a pick 6 to beat tampa….. he beat the steelers with a last second td pass….he closed out the skins, on the road in a monsoon, without his top 4 wr, top 3 Ot and stud fb!!!!!!
          he blew out the bengals ( in the 2nd straight east coast game) and the browns( who many had pegged for the SB)….. and sent the rams into panic mode where they made 3 trades in a day after getting whooped by us!!
          Mullens is crap, Minshew wont keep his job once NF is healthy…….just stop talking please!

      2. Jimmy has thrown way fewer INT’s over the first 16 games of his career than Peyton Manning. Just sayin

    2. Mullens > Garapolo??? Are you serious? The team is 3-5 under Mullens and 12-2 under Garappolo. In 2017, Garrapolo took a 1-10 team and went 5-0. When has Mullens done anything like that? Mullens is a decent backup QB, and might be good enough to be a starting QB on some NFL teams but to say that the team would be better with him at QB is ridiculous.

    3. Captain,
      “I’ve seen almost half a season of Garapolo and I think Nick Mullens is a more effective QB.”

      Oh yeah, I forgot Mullens is 6-0.
      Sheesh, will the wonders around here ever cease.

      1. Un-freaking-believable. Only Niner fans would be calling for the “backup” to step in when their team is 6-0.

        What a bunch of cranks we’ve become.

        1. Some of these “fans” are just trolls and some posters just have to be negative.

        2. right!? no wonder the rest of the country refers to us as “whiners”…….the 40 whiners!!!!
          where were guys at when we were 4-12?????? didnt pay attention to football?? cheering for the seahawks???

  10. JG was bad in the first half aside from a few scrambles, no question. Though he didn’t have many options to throw to most of the time either – guys couldn’t get open in the conditions. I thought after the first few passes where guys were struggling to cut that Shanahan would adjust to more of a short passing and screen game, but he stuck to it. JG came good in the second half and made big plays to set up FGs which were the difference in the end.

    Weather and field conditions really favoured the Redskins in this game as the 49ers are built for speed on both sides of the ball. But they found a way to win all the same. And the D continues to be dominant, making plays when it mattered.

    1. They were open plenty of times. Jimmy just could not even get the ball close to them. like the first pass to Petis , where he came back and Jimmy still bounced the ball in front of him by a couple of feet.

  11. I’ll say it again. After game 8 is when this passing attack will start shredding defenses.
    Defense was and will continue to carry the bulk of the load.
    So bash Jimmy now. Oh ones who have doubt in him.

    2. We are not bashing him. Bashing is when the criticism is unwarranted. Right now he is not playing like the guy who was given and elite players contract. When he starts playing better then people will stop commenting that he is not playing well. He did have some good runs, but Kaep would have done better on those —– LOL.

      No you have to give him credit for those runs. They were critical at that point in time.

      1. If you weren’t bashing him then it wasn’t meant for you. Some criticism is fine, he deserves some. Ones calling for Mullins and labeling him no good are the ones I’m aiming this at.

      3. I must admit, Kaep also had a bad game in the rain and snow against the Bears.
        .
        What I am wondering about, is why they let JG play without gloves. The ball was slippery in his grip in the first half. Maybe they should have anticipated rain, and let him experiment with various gloves, ahead of time. They could have turned on a hose, and simulated wet conditions, with a wet, slippery, soggy ball.

  12. Regarding Garoppolo, I don’t think the knee is the problem. He took off on runs aggressively a couple of times. I think it’s flat bad habits. He’s been arming it with sloppy footwork and getting away with it since high school..

    Proud of the win. The conditions were extreme. The defense was stellar again and the offense didn’t beat themselves. The Jimmy pick was a great throw and the D Back made a phenomenal play..

    Shanny has to run Wilson more.. His run power quotient is way ahead of Coleman. It’s so obvious..

    1. Throwing is more of an indication of favoring than the knee. When he’s running its instinctual and he’s moving versus being a sitting duck in a pocket closing in on his legs.

    2. Don– agree with you on both points. Jimmy and Coleman. Wilson runs better. Coleman seems to be the least effective runner out of all the backs based on his opportunities. He doesn’t seem to run as hard.

    3. But Wilson should have had a costly fumble if not for the ref not getting back into his spot in time & he has 3 fumbles in 101 career touches w/ a 3.8 ypc. Mostert has 3 in 96 touches.

      Meanwhile, Coleman has 7 in 664 touches. At his current pace, 664 Wilson touches would = 20 fumbles! This is likely evident in practices too. I can understand airing on the side of ball security over any perceived “power quotient.” And Breida gets dinged up easily.

      The throw was fine. Staring at Pettis from start to finish was the problem. Had he looked to his right for 2 seconds to hold the safety, that play is a TD. If he looks in the middle for 2 or looked to his right for 1 second, it’s a big play.

  14. Gut check game. Defense was superb. Next week get to go against arguably the best football player so far this season – Christian McCaffrey.

    1. …against the weak link of the defense: defending the run.

      IMHO, this will be the most difficult opponent of the season up to this point.

      1. The schedule from here on out gets harder for sure, that includes the upstart Cardinals.

      2. Rushing yards allowed last 4 games.

        104
        109
        102
        79

        Weak link is a relative term. I’ll be more than happy if they hold CAR or even just McC to around 100.

  15. Grant I think you nailed it. One thing I would add is the middle of the offensive line often gets pushed back causing the pocket to collapse. When the middle of the pocket collapses Jimmy is trapped taking away his ability to step up to make a pass or causing him to throw off his back foot leading to poor passes and INTs.

  16. Jimmy needs to put bad Jimmy on the sidelines and play a complete game without any bone headed plays next week.
    Based on on the the first half play a n F grade is wrong a D is more appropriate considering the weather and first downs he generated with his feet. The 2nd half a B + is more in tune to the game conditions. Overall grade B-.
    Just after the interception I call for Mullins. I’m glad KS stuck with Jimmy.

    The Panthers are not to be a walk in the park. The offense will need to bring it’s A game, Running and Passing.

  18. All of the preseason Grant hype on Dwelley has yet to show… Sure, he made that 4th down catch but he also dropped an easy one early in the game. Perhaps he’ll have his breakout game later this year.

    Niners still need a receiving threat other than Kittle. Bourne was the best wr today but that’s not saying much, Goodwin was knocked out early and Pettis disappeared again… Kudos to the team on the tough win but its only going to get harder obviously. That said it sure feels good to be a Niners fan.

    1. For Pettis to catch a pass the ball has to get closer than a couple of feet. You guys need to stop looking for scapegoats for Jimmys bad play.

  19. Genius’ are never recognized in their time Grant. :-) Your funny take on Jimmy G’s performance today, and, throughout this season is spot on. He is a late 20’s ‘rookie’ which is often overlooked. His record is on par, or better, than contemporary, younger rooks. If he can stay healthy for the balance of this season, can’t wait to see him next season.

  21. Trolls starting to show up?.6-0 regardless of how we got here is better than all but one other team. It might not always be pretty but a W is a W. The way we are playing I’m not worried about anyone on the schedule. We will soon be back to ? when games matter most.

  22. #smokeandmirrors
    Rams or Hawks win the division. Niners go 2-6 in their final 8 games.

  24. Good Jimmy/Bad Jimmy is fine, when you have a defense playing the way we do. If you’re a “normal” team without a smothering defense the Good/Bad dynamic would have resulted in some losses by now and people wouldn’t be blowing sunshine up Garappolo’s heiny on a weekly basis like most seem to want to do.

      1. slippery and soggy are opposites! ill help you out non football guy…..
        the pigskins absorbs water, making it soggy, like a sponge……the real issue here is the added weight! the ball becomes very heavy and hard to throw….
        rain=mud……and a muddy ball is VERY slippery!!
        a wet muddy ball is heavy and hard to grip and therefore very hard to throw! In a game like this….passing yardage is obtained when a short pass is taken for a long gain ‘cuz the defender slipped and the ball carrier did not. this did not happen today.
        what impressed me about JG today….was how JG moved the offense down the field in the last 6 minutes…..and instead of having to punt with only a 6 pt lead, allowing a td to beat you…….they chewed up the clock, passing and converting on 3rd down, and getting a FG to go up 2 scores thus ending the game!!!!
        THIS IS A TELL TELL OF AN ELITE QB PLAYING WELL!!!!!!
        any coach without the utmost confidence in his qb would not pass on 3rd down and risk stopping the clock or turning the ball over!!!! argue and complain all you want…….but the proof is right there!

        1. J,
          So let me get this straight, you think JG is an elite QB at this point in his career. Montana was elite, Brady is elite, Marino was elite. Brees and Rodgers are elite and you believe that JG is playing at their level right now. I think he could someday reach that level but he certainly isn’t there yet. I get that you love JG but you are getting ahead of your self just like those who are overly criticizing him. imho

          1. OC, JG is NOT elite at this moment. And i dont think anyone you mentioned was either after 16 starts…..maybe Marino, didnt he go to the SB as a rookie?
            Where my opinion dramatically differs from most here….is that i think JG is on the trajectory to being elite! as i mentioned above, hes a gun slinger! He makes mistakes….but he comes right back and makes plays! hes 14-2 over his first 16 starts of his career!when he went 5-0 his first year here…..he CARRIED us and made mistakes, he wasnt perfect.
            2 major points to make my case for an elite trajectory –
            1- 14-2 in first 16 starts to open a career! not many qb’s can make such a claim! 2 wins came on a really good patriots team….6 came on a really bad 49ers team…..6 more came on an unproven 49ers team, that in turn “proved” us as an elite team.
            2-he does what it takes to win!hell make a mistake…that in turn, puts pressure on him to make plays to secure the victory….. AND HE DOES! weather its passing for a 1st down to extend a drive , running the clock and getting into FG range to go up 2 scores like yesterday, or driving down and passing for a game winning td against the steelers!!!
            Montana had 3 picks in the “catch” game…..but still managed to make plays at the end and win….and thats all anyone remembers!!!

            everyone here is delusional! they think elite qbs NEVER make mistakes…..and thats simply not true! in fact, its laughable!
            Elite qbs make mistakes like everyone else…..they just bounce back and make the plays necessary to win! and thats exactly what JG is doing

            1. Winners play, losers rehab. Case in point, Allen starts over Newton. Allen 4-0/Newton 0-2.

    2. A win is a win is a win. All you Jimmy G doubters just can’t handle the guy just gets the job done.
      In those conditions making the plays he did, that’s a guy making something out of nothing and doing it with a average at best WR core.

    3. Jimmy has some improving to do. The good thing about it there is room in his game to do so. Whether he does remains to be seen. I think he will.

      1. Under its very possible you could say that about every single player. For sure his mechanics and fundamentals are not perfect and sooner or later this year, it will catch up to him.
        Point is he is not a finished product and people expecting him to be are just finding something to be critical about.

        Maybe history has brought this on because in SF, if it’s not the coach it’s the QB and if it’s not either of them then it must be the wind, or the field or the stale hot dog buns.
        I mean anything these fans can find to complain about they will. It’s ridiculous.

    5. Or have Shanahan and Saleh fight at the end of the season ala Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan because they forgot it was a (entire) team effort.

      Or just keep the defense on the field throughout the game to ensure every win.
      It’s about the team, gentlemen. Always has been and always will be.

  25. Jimmy definitely has more upside than Mullen. But is second to Mullen between the ears.

    Grant, I think you are over playing Jimmy’s injured knee in terms of following through on his throws. The truth is, he many times does not follow through on his throws even before the injury.

  26. Really? Good Jimmy vs. Bad Jimmy? Grant, you are above this kind of pedantic writing style. May I remind you that your father is one of the most gifted writers I’ve had the pleasure of reading in my lifetime. You have it in you to more closely emulate him.

    Now to the substance. Please consider that Jimmy hasn’t had a full season as a starter under his belt. He is still getting comfortable in his role, while at the same time learning a very complicated offensive scheme. He may also be dealing with some degree of post trauma relating to his injury. There is no “good” or ‘bad”, there is inexperience and potential. For the time being, please give Jimmy a chance to reach something approaching a ceiling before applying absolutes. Then, by all means, return to your trite assessments.

    2. I, too, appreciated the writing of Lowell, but Grant is a big boy, and needs to blaze his own path.
      .
      However, while I do see a lot of Lowell in Grant’s writing, like daring Pettis, and now JG to prove him wrong, I do see that Grant has his own unique writing style. Some may think it is too edgy and judgmental, but I like the hard hitting prose.
      .
      Take his Good Jimmy/Bad Jimmy assessment. It is like night and day. The Good Jimmy makes me not want Kaep back. The Bad Jimmy makes me want Mullens to play, until the Bad Jimmy is gone.
      .
      Grant makes a cogent and salient observation, and details what is right, and what is wrong. He gets to the heart of the matter. What is good, and what is bad, is exactly what should be talked about.
      .
      Pedantic? More like poignant.

      1. Oh, I get it now. Grant has reduced his analysis to a binary so the “Sebs” of the world can follow along. Thanks for clearing that up.

        1. Yup, that is why you read him, and are forced to comment about him. If you really want to diss him, you should just ignore what he writes, and go to another site. Then, you can spare us from your screeds.
          .
          We will all be happy.

          1. Seb,
            You don’t speak for me in your “all” comment.
            If Grant and others can continue to find fault with JG, NinerAllDayGirl also has every right to find fault in their narrative without having to go to another site.

              1. Screeds fly around here like seagulls use to at the old Candlestick park.
                Nothing new under the sun in these parts.

              2. Seb, you seem traumatized by my comment. Please show us on the doll where my “screed” inappropriately touched you, so we can report it to the proper authorities.

              3. NADG, you are not upsetting me at all.
                .
                Try being a little tougher, and do not whine and cry, if you get a little pushback.

    3. agreed! ppl forget….JG is essentially a 2nd round pick! hes not #1 or 2 overall draft pick who is supposed to be the superstar and the sole reason for success!! That title goes to our D!!!! that line has 5 first rounders!!! that is the muscle, or the engine of this team!
      the D has
      7 first rounders….
      1 2nd rounder…
      2 third rounders….
      1 guy whos already a HoFer (sherm)

      the D is SUPPOSED to be the heart and soul….
      JG is just a 2nd rounder with 1 full season under his belt, 14-2 record and a bum knee…playing with 4th and 5th string OT’s and a sub par, injury depleted wr corps

    2. So if the nitpickers are out in force after 6 wins, imagine the scene around here if the team actually loses a game?
      Grant could start a new show called “Complainers Gone Wild.”

      1. I’m sure the usual suspects that have been reticent to post during this 49ers resurgence, all have their prepared essay’s detailing why it all went wrong when we lose a game….

  28. I actually don’t get why so many ppl don’t think it’s fair to criticize him?? In 6 games, he has 6 int’s, 4 fumbles (lost 1), along with a fair share of dropped int’s… The d is #1 in ypg, #2 in pts, #4 in takeaways, and the run game is #2… Even if Mullens isn’t better, would he be 6-0 too? Hell, w/ those things, CJ might be 6-0.

    We’ve seen QB’s like Alex & Kaep manage teams w/ less to victories. Dilfer, Flacco won Super Bowls this way. Yes, he looked real good for 6 games in 2017. You know who else looked good for 6 games in 2017? Nick Foles.

    Thing is, only Flacco got anything close to 5 yrs, $137.5 million. If this is what they’re getting, then for the cost, I’d rather trade him for at least what they got for Alex, pay Armstead, and use the extra money to sign AJ Green, Tyreek, or Amari. B/c $137.5 mill QB’s w/ the #2 run game don’t put up 7 TD’s to 6 Int’s & 219 pass ypg.

  29. When I became a sports fan in 1965, won-loss records were a very big deal in evaluating pitchers. Now with pitch limits and late inning role pitchers, no one talks about pitcher wins anymore as that stat is considered too dependant on other players.

    And back then in football, no one ever mentioned a QB’s “won lost record .” Nowadays it’s mentioned a lot. Mullen’s W/L record? But he didn’t have Bosa, Ford or Alexander on defense!

    Silly to keep talking about a QB’s W/L record in a sport like football … BUT … it is true that certain QBs have a knack of making the clutch plays that help win games and others seem to make the bonehead plays at just the wrong time to lose the game.

    Looks like Jimmy G is the clutch type.

  30. The Jimmy G interception wasn’t so bad? Rather the ball is intercepted near the goaline, than incomplete and Washington take over the ball with decent field position as it was fourth down. Just a shame they managed to return the interception for decent yards after…

  31. Attempting to grade QB’s in the sort of monsoonal down pour they played in yesterday is kinda silly. One thing you can take away from JG’s play yesterday is he is not a good wet ball QB. Some QB’s excel with a wet ball and others don’t JG falls into the don’t category. That could be a very important fact come Dec and Jan.

  32. Not every win has to be pretty…

    I seem to recall an upstart 6-1 team way back when that the national press ignored…can’t say this team has the same set of future HOF talent (moment of silence/gratitude), but it’s sure going to be entertaining to see how far this team can go.

  33. Lots of fans here upset about the JimmyP criticism…..I think team needs quality WR’s (been saying this for the last few seasons) to accurately assess the QB play………still objectively look at the WR core, its weak at best….

    But yes JimmyP telegraphs a lot of passes and throws into coverage every fkn game, lucky has doesn’t have about 6 more ints…period…….

  34. There is a reason that Bellecheat released Jimmy…..
    Jimmy is an average QB with a great release and some great moments.
    His runs were awesome, his throws were not

    1. By every report, Billy wanted to keep Jimmy and trade Tommy. It was Bobby that overruled Billy, and forced the trade of Jimmy. Jimmy is better than a lot of top 10 quarterbacks, and we got him for a 2nd. He just finished his 16th game in the NFL as a player. He’s still got quite a bit of upside to his game. Stay thirsty, stay hungry, and be virtuous!

  35. Just for the record, I love Grant. I just want him to be the best Grant he can be.

  36. Captain,
    “Mullens > Garapolo.
    I’ve seen almost half a season of Garapolo and I think Nick Mullens is a more effective QB.”

    So, let’s see if I get this right. Hypothetical of course, but if the playoffs started today you want Mullens to replace JG?

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