Nobody ever said that Jimmy Garoppolo is Joe Montana’s second coming. But like Montana, Garoppolo has a smashing win-loss record as quarterback for the 49ers. After Monday night’s win over the Cardinals, the 49ers improved to 14-0 when Garoppolo didn’t throw an interception, according to NFL Research (h/t NFL Media). That record breaks a team mark Garoppolo previously shared with Montana and Colin Kaepernick, who quartered the 49ers to the franchise’s sixth NFC title a decade ago.
Garoppolo set the record in style. He went 20-to-29 with four touchdowns in San Francisco’s 38-10 route. It’s Garoppolo’s first four-touchdown game since he did so on three separate occasions in 2019, the last time the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. It was the third straight game without an interception for Garoppolo, who has 15 touchdowns against just four picks this season.
“I think we’ve put together some good games over the past few weeks,” Garoppolo said after Monday night’s win. “Today was probably our best full game we’ve put together but we still have a long way to go, there are some yards we left out there and even some points we left there, so it is nice thing the boys are still hungry. “
Calling the 49ers’ offense an embarrassment of riches might be an overstatement, but it’s not much of it. Alongside Garoppolo, the 49ers’ offense consists of tight end George Kittle, who caught two touchdown passes while piling up 84 yards against the Cardinals. Swiss army knife Christian McCaffrey caught seven passes while putting together 106 all-purpose yards. Deebo Samuel added 94 all-purpose yards on 10 touches. Elijah Mitchell, back on the lineup from an injury layoff, led the team with 59 rushing yards on just nine carries.
And don’t forget receiver Brandon Aiyuk, whose only two goals on Monday night resulted in touchdown catches.
“When you have playmakers like us, you can do anything,” Garoppolo said of The Athletic. “If they try to take the barrel away, we throw it. If they try to take away the middle of the field, we throw him outside. We have a lot of playmakers on this offensive line. It makes my job easy to have her around. “
The skill players are a big part of the success, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan also gives credit to the quarterback who just won’t lose unless he hits himself.
“I think Jimmy is doing a great job,” Shanahan said of his 31-year-old quarterback. “I think Jimmy always was. When Jimmy was healthy out there we had our guys around him, I think he’s playing at a very high level. And I think he did as well as he did today. Very lucky to have him.”