Ugly: That Slow Start
The 49ers, as currently constructed, are not a team that can afford to get off to a slow start and fall behind early. The nucleus of this offense has plenty of legit playmakers, but they’re still working on building chemistry – as evidenced by Kendrick Bourne running the wrong route, leading to one of Garoppolo’s three picks on the day.
This isn’t a team, at the moment, built to make a comeback. Look at the New Orleans and Tampa Bay game – because Drew Brees has great chemistry, and such a connection with his offensive weapons, he almost led his team back from a 48-24 deficit. They fell short, losing 48-40, but it was an impressive comeback, nonetheless.
Garaoppolo and his receivers aren’t quite there yet. That isn’t to say they won’t get there, but they’re not there just yet.
Which means, they can’t afford to have a first half like they had against Minnesota. Over the course of the first thirty minutes of play, the 49ers managed just 127 total yards of offense. Garaoppolo, was 7/13 for 81 yards, with no touchdowns, and no picks.
Despite that slow offensive start, the 49ers went into the locker room at halftime down, just 10-3 – and they were lucky to only be down by a touchdown.
Garoppolo and his receivers, over time, will begin to develop that chemistry, and will start to become a quick strike offense – a la Tom Brady and the Patriots, or Brees and the Saints.
Obviously, the 49ers came out after the break, fired up. But, because the first half was so poor, it was like a hole they could not get out of. And this is a team that can’t afford to put themselves in a hole early.