Jimmy Garoppolo’s shoulder may be sore on Monday, but not because he was throwing the ball. Perhaps the sheer volume at which he handed the ball off to a streaking running back will leave his right shoulder achy.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback was just 6 of 8 for 77 yards in his team’s 37-20 win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night. It was an even more underwhelming game than his performance in the NFC divisional round, when he was 11 of 19 for 131 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Minnesota Vikings. But Garoppolo’s ability to pass the ball didn’t much matter in either game. The 49ers’ rushing attack was preposterously dominant.
Raheem Mostert took 29 of the team’s 41 carries with 220 of the team’s 287 rushing yards and all four of the team’s rushing touchdowns.
Maybe Garoppolo didn’t throw the ball. But why throw when there’s no need? The quarterback will enter Super Bowl LIV with fewer total postseason passes than his opponent, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, had in each of his performances this postseason.
Still, NFL fans roasted Garoppolo for his quiet night.
Surely, Garoppolo doesn’t mind the criticism and doesn’t mind taking a backseat to the rushing offense. He’ll be happy to do it again, if it means a win over the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
