San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw three interceptions during a mid-week practice. It provided a flashback to a training camp practice from a year ago, during which he didn't just throw five picks, but he did so on consecutive plays.
The national media ate that up, breaking down and overanalyzing what that meant.
Of course, it was just a practice. This past week's three-pick outing didn't garner nearly as much attention—thank goodness. Still, it's not what the 49ers quarterback strives to accomplish. He, like his head coach, is continually pushing for perfection, even if that goal is sometimes unrealistic.
The good news is that, unlike last year, Garoppolo responded well to those interceptions, completing four of his final six passes from the practice session and hitting Kendrick Bourne, Trent Taylor, and Dante Pettis for touchdowns.
Garoppolo, on Friday, was asked about the three picks from the practice two days earlier. While his concern level was low, he acknowledged that type of performance—even during a practice—isn't something you desire.
"You never want to do that. That's a starting point," Garoppolo said. "Any interception, it's a bad interception. But in training camp, it's a little different. You're mixing and matching guys. You're working with guys who you haven't worked with before. So, you want to take some chances, see what guys can do, see what I could do.
"There's a ton of variables that go into it, but if it was a real game, I'd feel a little differently about it. Those interceptions in practice, you never want them to happen, but sometimes, they're a good learning experience."