Tag: San Francisco 49ers

49ers Win Second Straight 26-16 For First Time Since 2014; Jimmy G Compiles 334 Yards

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Houston Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing (56) reaches up to sack San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

By: Joe Lami

San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, is starting his career with the Niners with a 2-0 record after the team beat the Houston Texans 26-16 on Sunday.

Garopollo is beginning to get the Niners rolling, as they’ve won back-to-back games for the first time November 23, 2014, where the Red and Gold strung off three straight victories.

Garopollo stepped up his play against the Texans, improving on his output that beat the Bears. He finished with 334 yards, one touchdown and one interception for a rating of 92.2 in the victory.

Garopollo’s lone touchdown came at a pivotal time in the third quarter with the game tied at 16, as he found Garrett Celek from six-yards out.

San Francisco’s other touchdown gave them a 10-3 lead in the second quarter as Carlos Hyde hammered it in from the two-yard-line.

Both of San Francisco’s scores were set up by big plays. Before Hyde’s touchdown, Garopollo kept firing it to Kyle Juszczyk, who gained his longest receptions of the season of 29 and 31 yards at the time.

Celek helped set up his own touchdown as he caught a ball for 61 yards, bringing it down to the red zone. He finished the day with 67 yards, but he didn’t lead the team.

Marquise Goodwin is beginning to gain chemistry with Garopollo as the speedy track star was able to catch for 107 yards, leading the way for the Niners.

San Francisco’s ground game was once again split between Hyde and Matt Breida. Hyde carried the ball 14 times for 78 yards, while Breida had 12 carries for 27 yards.

For the second game in a row, San Francisco’s defense was the brightest spot, doing a great getting off the field on third down, holding the Texans to 23% conversion while also recovering one fumble.

The front-seven were able to get to the quarterback position all day, totaling seven QB hits and putting Tom Savage in the concussion protocol after his hands were seen shaking in the second quarter.

Savage wasn’t doing all that well anyway, with six passes for 63 yards. His replacement, T.J. Yates, threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense once again showed up to play, and for the second time in a row, their offense matched them to get the win.

The climate is changing in Santa Clara after the Niners have three wins in their last four games. Things are turning around and the Red and Gold Faithful are beginning to notice. It’s not inconceivable for the Niners to get on a roll. They hope to show off the new found confidence to the faithful when they host the Tennessee Titans.

Niners look to build momentum with new QB Jimmy Garoppolo

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San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garoppolo (10) drops back for a pass during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Chicago, IL (Terrell Lloyd via AP Images)

By Jeremy Harness

It took quite a long time, but things appear to be looking up for the 49ers as the final month of the season commences.

In his first start with his new team, even though he did not throw a touchdown pass, Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers to a final-seconds win over the Chicago Bears. It was only the second win of the year for the 49ers, but it was a special one for kicker Robbie Gould, who spent his entire career with the Bears, and he was the one who kicked the game-winning field goal.

Now the team will try to build on those positive vibes – and they have been few and far in between this year – on the road against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

One thing that is good for the team is this: The 49ers appear to be in pretty good shape in terms of the injury report. Tackle Trent Brown could not practice last week, but he was upgraded to limited on Wednesday with a shoulder that is on the mend, and safety Adrian Colbert also practiced on Wednesday while nursing a thumb injury.

The 49ers’ defense, however, will have a huge challenge on their hands when the Texans are on the field. Opposite star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Houston is expected to get Will Fuller back to the active roster.

He was limited in practice on Wednesday with a rib injury, but coach Bill O’Brien was reportedly optimistic that Fuller will be able to play against the 49ers.

Jimmy Garoppolo is Difference Maker in 49ers’ 15-14 Victory over Bears

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San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) looks for an open man against the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017. (Mark Black/Daily Herald via AP)

By: Joe Lami

It came down to the last play of the game, but Jimmy Garoppolo’s debut start for the San Francisco 49ers was victorious as the hapless team defeated the Chicago Bears 15-14 on Sunday afternoon.

“I thought it was a real good first start. He handled the offense well. [He] definitely moved the chains and the ball for us. It’ll be fun to get back and watch the tape and be able to coach him through what he did good and did bad,” said coach Kyle Shanahan.

Robbie Gould’s return to Chicago was perfect, as he nailed five field goals all within 35 yards in the victory.

Although the 49ers didn’t get into the end zone, Garoppolo was the difference as he was able to get San Francisco’s offense moving, throwing the ball down the field and reaching the red zone five times. He finished the day 26-of-37 for 293 yards and one interception, which had a completion stolen out of the hands from Louis Murphy Jr.

This season, San Francisco had five losses all decided by three points or less, but the difference on Sunday was Garoppolo and his ability to move the offense.

The biggest difference Garoppolo made came on third down, as the 49ers’ nearly doubled their efficiency with him on the field, converting 58% of their third downs.

Most impressively, he led the 49ers on their drive, going 86 yards on 14 plays in the last 5:23, setting up Gould’s 24-yard game-winning field goal.

The Bears’ offense was held to only one touchdown and 147 net yards as the 49ers’ defense showed up to play. Chicago’s first touchdown came out of the hands of rookie quarterback, Mitch Trubisky, who finished the day throwing just 102 yards.

Their second score came on special teams when Tarik Cohen returned a 62-yard punt return to the house.

The 49ers’ earn Shanahan’s second career win and up their record to 2-10 as Garoppolo makes this team look a lot better down the stretch of the season with four games to go.

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with Joe Lami: Garoppolo gets ready for Chicago this weekend; Shanahan says he looks ready in practice

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Photo credit: @insidethe49

On the 49ers podcast with Joe Lami:

1 The talk about when the 49ers’ Jimmy Garopollo will get in ends this Sunday in Chicago when Garoppolo gets his first start of the season is highly anticipated.

2 Garoppolo came in the closing moments last Sunday to throw a touchdown after quarterback C.J. Beathard left due to an injury.

3 Garoppolo has been practicing with the team. Head coach Kyle Shanahan says Garoppolo looks game ready since joining the team almost four weeks ago.

4 Garoppolo will throw against the Bears’ defense if he can get enough time in protection. He could do some damage.

5 So it’s Garoppolo and the 49ers in Chicago this Sunday. Joe tells us who he likes in this one.

Joe Lami does the 49ers podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

49ers report: It’s Jimmy Garoppolo time in San Francisco

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Photo credit: @49ersHub

By Jeremy Harness

49er fans have been eager to see this moment from the day the team traded for him, but now that moment has come.

On Sunday, the 49ers will see quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo under center, making his first start for his new team, one month after the team acquired him in a trade with the New England Patriots.

The 49ers would have wanted to ease Garoppolo into the starting spot, but he was forced into action late in last Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, when starter C.J Beathard injured his knee in the final minute of the game.

It didn’t take him long to throw for his first touchdown in a 49er uniform, as he accomplished that on the last play of the game, albeit in a losing effort. For that reason, the defeat did not silence the excitement for the new quarterback, as the score was seen as a sign of many things to come.

The 49ers will see more of that this Sunday, as they head to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears, a team that Garoppolo, who grew up in the Chicago area, rooted for as a kid.

“I’m just trying to take it one game at a time right now,” Garoppolo said. “There’s a lot of football left in this season. We’re trying to make the best of it, but we’ve got to take it one week at a time.

“If we start looking too far ahead, we’ll get ahead of ourselves. “(But) I think we’re in the right mindset going into this one.”

The New Era Arrives in San Francisco, But 49ers Fall To Seahawks 24-13

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) throws against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

By: Joe Lami

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The moment the 49er Faithful have been waiting for. The emergence of Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco’s future made his debut in the Red and Gold with just 1:11 left in Sunday’s 24-13 loss to Seattle on Sunday.

Coming in for just three plays, Garoppolo made a difference immediately, creating tons of excitement in Santa Clara. On his first play, a third-and-five, he scrambled out to his right for four yards before sliding, commenting post game that he thought he slid after the marker.

On his second play, Garoppolo picked up a fourth-down conversion once again escaping the pocket before finding Aldrick Robinson for eight yards and a first-down.

Garoppolo’s most impressive play came on the final play of the game. With just two seconds left, Garoppolo was once again able to escape pressure and fire a ball into the endzone, finding Louis Murphy for San Francisco’s only touchdown of the game.

In the minute of action, Garoppolo proved he’s everything that the Niners expect out of him. With all of his roll-outs, he immediately reminds me of Ben Roethlisberger or Aaron Rogers. His escapability and ability to keep his eyes downfield make the future in Santa Clara very exciting. With this brief glimpse of hope, it’s hard to envision Kyle Shanahan and the Niners going back to C.J. Beathard next week against Chicago.

While the Faithful have a reason to be excited about the potential of their new quarterback, the few that remained on Sunday were classless cheering once C.J. Beathard went down. It was the loudest ovation at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday and safety, Eric Reid noticed it. Commenting post-game, Reid’s pissed off at the fans for the action. He understands the excitement, but a guy just got hurt and you’re cheering.

After a dreadful first half, the Seattle Seahawks poured it on in the second half during a rainy Sunday afternoon victory over the San Francisco 49ers 24-13.

Both teams struggled in the first half, especially through the air. Russell Wilson passed for 26 yards on 19 attempts for a 32.8 rating. Unfortunately for San Francisco, Beathard wasn’t able to take advantage as he threw 10-of-20 for 109 yards and a 45.6 rating.

Each team threw a pick in the first half, but it was San Francisco’s that was costly, as Bobby Wagner picked the ball off at the 49ers’ 16-yard line. Wilson used the great field position to run in the score from two yards out.

The kicking game proved important for San Francisco in the first, as Robbie Gould nailed a field goal from 38 yards to bring the score to 7-3 at the end of two quarters.

San Francisco was completely outclassed by Seattle, as the Legion of b=Boom started to make their mark in the contest, most importantly by getting to Beathard a total of 13 times with the last one taking him out of the game.

San Francisco finished with 280 total net yards, as Beathard threw for 201 with one interception. Carlos Hyde ran the ball for 47 yards on 16 attempts as the offensive line struggled to open holes up for him.

Wilson caught fire in the second half, throwing two touchdowns to his tight ends, Nick Vannett and Jimmy Graham, finishing with 228 yards and an 86.4 rating. He also ran the ball seven times for 25 yards and showed great escapability as the 49ers’ front seven were shutout in sacks.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s shining moment with the 49ers will need to wait

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Photo credit: Yahoo Sports

By Jeremy Harness

The way C.J Beathard played a week and a half ago in getting the 49ers their first win of the season, it was expected that he bought himself more time under center.

That notion proved to be correct, as the 49ers named Beathard the starter for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. That means the quarterback the team traded for, Jimmy Garoppolo, will have another week to absorb the team’s playbook and wait his turn to get his reps.

Although the 49ers currently have 18 players on the injured-reserve list, they have gotten a few players more healthy than was the case before the bye week.

For example, receiver and kick returner Trent Taylor was limited in practice on Wednesday with an injury suffered to his ribs. Tight end George Kittle has been nursing an ankle injury, but he was able to make it to the practice field as well.

The secondary, however, continues to be ravaged by injuries. With Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt lost for the season on injured reserve with assorted injuries, rookie safety Adrian Colbert, whom the team expects to blossom into a star in the coming seasons, did not practice on Wednesday due a thumb injury, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the he is likely out for Sunday’s game.

Another rookie, defensive end Solomon Thomas did not play in the 49ers’ win over the New York Giants and was limited in practice Wednesday. However, Shanahan said that he expects him to play against the Seahawks.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, has suffered its share of injuries as well. While star cornerback Richard Sherman has been lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, another corner is likely out Sunday as well. Shaquill Griffin, a rookie, exited Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with a concussion, and he is currently going through concussion protocol.

In the meantime, Byron Maxwell, who was in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning team four years ago, was signed last week to add depth to the position, and is expected to assume the starting role for now. He reportedly took 95 percent of the snaps Wednesday.

It may not be Garoppolo’s time yet

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New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garappolo (10) passes during an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Az. The Patriots won the game, 23-21. (Greg Trott via AP)

By Jeremy Harness

When the 49ers traded for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, it was almost an accepted fact that he would assume the signal-calling duties upon the team’s returning from its bye week.

It may be time to pump the brakes on that talk, at least for one more week.

The 49ers got their first win of the season last Sunday in a 31-21 victory over the New York Giants, and have two full weeks to savor it before getting back on the field. Following the bye week, the 49ers will face the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 26.

C.J Beathard, the team’s current starter, made a serious case for himself against the Giants, completing 19 of his 25 passes for 288 yards and a pair of touchdowns, which was good for a passer rating of 123.4.

With that said, the next six games should serve as an evaluation process for both Beathard and Garoppolo, for the team to see who should be their quarterback of the future.

John Lynch, the team’s general manager, recently said that the 49ers “don’t need him right now,” referring to Garoppolo, which means that it is expected that the rookie Beathard will be the starter when the Seahawks visit Levi’s Stadium the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

However, it is also expected that Garoppolo, who will have had a few weeks to digest the team’s playbook, will have plenty of opportunities to get on the field to show the 49ers if he can be the guy.

Decimated 49ers hope to get win before bye

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Photo credit: @49ers

By Jeremy Harness

Things only seem to get worse for the 49ers with each passing week.

At what is now the start of the rebuilding process under first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan as well as fellow rookie general manager John Lynch, the losses were expected to happen. But it seemed reasonable that the team would finish the season somewhat healthy.

That has not happened, not by a longshot.

As the losses continue to pile up for the 49ers, so do the season-ending injuries. Joining a list of players who are out for the rest of the year are safety Jaquiski Tartt, who suffered a broken forearm in last Sunday’s loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals, as well as receiver Pierre Garcon.

The 49ers currently have 18 players who are currently on IR, and some of the other notables on this list right now are defensive ends Arik Armstead and Tank Carradine as well as linebacker Malcolm Smith, who was lost for the season with a pectoral injury back in training camp.

If there is any good news to come out of team headquarters, it’s that tackle Joe Staley returned to practice Wednesday. The 49ers will need all the bodies they can get this week, as they face the mightily-struggling New York Giants on Sunday.

Furthermore, linebacker Reuben Foster was a full participant in practice after being limited for the past several weeks, meaning that he is getting much closer to full strength. Meanehile, fullback Kyle Juszczyk was limited in practice Wednesday while nursing a neck injury while tight end George Kittle did not practice at all with his ankle injury and is not expected to play Sunday.

Meanwhile, for the 1-7 Giants, there has been some significant injury issues, as star receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. was lost for the season early on in the year, and they have struggled to find a rhythm ever since.

This may be the best chance for the 49ers to get a win, and after this game, they will go into their bye week before facing the Seattle Seahawks at home. They will then take on the Chicago Bears, Houston Texas, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams to close out the season.

49ers’ Still Seek First Win 20-10 loss to Arizona; Drop to 0-9

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks at news conference after an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By: Joe Lami

SANTA CLARA, Calif — 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan will have to wait at least another week before his first National Football League win. His best chance of the season came on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona came in off their bye week and had their way with the 49ers, winning 20-10. Drew Stanton started at quarterback for Arizona after Carson Palmer broke his arm in week seven. The extra week for Stanton seemed to be just enough, as he finished 15 of 30 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw one interception.

The Cardinals leaned heavily on Adrian Peterson, who had his best game yet since going to the desert, running for 159 yards on a career-high 37 carries.

Arizona won the game with their defensive line, as the 49ers were completely shut down offensively. The banged-up front for the Niners came back to haunt them, as C.J. Beathard was unable to do anything, getting hit a total of 16 times, including five sacks.

Even, Arizona coach, Bruce Arians was impressed by Beathard’s toughness, “that was a beat-up offensive line and God bless him. He’s tough as nails and stood in there and threw the ball because we hit him a bunch.”

When Beathard was able to throw the ball, he was inconsistent and inaccurate, completing 26 of 51 passes for 294 yards and an interception. However, he was the only 49er to find the end zone, as he used his feet to slam it in from one-yard on a read-option play in the third quarter.

The San Francisco defense kept them in the game but unfortunately, the stagnant Niners offense couldn’t do anything.

Eric Reid made a great play late in the second quarter intercepting a pass in the end zone that would have put Arizona up 21-3 before the half, but the offense stalled out after a false start penalty and a couple of incompletions.

Penalties continue to be a reoccurring issue with San Francisco, as they continue to commit penalties. On Sunday, they committed eight penalties for 53 yards, bringing their season total to 76 penalties for 516 yards.

49ers’ wide receiver, Marquise Goodwin, recognizes the problem, “it’s the same thing every week. It’s the same story. We just have to get better from that. They didn’t go out there and beat our heads in. We did it to ourselves each week.”

The difference between winning and losing usually comes in the form of penalties and with the Niners being towards the bottom of the league, it’s something the coaching staff needs to find a way to fix. After all, they are 0-9 and haven’t won a game at home since September 12th, 2016.