SANTA CLARA — Jimmy Garoppolo looked crestfallen, annoyed, and defeated. He stood alone on the 49ers’ helmet logo at midfield, having just sailed a second interception into the Indianapolis Colts’ grasp.
Garoppolo gazed upward to the night sky, which not merely rained on him but poured.
This was the 49ers’ 2021 rock bottom.
An eventual berth in this Sunday’s NFC Championship Game was unimaginable back then, amid that Oct. 24 atmospheric river of water and defeat.
Their losing streak was at four, draining all life from their 2-0 start, from wins in Detroit and Philadelphia that enveloped a team-bonding layover in the West Virginia mountains.
Some can say the 49ers actually bottomed out two weeks later, with another home loss, to the Arizona Cardinals’ backup-laden lineup. Nah, that defeat simply broke up their scar tissue. A week earlier, they went to Garoppolo’s hometown for what might have been his final start, rebounded from the Indy game, and regained some swagger with a win at Chicago.
So then came Arizona’s humbling deed, and, with a 3-5 record, the 49ers hosted the Rams. They were the perfect opponent, one they’d owned since 2019 and one that came in cocky after trading for stars Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller.
The 49ers’ confidence and I’ve-got-your-back mantra resurfaced on the “Monday Night Football” stage, where they not only won at Levi’s Stadium for the first time in 393 days, their 31-10 rout over the Rams came complete with an eye-opening prop. A diamond-and-gold “play-maker” chain was draped over budding star Deebo Samuel’s neck on the sideline after a touchdown.
That necklace would mysteriously vanish from sight afterward. The 49ers would not. They have since won nine of 11 games.
Playoff upsets at dysfunctional Dallas and snow-globed Green Bay vaulted the 49ers into the NFC Final and back to Los Angeles, where a Jan. 9 overtime win secured their wild-card entry as a red-hot sixth seed.
One more win and the 49ers get one more game at SoFi Stadium — in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13, for one more shot at a Lombardi Trophy, against either the Kansas City Chiefs (their trophy thieves two years ago) or the upstart Cincinnati Bengals (the franchise the 49ers’ 1981 and ‘88 teams beat in their dynasty’s heyday).
Back when the 49ers lost to the Colts, coach Kyle Shanahan balked at benching Garoppolo, saying one game.
Here is how the 49ers’ renaissance ensued, and because it took a team-wide effort, these are the catalysts at 10 spots:
1. Dual-threat Deebo
The 49ers’ supply chain issues at running backs had them desperate. After injuries impacted their top five running backs, Deebo Samuel rushed to the rescue. Since that Nov. 15 Rams game, he’s run 73 times for 454 yards (6.2-yard average) and eight touchdowns. He’s been a physical, edge-turning complement to oft-injured rookie Elijah Mitchell.
2. Armstead shifts
Defensive lineman Arik Armstead, after establishing himself as a tremendous run stuffer on the edge, moved inside once Javon Kinlaw underwent season-ending knee surgery. Armstead and D.J. Jones have become a dominant force at defensive tackle, and Armstead’s fourth-quarter sacks Sunday of Aaron Rodgers were his biggest as a 49er. Ruling on the outside is the ever-consistent Nick Bosa (18 sacks), while career-best years suddenly have come from Arden Key, Samson Ebukam, Jordan Willis and Charles Omenihu.
3. No QB shuffle
It took three games before the 49ers abandoned the notion of platooning Garoppolo with rookie Trey Lance, at least for specialized short-yardage and red-zone plays. Lance, after seven snaps in Weeks 1 and 3, has been otherwise limited to 2 1/2 games, and those came with Garoppolo sidelined by calf (Week 5, Arizona) and thumb (Week 17, Houston) injuries. Garoppolo rewarded Shanahan’s loyalty in him by battling through thumb and shoulder injuries to win three straight elimination games, where leadership in the clutch offset his stats (50-of-76, 619 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions).
4. Coaching growth
Shanahan didn’t throw in the towel and sacrifice this season to develop rookies, including their top three picks of Lance (128 of 1,091 snaps), guard Aaron Banks (five snaps) and running back Trey Sermon (107 snaps). Shanahan, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and other assistants are maximizing their available talent. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, meanwhile, has emerged from Robert Saleh’s shadow and put forth creative, attacking and deceptive schemes.
5. Oh hi there, George
Tight end George Kittle was the unquestioned offensive catalyst before Samuel’s All-Pro rise, and when Kittle went on injured reserve the day before Lance’s starting debut in Arizona, that cast a pall over the offense. Kittle, who injured his calf/Achilles in the season opener, sat out three games. He’s been invaluable as a blocker for the running game’s revival, and his receiving ability remains a trusted asset, even if he’s been relatively quiet since opening December with 332 yards and three touchdowns over two games against Seattle and Cincinnati.
6. Receivers’ wake-up call
What awoke Brandon Aiyuk from his sophomore slump? He credited chats with Shanahan around the bye week, emphasizing the need for urgency, attention to detail and physicality. Aiyuk had 96 yards through six games and has burst for 726 in the 13 games since (but no yards Saturday night). Jauan Jennings’ second-half emergence also bolstered the offense, from both his third-down receptions and his physical presence as a blocker and agitator.
7. Linebacker shuffle
Fred Warner acknowledged his $95 million contract extension weighed on him in early-season struggles. But it wasn’t just a quest for perfection and overthinking plays. He lost wingman Dre Greenlaw after a pick-six in the season opener. Azeez Al-Shaair eventually morphed into a bona fide starter (102 tackles). Marcell Harris and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles also stepped up in key moments. Now Warner, Greenlaw and Al-Shaair have reincarnated the 2019 Hot Boyzz crew.
8. Offensive line continuity
Left tackle Trent Williams earned long-overdue All-Pro honors, and he did so anchoring an offensive line that developed chemistry and continuity. The biggest change came at right tackle, once Mike McGlinchey exited after eight games with a quadriceps tear. Rookie Jaylon Moore made the next two starts before Tom Compton assumed that spot, proved himself as a top-notch run blocker and improved in pass protection (which wasn’t great last game).
9. Defensive back penalties
The 49ers’ defenders were flagged for 23 pass-interference penalties, their most in at least 20 years. Never was this more embarrassing than the five such infractions they drew in that rain-soaked disaster against the Colts. That trend slowed, especially once they benched Josh Norman, who did succeed in late relief at Green Bay. So far, they’ve drawn no pass-interference calls in the postseason. Emmanuel Moseley and K’Waun Williams are top-notch cornerbacks. Rookie Ambry Thomas consistently improved in six starts before missing last game with a bruised knee.
10. Good on Gould
Robbie Gould just kicked what could be the signature play of his career, making a 45-yard field goal through the snow at Lambeau Field to seal an improbable comeback. Think back to Oct. 3: Gould strained his groin in warmups against Seattle, an example of how bad things were going amid the 49ers’ losing streak. He got healthy and hot. Since missing a field goal at the end of regulation in Week 14 of an overtime win at Cincinnati, Gould has made every kick (12 field goals, 15 point-after tries), in addition to punting well in relief of the concussed Mitch Wishnowsky in the season finale. Saturday’s game-winner capped special teams’ heroics that also featured Jordan Willis’ blocked punt that Talanoa Hufanga recovered for a tying touchdown, and Jimmie Ward’s field-goal block before halftime.
Source: www.mercurynews.com