Jimmy Garoppolo not only led the San Francisco 49ers to their third victory of the season, but the team has also won back-to-back games for the first time since 2014.
In the 49ers 26-16 win over the Houston Texans, Garoppolo finished 20-of-33 passing for a career-high 334 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Garoppolo's budding chemistry with the 49ers pass catchers is unmistakable. Last week, Marquise Goodwin and Trent Taylor were front-runners in the Week 13 win over the Chicago Bears accounting for 191 yards. This week, he managed to connect with nine different receivers, many of whom made big plays in clutch moments. Garrett Celek caught a touchdown and recorded a career-long 61-yard reception. Kyle Juszczyk carried the 49ers on another drive with a pair of long receptions and finished the game with a career-high 64 yards receiving.
"That's the trust factor that comes into that. You find a guy that you like in a matchup and you go to him and you trust him to make the play," Garoppolo said. "I didn't even see (Juszczyk's) catch up the sideline, but I heard it was a phenomenal catch and he came down with it. That's one of the things that we're gaining. Its only my second start. I'm gaining that trust in guys and they're gaining it in me. I think it's going in the right direction though."
Garoppolo's 627 passing yards are the most of any 49ers quarterback in his first two starts since the merger in 1970.
While joining the 49ers just over a month ago, Garoppolo's ability to take command over the locker room and playbook has been a key to the 49ers pair of road wins.
"It's finding a way to win, really. Week by week, we have a young group of guys in there and we're learning how to do that and we're figuring out different ways," Garoppolo said. "Last week it was a field goal and this week the defense stepped up huge at the end for us. It's just finding a way to win."
Garoppolo now holds four wins in his first four NFL starts and is one of four active quarterbacks to do so, joining Drew Brees (2002), Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Trevor Siemian (2016). Garoppolo will look to remain unbeaten when he makes his first start at Levi's® Stadium in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans.
"I think we've got a little bit of momentum with us right now. We just need to keep plucking away day-by-day and keep getting better," Garoppolo added. "That's what it's all about, especially at this time of year. We only have three games left now. We've just got to keep getting better and better and good things will happen."
