Denver Broncos defenders got their hands on each of Jimmy Garoppolo's first four passes on Monday night. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback threw an interception, nearly threw a second one, and had two passes deflected at the line of scrimmage.
The 49ers beat the Broncos 24-15 but not because of anything Garoppolo did in the game. The quarterback finished the preseason game, his first action in 11 months, having completed 1-of-6 passes for no yards and the interception. It was a performance that will probably be discussed and overanalyzed on Bay Area radio stations and by local and national writers over the coming days.
Saturday cannot get here soon enough. That's when the 49ers play their next preseason game, and it will be Garoppolo's chance to redeem himself.
"[Playing is] something I haven't done in a year, obviously," Garoppolo said after the game. "I've got to knock the rust off and everything. Thankfully, we've got a short week this week so we can bounce back quickly. It's the first step of getting back into it."
Garoppolo thinks he knew what went wrong during those first four throws, but he hadn't had an opportunity yet to review the film. He'll do that on his own and then again with his head coach, Kyle Shanahan, so the two can get on the same page and learn from the mistakes.
Garoppolo was asked what he hopes to accomplish in his next outing — Saturday's preseason game at Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"Just kind of get into a groove offensively," Garoppolo responded. "As an offense, once you get that first first down, you kind of start rolling and everything, and I think we only got one of those tonight. Once you get into a groove like that, as an offense, it's a good feeling. So hopefully, we'll get to play a little more this Saturday, and we'll take it from there."
Fans hope Garoppolo just finishes the game at Arrowhead, the scene of last season's devastating ACL injury, injury-free. Much of the upcoming season depends on his health — assuming he plays better than he did on Monday night.
