3 stats that prove Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the answer for the Commanders

1. Overwhelmed by the big moment

If the Commanders are going to give up assets for a quarterback, like Jimmy G, we’d like him to be fearless and precise in the clutch. When it comes to the 49ers quarterback, he comes up short in both departments. On top of looking unsure of himself when games are on the line, his accuracy falls off a cliff.

Despite working in an incredibly favorable system under Kyle Shanahan, Garoppolo has been an abomination in the fourth quarter of playoff games. In fact, in six postseason starts, the former second-round pick has completed 48.6% of his passes for 178 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions.

Those numbers equate to a 28.0 QB rating.

How about another one for good measure? In the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs, Garoppolo was 3-for-11 for 36 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception and a 2.8 quarterback rating. One of those misses included a deep shot to a wide open Emmanuel Sanders, who likely would’ve scored or been tackled inside the five with the 49ers trailing 24-20 with 1:33 left.

This would be a different conversation if Garoppolo was carrying the 49ers on his back, but that hasn’t been the case. We’d even go as far as to say San Francisco was carrying him along as a passenger. He was just keeping them afloat. And when the time came for him to guide the ship into the dock, he crashed it and everyone on the boat suffered the consequences.

The Commanders likely won’t be competing for a Super Bowl next season, but if their playoff fate came down needing a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of Week 18, would you trust Garoppolo to get the job done?

History suggests you shouldn’t.