49ers still need receiver # 1 after missing Josh Gordon's trade

Editor's note: Former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia, now an analyst at NBC Sports Bay, will share his thoughts on the 49ers every week throughout the season. This week, he examines the inability to acquire Josh Gordon who influences the 49ers offensive and what he saw on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the 30-27 win over the Lions on Sunday.

The 49ers need a No. 1 receiver, but it looks like Josh Gordon does not fill them after being traded to the Patriots.

Do not take anything away from Pierre Garçon, but it's not the # 1 threat that will make the defenses get too ready for the 49ers' attack and ask, "How do you take that off?

The 49ers have no receiver who requires a double team from one side of the field, which opens match opportunities on the other side of the field. At the beginning of the off-season, this was one of the areas they could have targeted. They needed a real # 1 guy who can definitely be a threat to the outside.

They went for help on the offensive line, which was necessary, with the right tackle Mike McGlinchey. And they had Dante Pettis as receiver, but he is not necessarily the number one threat right now. And I do not know if it will ever be, but it remains to be determined.

It's too bad they missed a potential guy who can change the game like Gordon.

There was a certain risk in Gordon's pursuit, but the guy knows he has a very short leash. I think being in a group including John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, for whom he played in Cleveland, and some of the veterans that the 49ers may have had could be a good match.

The 49ers need another playmaker. I think having Marquise Goodwin right now is definitely painful because it is he who can get the upper hand. He is the deep threat that can enter the field, which can challenge anyone in the National Football League, with respect to speed.

You need this guy. You have to soften the cover. On Sunday, we did not see real attempts on the ground, apart from some deep crossing routes and a shipping route that they quickly hit with Pettis. You must take these shots during the game so that the defense has the impression not to be afraid to go to the field. This did not happen.

Jimmy Garoppolo is currently trying to be too perfect.

This is part of the learning curve. It does not have a lot of departures. But I think what happens often, especially with young shifts, with a young team, you try to be too perfect. And it's great to aim for perfection, but you also have to understand that perfection is very hard to achieve. It's very rare that you have this perfect game, this perfect decision-making process for every game, and sometimes the perfect game is the game.

You must find it quickly and simply get rid of football and live for the next play. There were times on Sunday when the receivers were not open, and it will happen with this group. Apart from Pierre Garçon, 49ers receivers are young. And they are not real engravers from the point of view of creating excellent matching opportunities. So what will the teams do against you? They will line up in a box of eight men and play man to man. That's what the Lions did. The Lions said, "You do not scare us."

When this kind of thing happens, you should also know what is your best match opportunity, your best road racer, your best man-to-man road drummer in this type of situation, and you may have to rely on that. type. to give him a chance in a tight window. I just felt that Garoppolo was trying to be too perfect in his decision making, trying to find the guy wide open, not wanting to force a throw or making a bad decision, what He made it to the end and almost cost them the match. . And because of that, he ended up taking the bags instead of taking the ball out of his hands.

First of all, you must have this natural clock in your head. The protection looked good. It really seemed like they were blanket bags, but at some point you have to do something yourself.

You must either find a way to push the pocket, escape the pocket or live another day – just throw the ball.

You can not afford to sit there and allow the defense to join you, to take those unnecessary strokes. It is in his power as a quarterback to trigger that decision and save his team, especially when you talk about the red zone.

Taking bags and getting out of the red zone is extremely critical, especially when it comes to scoring touchdowns, as opposed to goals on the field.

Watch Garcia on Pregame Live's 49ers this Sunday at 9am and 49ers Postgame Live immediately after the match on NBC Sports Bay Area and live on the NBC Sports app. Greg Papa, Donte Whitner, Matt Maiocco and Laura Britt will join Garcia and share everything you need to know about the third week's 49ers game in Kansas City.