Las Vegas Raiders: Can Jimmy G give a 2019-type effort in 2023?
By Brad Weiss
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has struggled to stay healthy in his career, but when he does, he can put up outstanding numbers.
In 2023, the Las Vegas Raiders franchise will turn to veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to try and improve on a six-win season a year ago. For the Silver and Black, the quarterback position has been owned by Derek Carr since 2014, and in that time, he has led the franchise to only two playoff appearances.
However, also during that time, Carr has been the symbol of stability for a franchise that has seen so many players and coaches come and go. In Garoppolo, they are getting a player who has done more winning than Carr has, but has also been in better situations, and has failed to stay healthy on a consistent basis.
While that narrative is true, there has been times when Garoppolo has stayed healthy throughout a season, and put up some solid numbers. In both 2019 and 2021, Jimmy G started in 31 of a possible 32 games for the San Francisco 49ers, winning 22 of those starts, and taking his team deep into the playoffs.
Can the Raiders get a 2019-type effort from Jimmy G in 2023?
During the 2019 NFL season, Garoppolo started all 16 games for the San Francisco 49ers, helping lead them to a 13-3 record, and a first-place finish in the NFC West. Also, Jimmy G and the 49ers made a run to the Super Bowl, where they were eventually beaten by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sure, that 49ers team had an elite defense, and Garoppolo was not asked to do too much. However, he did throw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns, while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. In 2021, Garoppolo was also healthy for an extended time, starting 15 games, and helping his team to the NFC Championship Game.
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For the 2023 Raiders, that is the kind of effort they are going to need from him, as he should be very familiar with Josh McDaniels's offense, and has enough weapons to lead this team to more than the six-win total they had a year ago. Garoppolo has proven in his career that when he is on the field, he can win a lot more than he loses, which is something this franchise has not had in quite some time.