Ask Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter about how to throw off Jimmy Garoppolo and he’ll offer a scathing answer.
“As the game goes on, you have to bring the pressure on him. You see that he’s starting to get scared,” Hunter told reporters after the 49ers’ Week 1 loss in Minnesota.
Indeed, pressure from Minnesota’s vaunted defense was a key factor in Garoppolo’s less-than-stellar performance to begin 2018. He threw three interceptions, including two while under siege from the pass rush, and completed just 45 percent of his passes. It was the first time he completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes during his eight career starts.