49ers keep Jimmy G? Good. LA Rams are now his worst nightmare
[
ramblinfan.com]
by Bret Stuter
The history of the LA Rams against San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has not exactly been great. In fact, it’s been so bad that if he were a major league pitcher, it would be enough to send the umpire to the mound to check if he was using an illegal substance.
The LA Rams have faced Garoppolo on six separate occasions in the regular season. And on those six occasions, the Rams have emerged as the loser six times. Regardless of the teams’ records entering that game, Garoppolo’s dink and dunk passing seemed to shred the Rams’ defense far better than quarterbacks with a much better pedigree.
Jimmy Garoppolo holds a 6-0 record against the LA Rams.
The decision by the Niners to keep Jimmy G was more about the absence of a trade market for Garoppolo than about the intrinsic worth to the team. From the moment that the 49ers traded up for quarterback Trey Lance, this team was always going to be his. The plan was for the 49ers to trade away Jimmy G in the offseason, but an injured shoulder was surgically repaired.
That led to today’s events. The 49ers have reworked Garoppolo’s contract down to $6.5 million, incentivizing it up to an additional $10 million.
Contractually, Garoppolo will nearly triple his 2022 earnings if he comes off the bench to salvage the 49ers’ season once more. And you can bet that he has those two dates where the 49ers face the Rams circled. But things will likely go a bit differently this time around.
The Bane of Jimmy G plays for the LA Rams now
The curse goes both ways. Even as Garoppolo was dropping L’s on the LA Rams, the Seattle Seahawks were dropping losses at almost the same frantic pace on the 49ers whenever Garoppolo was their quarterback. What do we mean?
Jimmy Garoppolo holds a 1-5 record against the Seattle Seahawks. The reason for such a dramatic swing from wins to losses? The Seahawks boasted Bobby Wagner, the same Bobby Wagner who now plays in and directs the LA Rams defense. For the Rams, turnabout is fair play.
Garoppolo has been nearly unbeatable against the Rams because the Rams had constructed a donut-shaped defense, and Jimmy G’s strength has been attacking the heart of the defense. Time and time again, the Rams inside linebackers were out of position, missed tackles, and simply put up stinkers against the 49ers.
Under Bobby Wagner, Garoppolo throws and hands off into the teeth of the defense. It’s no wonder why the Seahawks were able to frustrate Garoppolo. Their defense forced him to commit to throwing to the outside, a known weakness for the quarterback.
Now, the LA Rams defense boasts the bane of Jimmy G. Will the Niners find a reason to start Garoppolo this season? Perhaps. But you won’t find the LA Rams an automatic win for the 49ers if they do. The Rams have not been able to beat Jimmy Garappolo in the regular season. But Jimmy Garappolo struggles to beat Bobby Wagner’s defense nearly as much.
Well played, Les Snead, well played.
