The 49ers are 0-8 for the first time in franchise history. It is therefore no surprise that photos like this keep popping up every time the team has a game at Levi’s Stadium, showing that the fans have little interest in turning up to see the product being put on the field.
Levi’s Stadium at the two minute warning. #49ers pic.twitter.com/ypQHaEH0e8
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) November 6, 2017
The 49ers may have signed their silver lining, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, last week, but Kyle Shanahan’s comments that he may not even play season ensured another questionable turnout at Levi’s on Sunday. 49ers beat writer Matt Barrows joined Gary & Larry on Monday, and agreed with Gary’s take that if Garoppolo continues to sit on the bench, the fans are going to become less and less interested in this team.
“This is becoming a consumer issue and you need to play Jimmy Garoppolo at some point this season,” Barrows said. “This whole notion of ‘oh let’s just keep Jimmy Garoppolo under wraps in 2017 and we’ll unveil him in 2018,’ I do not agree with that. I think it’s going to take two or three weeks at least to really get a full understanding of this offensive playbook.”
So why not just throw Garoppolo in right now for the middling C.J. Beathard?
“He’s going to come in I think at some point this season,” Barrows continued. “(This Sunday) might be a little too early, because he doesn’t know the playbook and because Joe Staley is still dealing with his broken eye socket. I mean you want him to play, obviously you want to see him on the field and see what he can do but you want to give him a fair fight, you don’t want him to take 16 hits like poor C.J. Beathard did the other day. C.J. Beathard at least has the full playbook under his belt and they can at least try to scheme around some of the holes on their roster.”
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Barrows’ comments on Garoppolo start from the beginning.