DENVER — This first step was a clumsy one.
This wasn’t what Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers or their quarterback-loving fans envisioned during his past 11 months of grueling rehabilitation on a rebuilt, left knee.
Suiting up for the first time since his catastrophic injury last September, Garoppolo was just 1-of-6 with one interception and a 0.0 passer rating in three unflattering series.
The upshot: Monday night’s 24-15 win was merely an exhibition, the first chance to knock off rust and test mental hurdles against the host Denver Broncos.
“It’s something I haven’t done in a year, obviously, so I’ve got to knock the rust off and everything,” Garoppolo said. “Thankfully we have a short week this week so we can bounce back quickly. It’s a first step of getting back into it.”
Once Garoppolo yielded the nationally televised stage to backups C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens, the 49ers soldiered on in more respectable fashion. Here are the top-five takeaways:
1. Garoppolo’s shaky debut
Other than emerging healthy — truly the top priority until the Sept. 8 regular-season opener — Garoppolo looked nothing like the confident, accurate, techinically sound quarterback the 49ers based their future on after his 5-0 debut in December 2017.
He also didn’t have much time or space to look comfortable in the pocket, not with Bradley Chubb pressuring from Garoppolo’s blind side. That was the case on the interception, which came on Garoppolo’s second pass and only 1:15 into the game.
What went wrong on that play? A lot. Chubb cut inside past left tackle Joe Staley for a free run at Garoppolo, who couldn’t exactly step into his throw as Chubb surged toward Garoppolo waist and right knee. Garoppolo’s ensuing, 7-yard pass got intercepted near midfield by Isaac Yiadom, on a ball targeted for Matt Breida but with Marquise Goodwin also nearby.
“I got hit as I was throwing it. I’ve just got to be more accurate getting balls down the field,” Garoppolo said.
His first four passes hit Broncos hands (two deflections at the line, one interception, one dropped interception on what Garoppolo acknowledged was a “bad decision” with the cornerback ready to pounce).
“I forget that his knee was hurt. The guy’s been healthy since OTAs,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We’re not worried about the knee right now. We just want to get him out there and get some reps so he can play football. It was good for him because it was a big hurdle to get out for the first time.”
It took six passes before Garoppolo enjoyed his first completion, and that went for no gain to Breida at the 6-yard line. Garoppolo’s final series basically was doomed once guard Najee Toran’s holding penalty backed them up to the 6.
“Anytime you can’t get an offense in a rhythm, everyone looks that way,” Shanahan added.
Up until this debut, Garoppolo has made postive strides throughout his comeback and showed no ill effects from Oct. 3 surgery to replace his anterior cruciate ligament. General manager John Lynch recently described Garoppolo’s rehabilitation as “flawless,” and the next step for the franchise quarterback was getting into an exhibition to knock off rust and iron out wrinkles in the offense. Expect more reps for Garoppolo and the starters Saturday at Kansas City.
2. Offensive line concerns
You know who had a worst night than Garoppolo? The offensive line, starting with Staley’s struggles against Chubb the first couple series. Staley has enough credibility to stave off concerns, but the same can’t be said of young backups on the line. Toran drew two holding penalties while starting at right guard in place of an injured Mike Person (foot strain).
Shanahan said all offensive lines struggle agains tthe Broncos’ Chubb and Von Miller, and Garoppolo was quick to blame himself more than his linemen. “For the most part it was a clean pocket and I got hit like once,” Garoppolo said. “For the most part, pretty good up front. I just, personally, have to be better.”
Rookie Justin Skule, Staley’s replacement, also struggled against Chubb, who sacked C.J. Beathard to force a third-down fumble that the 49ers recovered. Sam Young is now the leading candidate to serve as the top backup behind Staley and right tackle Mike McGlinchey; Shon Coleman sustained a season-ending ankle fracture in the exhibition opener.
3. Running back showcase
The 49ers unveiled their probable rotation at running back for the start of the season, presuming Jerick McKinnon’s knee recovery still is stalled. Tevin Coleman got the start, ran 12 yards on his first carry as a 49er and finished with three carries for 21 yards. After Coleman came Matt Breida (1 carry, 4 yards; 1 catch, 0 yards).
No. 3 running back Raheem Mostert showed off the speed that assures his job security. First, Mostert took a short pass 38 yards to set up a Robbie Gould field goal (42 yards). Early in the third quarter, Mostert again burst free, racing 30 yards for a touchdown.
If that wasn’t the day’s best run, then rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel provided it, taking an end-around pitch 45 yards down the left sideline to the 1. Jeff Wilson ran it in on the next snap.
4. Defensive front excels
The make-shift defensive front impressed, despite missing several would-be starters, including the healthy scratches of DeForest Buckner and linebackers Fred Warner and Kwon Alexander.
Solomon Thomas had an active first half with four tackles, including one for a 2-yard loss and another after dropping into coverage and limiting a tight end to a 4-yard reception. With D.J. Jones (knee) and Jullian Taylor (back) out), undrafted rookie Kevin Givens started inside, and he combined with Sheldon Day and Kentavius Street to force a third-down throw away.
5. Wide receiver bubble watch
When Kendrick Bourne dropped a 50-yard pass late in the third quarter, it continued his downward trend over the past week as he vies with Richie James and Jordan Matthews for a spot among a crowded receiver corps.
Then Bourne rallied. He made a nice catch of a 26-yard, Mullens bullet, and, with 5:13 remaining, he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass on a fade route in the end zone’s back, right corner.
As for his competition, James had a 14-yard reception and no other wide receiver caught a pass, including rookies Samuel and Jalen Hurd. James also had kick returns of 48 and 32 yards, plus four cleanly fielded punt returns.
Notes
— Beathard replaced Garoppolo with 1:19 left in the first quarter, and Beathard’s debut series ended with a third-down sack and fumble. Beathard was 5-of-11 for 81 yards before Mullens took over in the fourth quarter.
Mullens was 2-of-3 for 27 yards and a 134.7 rating. Wilton Speight entered for the final four minutes and fumbled as the ball slipped free.
— D.J. Reed didn’t relieve concerns about cornerback depth. He first got lost on a deep completion, though a holding penalty nullified the catch. He later committed a pass interference penalty and surrendered a pair of third-down conversion catches.
— Best tackle of the night: Rookie punter and kickoff specialist Mitch Wishnowky, who floored the Broncos returner in the third quarter.
— Hardest hit: Linebacker LaRoy Reynolds with 4:08 left that was so fierce it drew a penalty which was then waived off.
— New injuries: safety Adrian Colbert (hamstring), defensive end Damontre Moore (dislocated thumb), cornerback Tim Harris (groin), wide receiver Shawn Pointdexter (knee) and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (wind knocked out of him).
— Cornerback Dontae Johnson made the 49ers’ only interception.
— Temperature at kickoff: 95 degrees, the hottest in Broncos history, according to the Denver Post.
— After not suiting up 31 players in their exhibition opener, the 49ers kept out about 20 this game. Most watched from the press box, including George Kittle, who humoroulsy tried sliding out of camera view on ESPN’s broadcast.
Not suiting up were: running back Jerick McKinnon (knee); tight ends Kittle (calf), Levine Toilolo (shoulder) and Garrett Celek (physciall-unable-to-perform list; back); wide receiver Trent Taylor (foot); offensive linemen Mike Person (foot), Joshua Garnett (finger) and Weston Richburg (PUP, quadriceps); defensive linemen Dee Ford (knee), Nick Bosa (ankle), Ronald Blair (groin) and D.J. Jones (knee); linebacker Elijah Lee (thumb); defensive backs Jason Verrett (ankle), K’Waun Williams (knee), Antone Exum (knee) and Jimmie Ward (collarbone).
