The only direction Jimmy Garoppolo can go is up.

Making his preseason debut on Monday night against the Broncos, the 49ers quarterback posted a 0.0 passer rating after going 1-for-6 with zero yards and an interception. It was Garoppolo’s first game action since tearing his ACL last fall.

“Obviously a little frustrated, but it’s the NFL,” the signal-caller said, according to NBC Sports Bay Area. “Unfortunately, we don’t get to play the whole game right now, so I only get so many plays. You wish you could be out there for more so we could bounce back. But it is what it is. It’s preseason right now, so we just have to take it in stride.”

With the 49ers set to face the Chiefs on Saturday, coach Kyle Shanahan believes the more Garoppolo hits the field, the more he will improve.

“He’s had a year off football, and before that he only played about eight games total. The more he can play, the better. I wish we could have kept him out there longer today, but you risk everyone else too, so I had to get those guys out of there,” Shanahan said.

The poor game performance comes after a practice last week in which Tom Brady’s former backup was intercepted on five consecutive throws.

Garoppolo hopes he can shake off the rust and get in sync with his offensive line.

“As the offense, once we got that first down, you kind of start rolling. I think we only got one of those tonight. Once you get in a groove like that as an offensive, it’s a good feeling. Hopefully, we’ll play a little more of the same thing,” he said.

The 49ers open the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Sept. 8.