49ers: Why quarterback Brian Hoyer is the biggest problem in 2017

The San Francisco 49ers head into a Week 4 matchup with Arizona without a win this season. And while there are plenty of areas of concern for an 0-3 team, QB Brian Hoyer has been the biggest disappointment for the 49ers so far in 2017.

In the first two weeks of the season, quarterback Brian Hoyer and the San Francisco offense failed to find the end zone.

And even with the team putting up 39 points against the Rams in Week 3, Hoyer’s production has been underwhelming to say the least.

Hoyer’s season has certainly not been what the team expected, as his 28th ranked QBR of 27.2 can attest to.

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When head coach Kyle Shanahan decided to bring Hoyer aboard in the offseason, the thought was that he could be a steady veteran QB who would be accurate and not turn the ball over.

Unfortunately that has not been the case.

After turning the ball over twice (one fumble, one interception) against the Carolina Panthers, Hoyer threw one each against the Seahawks and Rams.

So far he has totaled just two touchdowns and thrown three interceptions to go along with a fumble.

Had the Niners been able to put up even one touchdown against the Seahawks, they could have left Seattle with a huge win. Hoyer’s inaccuracy and decision-making cost the team field position and scoring opportunities.

With the defense giving up just 12 points to a team some consider a Super Bowl contender, the offense did not need to do much to squeak out a win in Seattle. Yet even with running back Carlos Hyde having a big game once again, Hoyer could not engineer even one touchdown.

Against the Rams last Thursday, Hoyer was 23-of-37 for 332 yards with two touchdowns. He also had an interception once again. The defense, however, could not get stops coming off a short week, surrendering 41 points to Rams quarterback Jared Goff and the Rams offense.

With that said, the defense still looks like it is progressing quicker than the offense as it ranks 18th in total defense.

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They say teams in the NFL win games on third down, whether offensively or defensively. That seems to be the case for the 49er offense. Currently the team ranks just 28th in the league on third downs, converting just 31.7 percent, per teamrankings.com. Considering the running attack is 14th in the NFL, Hoyer should be able to utilize play action. To date, only wide receiver Pierre Garcon has been consistently productive, racking up 249 yards on 16 catches, for a 15.6 yards-per-catch average.

Should Hoyer’s erratic play continue, and in a season where the Niners are hoping to develop their young players, the idea of seeing rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard at some point suddenly doesn’t seem so crazy.

If that were to occur, the team could evaluate Beathard to some extent and see if there is a need to add another signal-caller in next year’s draft, or concentrate on other needs in the early rounds.

Next: Shanahan vs. McVay is 49ers' best new rivalry

The hope is that Hoyer can turn it around and find consistency as the season progresses, but the Niners may at some point decide to go with Beathard if the season gets away from them completely.

San Francisco 49ers: Why quarterback Brian Hoyer has been the biggest problem in 2017

By Robert Smith | Oct 1, 2017

The San Francisco 49ers head into a Week 4 matchup with Arizona without a win this season. And while there are plenty of areas of concern for an 0-3 team, QB Brian Hoyer has been the biggest disappointment for the 49ers so far in 2017.

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