49ers-Raiders preview: C.J. Beathard or Nick Mullens to QB final Battle of the Bay
By Chris Wilson
49ers QB C.J. Beathard
Any playoff expectations surrounding the San Francisco 49ers’ 2018 season were quickly dashed when their new franchise quarterback was lost for the season in Week 3.
The Niners entered the season with just one additional QB on the roster, second-year quarterback C.J. Beathard, who was immediately thrown into action. The former Iowa product, who Shanahan and general manager traded up to select in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, struggled in his five starts as a rookie, but began to show promise in his second season.
Unfortunately, that promise didn’t last long.
Beathard’s downfall began in Week 5, as his four turnovers cost the 49ers an easy victory over the winless Arizona Cardinals, who San Francisco outplayed throughout the NFC West showdown. The following week, Beathard appeared to bounce back in a significant way, as he kept pace with Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the majority of the contest. However, at the end of the game, the 49ers’ backup QB’s poor play, including an interception on a bad throw after a worse decision, likely cost San Francisco the upset victory.
Beathard’s play deteriorated over the following two weeks, beginning with a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams. However, Beathard hit rock bottom in his Week 8 matchup against the Cardinals, as he lost his second game in a month to the NFC’s worst team. Beathard displayed an extreme lack of pocket presence and appeared to be content taking costly sacks, provided he was able to hold on to the ball. A long catch-and-run touchdown by wide receiver Marquise Goodwin saved Beathard from an abysmal stat line, but wasn’t enough to defeat the Cardinals:
| Passing | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Week | Tm | Opp | Result | GS | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Yds | TD | Int | Rate | Sk | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | Rush | Yds | Y/A | TD | TD | Fmb | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |
| 2018-09-23 | 3 | SFO | @ | KAN | L 27-38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 2018-09-30 | 4 | SFO | @ | LAC | L 27-29 | * | 23 | 37 | 62.16 | 298 | 2 | 2 | 82.9 | 1 | 10 | 8.05 | 6.70 | 7 | 19 | 2.71 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| 2018-10-07 | 5 | SFO | ARI | L 18-28 | * | 34 | 54 | 62.96 | 349 | 2 | 2 | 78.4 | 4 | 49 | 6.46 | 5.54 | 2 | 7 | 3.50 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018-10-15 | 6 | SFO | @ | GNB | L 30-33 | * | 16 | 23 | 69.57 | 245 | 2 | 1 | 115.3 | 2 | 18 | 10.65 | 10.43 | 3 | 21 | 7.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-10-21 | 7 | SFO | LAR | L 10-39 | * | 15 | 27 | 55.56 | 170 | 1 | 2 | 56.1 | 7 | 49 | 6.30 | 3.70 | 2 | 13 | 6.50 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 | |
| 2018-10-28 | 8 | SFO | @ | ARI | L 15-18 | * | 14 | 28 | 50.00 | 190 | 1 | 0 | 83.9 | 4 | 30 | 6.79 | 7.50 | 5 | 9 | 1.80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Beathard may develop into a viable NFL backup, but he isn’t playing like one. We know that the third-round draft pick has potential, but right now, he’s broken.
Beathard appears to be too concerned with turning the ball over to make plays — and this makes some sense, since Beathard single-handedly lost games for the team this season by being careless with the football.
NFL quarterbacks can’t play scared. If you play not to lose, you will — and the 49ers and their quarterback have demonstrated that during the 2018 season.
At a minimum, Beathard needs time to reset so he can get his mind right; and that’s why his wrist injury couldn’t have come at a better time.