NFL roundup

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

Shanahan excited about sprint to finish

SANTA CLARA, CALIF.

The San Francisco 49ers’ long-term rebuilding project looks like it’s accelerating with the addition of Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback.

San Francisco has won four of its last five games for the first time since 2013 and Garoppolo’s play has been the key. His 1,008 yards passing are the most by a 49ers quarterback in his first three starts in team history.

Finding a potential franchise signal caller gives coach Kyle Shanahan and first-year general manager John Lynch a chance to address other areas of the roster that need upgrades in the spring. For now, the team is coming off its first victory over a playoff contender on Sunday when Robbie Gould hit a game-winning field goal as time expired to beat the Titans, 25-23.

“I am very excited with how we’re playing. It makes it a whole lot more exciting going into the offseason, because you can see it in the players,” Shanahan said. “But I also know we got a lot of work to do.”

The 49ers (4-10) have two games left, including Sunday against AFC South leading Jacksonville (10-4), which boasts one of the NFL’s most ferocious defenses. The Jaguars entered Week 15 leading the NFL in opponents scoring, takeaways and sacks, which hasn’t been done throughout an entire season since the 1970 merger.

CHICAGO BEARS

Rookie Trubisky backs beleaguered coach Fox

LAKE FOREST, ILL.

For all the criticism thrown his way, Chicago Bears coach John Fox has at least one important fan.

That would be quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

The prized rookie said Monday they have a “great relationship” and praised the coach and his staff for showing the patience he needs as he adjusts to playing in the NFL.

“They just allow me to be who I am as a person, as a player,” said Trubisky, the No. 2 overall draft pick. “They’ve been patient with me, allowed me to develop. And I think they just truly believe in me and what I can do for this football team moving forward.

“Sometimes, it’s tough having a rookie quarterback because you know there’s gonna be mistakes and there’s gonna be bumps in the road. But they’ve stuck by me and they know it’s a learning process and they’ve taught me a lot throughout this whole year.”

Fox said he has seen enough to believe Trubisky will be a successful NFL player, though they might not be working together much longer. With a 13-33 record over three seasons, there’s a good chance Fox’s time in Chicago is winding down.

The Bears (4-10) host winless Cleveland this week in their final home game, and even beating the Browns hardly seems like a certainty.

Chicago has dropped six of seven. An ugly loss to Detroit secured the Bears’ fourth straight season with double-digit losses and wiped out the good feelings they generated with a lopsided win over Cincinnati the previous week.

The Bears committed 13 penalties and got little from their run game on Saturday. For Trubisky, it was a mixed performance at best.

His 31 completions, 46 attempts and 314 yards passing were all career highs. So were his three interceptions, and a 66.8 rating was a big drop from the 112.4 he posted the previous week.

“There was really a lot of good that Mitch did,” Fox said. “You know I don’t know that fans and everyday people that don’t get a chance to study the tape and kind of know what he’s been taught and told (think). Everybody looks at the box score they see the three picks. But it was probably, arguably, his best game.”

The Bears turned to Trubisky after Mike Glennon struggled to hang onto the ball in the first four games.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Becker takes over daily management of team

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

The Panthers have announced Tina Becker has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and been given full control of the day-to-day management of the organization.

The move comes after the NFL launched an investigation into alleged sexual and racist misconduct by longtime owner Jerry Richardson. The 81-year-old is stepping away from the daily operation of the team and will focus on the pending sale of the franchise.

“These have been some of the most difficult days of my 19 years with the Panthers, but I am lifted up by the strong resolve and the commitment our employees have shown to this organization,” Becker said in a news release Monday.

Team president Danny Morrison had resigned earlier in the year, and there was no COO before, or after, his resignation.

Associated Press