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49ers Week 3 Studs and Duds Analysis: Is it Time to Worry About Kyle Shanahan? Garoppolo Going to Garoppolo. Plus Much Much More!

Usually, I only highlight players and coaches for my studs and duds column, but this week I’m going to add specific situations and plays as well.

Nicolas Newman

There is a lot to dissect from the 49ers’ 30-28 loss to the Packers. Usually, I only highlight players and coaches for my studs and duds column, but this week I’m going to add specific situations and plays as well.

Let’s get started.

The most critical dud: Kyle Shanahan’s decision to punt the ball on 4th and 1 from the Packers’ 49 yard-line. I am most passionate about this moment, so it’s only right I start with it. This decision came on the 49ers’ fourth drive of the game. The three previous drives looked like this:

  • Drive No. 1 (starting at own 25): 6 plays - 16 yards - 2 minutes and 31 seconds
  • Drive No. 2 (starting at own 25): 3 plays - 9 yards - 1 minute and 21 seconds
  • Drive No. 3 (starting at own 14): 1 play - 0 yards (Jimmy Garoppolo interception)

The fourth drive started from the 49ers 14 yard-line. They finally started moving the ball, as they ran 10 plays for 35 yards. Garoppolo was five for six in his attempts on that drive, and the one incompletion was a dropped pass from Trey Sermon.

It seemed like the offense was finally finding their rhythm, and then Shanahan robbed them of the opportunity to prove it. An “offensive genius” should be able to scheme up a single yard on 4th and 1. Especially when you have elite skill position players on your team such as Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Kyle Juszczyk, and the ultimate threat to pick up one yard -- Trey Lance.

Shanahan should’ve aggressively gone for it just like he did as time expired to end the half on Lance’s scoring touchdown.

Through three weeks, Shanahan looks suspect.

Dud moment: K’Waun Williams gives up a long reception on 3rd and 3 (Packers first drive). Secondary struggles on third down.

This play alone shouldn’t qualify as a dud moment, but it was a true microcosm of what was to come from the secondary. Plus, it allowed the Packers to get into scoring position on the third play of the game. It set the tone in the entirely wrong way.

Deommodore Lenoir got called for a ticky-tack defensive pass interference (DPI) call on a 3rd and 4 (25 penalty yards). Emmanuel Moseley was flagged for DPI on a 3rd and 6 (32 penalty yards). Fred Warner, who usually is very sound and reliable in coverage, also surrendered a DPI call on 3rd and 2 (24 yards).

Stud performance: Mitch Wishnowsky continues to shine. Wishnowsky may be representing the NFC in the Pro Bowl if he continues his stellar start to the season. The field position battle wasn’t as bad as it should’ve been because of Wishnowsky.

  • Punt No. 1: 59-yard touchback (39 net yards)
  • Punt No. 2: 56 yards, no return (56 net yards). Packers start at their own 10.
  • Punt No. 3: 41 yards (28 net yards). Packers start at their own 13.
  • Punt No. 4: 57 yards, 8-yard return (49 net yards). Packers start at their own 14.

Wishnowsky is working hard for his contract extension, as his contract expires at the end of next season.

Stud moment: Trent Cannon’s 68-yard kick return after the Packers went up 17-0. This was such a huge moment of the game. After seeing how Kyle Shanahan approached the two-minute drill in Philadelphia last week, there is no doubt in my mind that Shanahan would’ve conservatively called plays with only 1:02 left before the half. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had Garoppolo kneel twice to run out the clock and go into halftime down 17. Cannon put the 49ers in a position to score a touchdown, and they capitalized on that.

Cannon looks like a real threat as a kick returner. It’s been a long time since you could say that about a 49ers’ return man.

Physicality and trench performances- BIG DUD: The 49ers performed like they were starting backup offensive and defensive linemen. In reality, they had their actual starting line on both sides of the ball in place. It was embarrassing because the Packers were missing their two tackles (David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins) and pass rush extraordinaire Za’Darius Smith, who has made the Pro Bowl every year since signing with the Packers as a free agent.

Going into the game, the consensus was the 49ers should be able to dominate the trenches on both offense and defense. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. The offensive line that gave up the fewest sacks in the NFL going into Week 3 failed Garoppolo and Shanahan. Especially the interior of the offensive line. Specifically, Alex Mack and Dan Brunskill were awful.

Not only were the 49ers losing at the point-of-attack, but they were also losing the physicality battle. Plain and simple, the Packers looked like they wanted to hit the 49ers harder than the 49ers wanted to hit the Packers. On multiple occasions, Packers players plowed through soft 49ers tackle attempts for extra yardage.

Exempt from failing to be physical: Kyle Juszczyk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Jimmie Ward, and Azeez Al-Shaair - among a few others.

The “What The Hell Are You Doing, Bro” Dud award: Jimmy Garoppolo’s fumble. Garoppolo literally threw the ball behind him. In my eyes, that’s just as bad as Mark Sanchez’s butt fumble. It’s an inexcusable mistake, especially in a moment like that where your team has all of the momentum and a chance to take the lead. It was 2nd and 10, right around mid-field! Again, inexcusable and something you’d expect from a Pop Warner football team.

Stud moment: Moseley breaks up a touchdown pass to Davante Adams on 3rd down. Led to a Packers’ field goal with 2:39 left. If Moseley doesn’t make that play, the 49ers’ comeback never happens. It was a massive play from Moseley in a huge moment and deserved to be acknowledged.

Stud moment: Garoppolo shakes off the horrific fumble, leads a touchdown drive that ends with 0:37 left on the clock. Kittle and Samuel bailed out Garoppolo on this drive, but give him credit for putting the ball in a spot where they could make the play.

Low-IQ moment: On the touchdown pass to Juszczyk, Garoppolo took the snap with 12 seconds left. If he winds that clock down and the result of the play is the same, the Packers have less than 25 seconds to rebuttal.

Major failure: DeMeco Ryans’ defense gets torched with the game on the line. Davante Adams killed the 49ers’ secondary all night. You would think that you’d pay extra attention to him on the final drive. Nope. He caught two passes for 42 yards and got the Packers in position for the game-winning field goal. The inexperience of Ryans was exposed.

Stud performer: Kyle Juszczyk. Juszczyk may be the most under-utilized offensive player in the entire NFL. He touched the ball only once against the Lions and three times against the Eagles. That’s a shame. It is. Juszczyk touched the ball nine times against the Packers for 51 yards and a touchdown. Five of Juszczyk’s touches moved the chains.

Stud performer: Azeez Al-Shaair. Al-Shaair is doing more than enough to limit the impact caused by the loss of Dre Greenlaw. Al-Shaair had a team-high ten tackles and was making plays all over the field.

Final takeaway: It’s still hard for me to believe that the 49ers’ were in a position to win the game (and should nave won it) after how the first 29 minutes went. The team needs to get off to a faster start offensively, and that rests on the shoulders of Shanahan more than Garoppolo. His play-calling has not been genius-level through three weeks. He needs to improve more than Garoppolo needs to improve.

Garoppolo is an average NFL quarterback who can play like a top 12-15 quarterback when he’s on. When he’s off, he plays like he belongs in the bottom quarter (24-32 range). The only consistency with Garoppolo is that he’s inconsistent. You just expect the highs and lows.

I don’t have a dog in the Trey Lance vs. Jimmy Garoppolo fight. I could care less who starts, as long as the team wins. The decision rests in the hands of Shanahan, and if you’re upset that Garoppolo is starting, it’s Shanahan who you should be bitter toward.

The good news is that there are 14 football games left. The team has somehow managed to score nearly 29 points per game despite struggling to move the ball in the first half of the Eagles and Packers games.

There is still a ton of talent on this team. My mindset has shifted from Super Bowl expectations to just getting into the playoffs and seeing what happens. The NFC West is still winnable, but they have to address the running back and cornerback issues. I’d consider calling the Bills to trade for Matt Breida, as I don’t know if the team can afford to wait for Jeff Wilson Jr. to return. As for corner, C.J. Henderson is off the market, making Richard Sherman the most logical option. Or, maybe Shanahan can swallow his pride, make a call to Pittsburg, and bring back Ahkello Witherspoon, who was playing great at the end of last season.

Follow me on Twitter: @NinerNick_22

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Nicolas Newman
NICOLAS NEWMAN

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