Dolphins 43 - 49ers 17: Distrust
Is this the beginning of the end? OL plays garbage. CB plays garbage. QB plays garbage.
(Santa Clara) - That was ugly. That was the worst performance ever under a Kyle Shanahan-led 49ers team. And that, was a disappointment of epic proportions. But that’s also 2 straight weeks of disappointment.
Let’s first review one thing. Jimmy Garoppolo had his worst game. Ever. Jimmy Garoppolo threw 17 passes, completed just 7 of them, for just 77 yards. And oh, 2 interceptions and a fumble.
In one half.
For the hype surrounding this offense (“Oh, we are fully healthy again”) - why was he so bad? Injury? If so, is that not on Shanahan for playing him? But we can’t blame Shanahan for the loss either. Simply put, the 49ers lost this game because the offense did not do their job. The defense gave up 43 points but also had no favors done by their offense, no breaks, nothing. The offense was almost fully healthy, and yet everyone played terrible outside of Raheem Mostert.
You can make excuses for Jimmy all day. Miami’s defense is terrible. And he managed to put up, what, 7 points against that bad of a defense with his team fully healthy? This is both on Shanahan and Jimmy.
And it also shows, the criticisms of Shanahan? Are not invalid. He sticks to the game plan like it will always work, and it’s shooting the team in the foot by not making adjustments. Brian Allen was getting burned for nearly 2 quarters and yet you only play Witherspoon after you give up 30 points?! Before you say, oh, that’s Saleh’s job. Saleh is the DC. Shanahan is the HC. Shanahan is the authority. He needs to make tough decisions and instead he waits for someone else to do it for him.
The few bright spots were Raheem Mostert, Jason Verrett, and Kwon Alexander. All three continued their strong stretch of play, especially Verrett, who seldom gave up any big plays in a game chock-full of them. And of course, no major injuries known at this time.
Deebo Samuel was non-existent with 22 total yards. George Kittle, the best TE in the league, had just 44 yards and was beat in the run game multiple times. Kendrick Bourne had multiple drops, and Brandon Aiyuk should have got much more usage but did not. Every 49ers DB not named Jason Verrett was burned at least once, as Ryan Fitzpatrick was a terror all game.
Yes, there were injuries. Simply put, that is not an excuse against a bad team like Miami. And even if those players were healthy, do they make up a 26 point gap? I don’t know. The real question remains: even with Sherman, Reed, and more, can the 49ers even compete with the Rams next week? Or the Seahawks or Packers in the future? Saints or Bills? There are maybe two winnable games for sure on the rest of the schedule - Washington and Dallas. And both are not pushovers. Simply put, Jimmy Garoppolo needs to put up, or he’s gone. He has a miniscule cap hit next year. If Shanahan does not feel he’s the answer, he is gone. Because when a QB throws for just 94 yards in a half, and still outplays you, there’s a problem. A big problem.
If a QB needs to play one of the two worst teams in the league (Giants and Jets), or have his entire offense and defense fully healthy? Just to win a game? He is not a franchise QB. Judgement time is fast approaching on Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan said, we took him out to protect him from hits on his ankle. If so, is that not an indictment on Shanahan’s judgement to play him in the first place? Garoppolo needs to play well against the Rams, or this is the beginning of the end.
Hangover. How about “distrust”? Because when this is happening:
QB does not trust OL
QB does not trust WRs
QB does not trust coach
QB does not trust himself or his body
coach does not trust QB
It is a recipe for disaster. Rushing Jimmy back destroys his confidence. This is a complete lose-lose scenario, in the worst way.
This tweet sums it up:
Score Summary:
1st Quarter:
10:45 - Ryan Fitzpatrick finds Adam Shaheen for 4 yard TD. Extra point is good. 7-0
4:14 - Myles Gaskin rushes for a 1 yard TD. Extra point is good.
14-0
2nd Quarter:
12:10 - Kyle Juszczyk rushes for a 7 yard TD. Extra point is good.
14-7, Dolphins7:35 - Ryan Fitzpatrick finds Devante Parker for 22 yard TD. Extra point is good.
21-7, Dolphins2:38 - Jason Sanders 26 yard FG is good.
24-7, Dolphins0:38 - Jason Sanders 50 yard FG is good.
27-7, Dolphins0:00 - Jason Sanders 29 yard FG is good.
30-7, Dolphins
3rd Quarter:
Jimmy Garoppolo has been benched. CJ Beathard takes over.
8:07 - CJ Beathard finds Kendrick Bourne for 19 yard TD. Extra point is good.
30-14, Dolphins4:42 - Ryan Fitzpatrick finds Preston Williams for 32 yard TD. Extra point is good.
37-14, MIA0:46 - Robbie Gould 37 yard FG is good.
37-17, MIA
4th Quarter:
8:40 - Jason Sanders 31 yard FG is good.
40-17, MIA5:52 - Jason Sanders 49 yard FG is good.
43-17, MIA
This article will be updated as info comes out.
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It was a disaster in every way, and while Jimmy of course played like garbage, I don't see how any skill position player can be fairly evaluated behind what has become the worst offensive line in football. If Trent Williams, Laken Tomlinson and Mike McGlinchey were ACTIVELY TRYING to get their QB hurt, would it look any different than these last several games? How many times have we seen the first defender getting to the QB before the QB even hits the last step of his drop?
If this is the line we're going to be sticking with after this year, we need to dump Garoppolo and draft a scrambling QB who can run, because there isn't a pocket passer in the game who could succeed behind this line.
Shanahan's treatment of injured guys is head-scratching. Two years running he sits there and watches Kittle play through an obvious injury from early in the AZ game, only to have Kittle sit out multiple games thereafter. Jordan Reed was obviously hurt, but goes back in the game and suffers a more serious injury. Garoppolo was apparently not able to plant his back foot to throw with any velocity, but he was reinserted in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Witherspoon was healthy enough to dress and healthy enough to go in the game, but not healthy enough to start over a guy even the most die hard 49er fan had never heard of?
Everyone needs to be better, but it starts with Kyle Shanahan.
A heartbreaking, just-barely, close loss to the powerful Dolphins ...
Some invigorating things to take away from the game:
--Bourne's hands of Elmer's Glue snatching every one of the 13 off-target passes;
--The IOL's fluid Maginot Line blocking allowing no pressure up the middle;
--Dwelley's shut down blocking;
--JG's unerring accuracy, with the small exception of 7 or 8 throws scarcely off-the-mark;
--Special teams remarkable alertness on the fake punt;
--Special teams innovative approach to fielding the kickoff 7 yards deep in the end zone (it was a fluke the returner was barely stopped by a fingernail by eight Dolphins at the 14;
--Special teams gathered themselves this week and allowed no blocked punts!--and no block kickoffs either!, and what with that blizzard of kickoffs after 9er TDs is something of a miracle!
--Defense again showed off their in-game IQ (3rd and goal from the 20, no need for Saleh to caution the first-game DB to not allow receiver to get behind him, anything but that would lead to a field goal, so, all good there);
--Only downside I can see here is that Hyder and Warner didn't get the memo that these were the legendary Dolphins, for Pete's sake, and to play hard for a change;
Now, even more upside! The grueling part of the schedule is over and now the boys can coast a bit, just a bit, because if you take patsies like the Seahawks, Packers and Rams too lightly they can knock a few bicuspids loose, but still, we can rejoice that the gauntlet is over.