Chiefs v. 49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo looks to redeem himself in Kansas City
Offensive notes and players to watch
It’s unlikely that the 49ers offense will sniff the potency of the Chiefs offense in 2019, but there’s no reason they shouldn’t be above average. Kyle Shanahan will be entering his third season as head coach, and while his success has been fleeting, some reasons were out of his control.
He inherited a bad team, with a bad to below average group of potential starting quarterbacks. Once he finally had a legitimate starter in Garoppolo, he was lost early in his inaugural season leaving in his place a handful of determined, but under-qualified players to take the reins.
It takes a while to build a program, especially for new coaches, and Shanahan is still in the midst of doing that. Even so, year three is big for Shanahan. If he doesn’t show some improvement, he might find himself on the hot seat.
Given this is the third preseason game, fans of both teams should get a discernible taste of what the 49ers offense will look like in 2019. Shanahan won’t likely show any of the aces up his sleeve, but will the offense be fluid and crisp or clunky and mistake prone? With how simple the schemes are in the preseason, this will give us a good idea of their potential this year.
How will Garoppolo perform in his first somewhat serious action since his knee injury? Will he look like the poised and confident starter at the end of 2017? Will he look like the regressed player who began 2018?
How will Tevin Coleman, one of the most notable running backs in the last few years who wasn’t a full-time starter and one of the 49ers’ biggest offseason acquisitions, look in a new system?
Coleman is a player with strong ties to Shanahan. When Shanahan’s Falcons offense was setting records in 2016, Coleman was a major factor that led to their success. He possesses the prototypical tools for a running back that should have success in any system he’s put in. Expectations are high for Coleman and it’s easy to see why.
Another player to watch, if he is back from his lower leg injury, is Marquise Goodwin. Goodwin has an extremely strong 2017 season, nearly breaking the 1,000 receiving yards mark, and there was understandable hype about him entering the 2018 season.
With Garoppolo’s injury and injuries of his own, he was never able to come close to living up to that hype. Can he rebound and become the dynamic receiver coaches and fans expected him to be following the 2017 season? Having Garoppolo and Coleman to balance the offensive load should go a long way to helping him develop.
They aren’t the Los Angeles Rams, but this offense has enough talent to put pressure on good defenses. With several starters returning from injury and playing more snaps, this will be a great measuring stick for where the Chiefs’ defense will be to start the regular season.
Other Players of Note:
- Deebo Samuel – 2019 2nd Round Pick – WR, South Carolina
- Jalen Hurd – 2019 3rd Round Pick – WR, Baylor