John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
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."
Jimmy Garoppolo could become a top-10 NFL quarterback. That's what Max Kellerman of ESPN's First Take believes. To do so, he'll still need to prove himself in the playoffs. Garoppolo has shown himself to be a clutch passer during the regular season. His playoff-game performances earlier this year, however, have fueled the criticism from his doubters.
The Philadelphia Eagles have a franchise quarterback by the name of Carson Wentz, a 27-year-old signal-caller who many believe to be a rising star in the league. If Kellerman were to rank NFL quarterbacks right now, he might have to put Garoppolo ahead of Wentz.
That caused a bit of a heated
Levin T. Black is an unsung podcast hero. Carefully striking a balance between obsessed analytics nerd and the wise elder statesman at the bar. His insights, humor, and wit are one-third of the very best 49ers podcast out there — the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle Podcast" (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google PlayMusic). I don't say this because I write for the Webzone myself. Long before I volunteered to write here, I would search for a good 49ers podcasts to listen to. It would take quite some time before I found the No Huddle Podcast. At that time, Levin T. Black was yet to join the crew, but it didn't take long to get hooked by host Zain Naqvi's commentary on the best franchise in sports.
When Levin T. Black joined the
The Aaron Rodgers to San Francisco 49ers talk is starting early. Maybe nearly a year early.
First, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explored the idea of the future Hall of Famer joining his hometown team and the organization that passed him up in 2005 for Alex Smith. Now, ESPN's First Take is joining the discussion.
Rodgers' days in Green Bay may be numbered after the team selected Jordan Love in the first round of April's draft. After enduring over a month of discussion earlier this offseason surrounding Tom Brady potentially replacing Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco, it seems like fans might have to put up with talk about the next possible Garoppolo replacement.
That's what analyst Domonique Foxworth, along with ESPN personality Stephen
