Jimmy Garoppolo has shouldered a lot of offseason criticism for his late-game performance in Super Bowl LIV. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback had an opportunity to potentially seal the win when Emmanuel Sanders broke free and sprinted toward the end zone. Garoppolo's pass, however, traveled just out of reach.
Garoppolo had a chance to become the game's MVP until that throw. The Kansas City Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl LIV. Now, the 49ers work to improve enough to return to the big game and, this time, win it. Of course, they have to do so during an abnormal offseason where that work must be conducted virtually due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Analyst Daniel Jeremiah spoke with his Move the Sticks co-host, Bucky Brooks, on NFL Network Thursday, and the two discussed what San Francisco needs to do to take that next step.
Jeremiah's answer was simple. The team needs to find a way to finish. More specifically, Garoppolo needs to find a way to finish, and Jeremiah used the missed connection with Sanders as an example of that inability to do so.
"This team just has to finish," Jeremiah told Brooks. "When I talk about finishing, to me, Jimmy Garoppolo has just got to be a little bit better. I know they didn't really rely on him in the NFC Championship Game, but this throw (to Sanders), you've got to make that throw in the Super Bowl. That's a touchdown there to Emmanuel Sanders. He's got to find a way to make those plays.
"You need a little bit better from Jimmy Garoppolo because you're going to be able to use your defense and control a lot of games. They did it throughout the regular season and the majority of the postseason, but those key games, those championship games to put a ring on your finger, there's three or four throws your quarterback has to make, and Bucky, Jimmy Garoppolo didn't make the throw in that game."
Brooks feels this offseason will require a lot of soul searching for head coach Kyle Shanahan, who lost his second Super Bowl in four years after holding onto a lead late in each game. The first came in 2017 as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons.
"No, [Garoppolo] didn't make those throws," Brooks added. "But I think, for both guys, Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan, this will be a display of grit and mental toughness as they go forward."