49ers Hate Is A Real Thing

I think we can all agree the 49ers have not played the cream of the crop in 2019. They have not faced the upper echelon of the NFL. Afterall the Buccaneers, the Bengals, and the Steelers have a combined record of 1-8. But let’s put something into perspective for a moment.

When you’re eating potato chips and get to the bottom of the bag and there is only crumbs and grease, that would be a proper way of explaining the 2018 Cardinals. In week 5 of last season, the 49ers turned the ball over five times and lost to the greasy crumbs.

Jimmy Garoppolo System Quarterback?

If any 49ers team over the past four years playing against the Steelers and turned the ball over five times, they would have all lost. This team has improved and has become more resilient than in the past. However, despite being 3-0 there are “fans” that still want to tear this team down. I have seen twitter ask, yeah but how difficult were any of Garoppolo’s throws since joining the 49ers. He is only successful because of Kyle Shanahan’s scheme.

When did scheme become a four-letter word? No matter what the game plan is, you still must go out and execute. And that is what Garoppolo has done these past three weeks. And in all reality, this is what every good play caller does. They create plays that will give their team the best chance to succeed. But the players still must go out and execute that game plan.

I don’t care if Garoppolo will be nothing more than a system quarterback in Shanahan’s offensive scheme. As long as he goes out there and wins, that is all that matters. Here is a little bit of shade thrown on Garoppolo by a 49ers beat writer.

If you watch this is a play-action pass. They fake the handoff to the running back bringing the linebackers forward. Marquise Goodwin runs a post route to help open the middle of the field, George Kittle is wide open in the middle of the field. We hear about quarterbacks going through their progressions. When one is open they make the throw. This looks like a play to scheme, four-letter word, Kittle wide open in the middle of the field, it worked.

I am willing to bet Kittle was number one in Garoppolo's progressions, he was open, Garoppolo made the throw. Why throw shade on Garoppolo doing exactly what Shanahan had scripted because it looked like Goodwin became wide open. I also see the safety moving towards Goodwin for a possibly double-team. Should Garoppolo had thrown towards Goodwin, it may not have been a completion.

I was very impressed with Garoppolo this past Sunday than any other game I have seen him in. They turned the ball over five times, the Steelers pass rush was relentless and hit Garppolo eight times. And yet he stood in the packet and made the throws when he needs to. He evaded a few possible sacks that would have led to negative plays. He could have run around scared because of the pass rush by the Steelers and after all the hits, but he didn't. And that is one of the reasons why they are undefeated right now. Now, how about the defensive side of the ball.

Defense Hasn't been Tested?

When the 49ers played the Steelers and Mason Rudolph dropped back to pass 27 times, he was pressured 22 times. That means only five times did he not have someone in his face. Remember when we said the 49ers turned the ball over five times, the Steelers got six points out of those turnovers, just six. The offense may have turned the ball over five times, but the defense got two of those back with their own turnovers. Including one with a little over five minutes left to go in the game that led to the go-ahead touchdown. The 49ers were actually down by three points and could have lost if not for that forced fumble by the defense.

Would we be telling a different story is Ben Roethlisberger had been in the lineup, maybe? But he wasn’t, and Rudolph was, and the 49ers were in his face all game long. And yet “fans” want to talk about the lack of stats from the defense. Here’s what Daniel Jeremiah had to say about Nick Bosa who only managed one tackle and one quarterback hit.

Let us take a look at some of Bosa’s work against the Steelers. Here is the rookie defensive end number 97 versus the Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, the two-time pro bowler in 2017 and 2018.

You’re not always going to get to the quarterback but applying pressure and making him feel uncomfortable in the packet will eventually produce results. Last season the 49ers did not have a legitimate pass rush and quarterbacks were standing in the pocket and baking a cake before they threw the ball.

Again, the 49ers haven’t been tested with the best of the best yet. But teams of old would be 1-2 or worse yet 0-3 right now. Instead, they are 3-0 and beating teams they should be beating. They are overcoming their own mistakes and becoming a better team before out very eyes. How about you just enjoy the ride that is the 2019 49ers and you never know, you may get to root for them in January.

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