The San Francisco 49ers may not be a playoff team, but they sure look like one. On Sunday, the 49ers won their fourth consecutive game and fifth of the season. They did so by scoring 44 points against the top-ranked defense in points allowed. Sunday's 44-33 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars was also quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's sixth-straight as a starter.
Against the Jaguars, Garoppolo completed 21 of his 30 pass attempts for 242 yards, two touchdown passes, a rushing touchdown, an interception, and a passer rating of 102.4. It would be tough for anyone to deny that Garoppolo, who was acquired from the New England Patriots on October 30 in exchange for a second-round pick, looks like an elite NFL quarterback and a player the 49ers can build around.
Following Sunday's win, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters about Garoppolo and the rest of the team.
"Jimmy's played great," Shanahan said. "He continued to do that today. I think the guys have gained confidence. I think everyone around him is playing better too. And today, getting that many points, we don't do that without the defense either. Those guys got us the turnovers. I think we had three. I think it was three to one and to do that versus that team, and they scored for us on one, and to get us into scoring position twice, it was huge for them."
The turnovers on defense make Garoppolo's job easier.
"It all came together real nice today," Garoppolo said. "That's what makes a good team, and so we're moving in the right direction right now, and it seems week by week, we just keep getting better."
After the game, Garoppolo was asked if, right now, the 49ers feel like a playoff caliber team.
"We've only won four games (with me at quarterback)," Garoppolo answered. "I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. That was a hell of a team that we just beat, so I think that was a good test for us but next week (against the Los Angeles Rams) is going to be another good one. So, (we want to) finish out the season strong next week."
One 49ers player, running back Carlos Hyde, has already made a big prediction for next season. He believes the 49ers will emerge as the Super Bowl champions and is eager to return to San Francisco next season. Hyde is scheduled to become a free agent.
A 6-10 finish for the 49ers in 2017 and a potential Week 17 win over the NFC West champion Rams is a different picture than what fans may have envisioned earlier in the season when many wondered how the team would win a single game. The young rebuilding 49ers just knocked off the third-seed team in the AFC.