It\u2019s not time to freak out, Niner fans \u2014 at least not yet.<\/p>\n
San Francisco 49ers franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo<\/a> certainly didn\u2019t look the part during his first game action since his knee injury in Week 3 of the 2018 NFL regular season. Garoppolo led the Niners on three short drives against the Denver Broncos in Monday\u2019s preseason matchup, finishing with a stat line of one completion for zero yards and an interception on six pass attempts \u2014 good for a \u201cperfect\u201d quarterback rating of zero.<\/p>\n But when reviewing the game film, it is quickly apparent Garoppolo wasn\u2019t as bad as it first appeared. While we didn\u2019t see Jimmy G, circa 2017 on Monday Night Football, we also didn\u2019t observe a performance so poor that it warrants a quarterback controversy<\/a> in San Francisco. Garoppolo didn\u2019t exude confidence in the pocket, and he definitely appeared to be averse to contact, which is understandable given his surgically repaired knee and the pass-rushing prowess of Denver\u2019s edge defenders.<\/p>\n However, the primary reason Garoppolo gets a pass for his poor preseason outing is the status of his interior offensive line, which is absent two returning starters: center Weston Richburg<\/a> and right guard Michael Person<\/a>. When asked about playing behind<\/a> his makeshift line, Garoppolo responded, \u201cI think those guys did a pretty good job up front. For the most part, it was a clean pocket. I only got hit like once maybe. For the most part, it was pretty good up front. I just personally have to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n It was the right response from a starting quarterback and leader of the team, but only the final portion of his response was accurate. The 49ers\u2019 two replacement linemen \u2014 2018 undrafted free-agent Najee Toran, and particularly journeyman guard-turned-center Ben Garland<\/a> \u2014 and their related communication failures were responsible for Garoppolo\u2019s horrid statistical output. Toran is young and has much to learn, and Garland is inexperienced at his new position<\/a> after logging a total of 25 snaps at center<\/a> since he joined the NFL in 2010 as a defensive lineman. So\u00a0while both players could prove to be valuable depth pieces this season, Garoppolo will have a difficult time flourishing behind the inexperienced tandem \u2014 and particularly with Garland under center.<\/p>\n Garoppolo\u2019s first pass attempt of the game comes on the 49ers\u2019 third offensive play. After a pair of successful rushing attempts by Tevin Coleman<\/a>, San Francisco faces a second-and-6 with the team nearing midfield. The 49ers line up in base personnel against the Broncos\u2019 base 3-4 defensive front. After motioning Coleman out of the backfield, San Francisco has two wide receivers on the boundary side of the field and two running backs wide to the field side, along with an in-line tight end.<\/p>\n The Broncos are in one of head coach Vic Fangio\u2019s split-field coverages, however, by pairing the wideouts on the short side of the field, the 49ers have an advantageous matchup between wide receiver Dante Pettis<\/a> and EDGE Von Miller<\/a>. Denver rushes four, with EDGE Bradley Chubb<\/a> stunting up the middle, as nose tackle Shelby Harris<\/a> quickly gives up after being double-teamed by Garland and Toran, who then allow the NT to disengage and watch Garoppolo\u2019s eyes in an attempt to knock down any attempted pass. Toran\u00a0looks to his right searching for work, while Garland steps away from Harris but is oblivious of Chubb running right past him toward the quarterback.\u00a0Pettis wins quickly off the line and is wide open on the slant route. Due to the pending pressure, Garoppolo is forced to fire the ball over Harris\u2019 head to his receiver, who has nothing but green grass in front of him. However, Harris, who has remained disengaged from any of the 49ers\u2019 lineman, is free to simply jump up and swat down the pass attempt, ending San Francisco\u2019s opportunity for a big gain.<\/p>\n If Toran kept attacking his man, or if Garland either stuck with Harris or helped on the stunt \u2014 essentially anything other than standing there and doing nothing \u2014 Pettis would have been off to the races on Garoppolo\u2019s first pass attempt of the preseason, and the pundits would have been singing a different tune on Tuesday morning:<\/p>\nGaroppolo\u2019s First Pass Attempt<\/h3>\n