Fansided

5 reasons why the 49ers can win the Super Bowl

By Nicholas McGee

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Why the 49ers can win the Super Bowl: A more comfortable Garoppolo

Garoppolo was predictably the target of widespread criticism in the wake of the defeat to the Chiefs.

The 49ers had the chance to get back on top after falling 24-20 behind, but Garoppolo overthrew a wide-open Emmanuel Sanders on a play that would have been an easy touchdown for the wide receiver.

It is a miscue that will forever haunt Garoppolo and 49ers fans alike, but what has since gotten lost is just how impressive the quarterback was in his first full season in Shanahan’s scheme.

Garoppolo – who threw for 3,978 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions – finished the season ranked No. 11 in Football Outsiders‘ Defense-adjusted yards above replacement and Defense-adjusted value over average metrics.

He completed 69.1 percent of his passes, comfortably above his expected completion percentage of 67.5, according to the NFL’s NextGen Stats, and authored fourth-quarter comebacks/game-winning drives in four games.

The former New England Patriot was a top-half quarterback in terms of efficiency, completed more throws than he was anticipated to, and showed the ability to put the Niners on his back.

That he did not do so when it mattered most will define his 2019, but he is in an excellent situation to prevent it from defining his career.

One of the most complex schemes in the NFL should come much easier to Garoppolo in his second full season and the next step in his development could be a critical one in getting the Niners back to the Super Bowl.