49ers vs. Lions: 4 matchups that determine who wins Week 1

No. 1: 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Lions QB Jared Goff vs. turnovers

San Francisco is surely better equipped to absorb an offensive turnover or two, yet it’s clearly the one way Detroit could put together a Week 1 upset.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s career interception percentage is 2.9, and anytime a quarterback is getting up over 2.0 in this particular department, it’s a bit of an issue. And according to multiple accounts from training camp, Jimmy G’s turnover tendencies weren’t exactly going away in practice.

Maybe that speaks to the talent of the 49ers defense, but it also doesn’t shed good light on Garoppolo’s ability to protect the ball.

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Especially with rookie quarterback Trey Lance looking right over Jimmy G’s shoulder.

Jared Goff, meanwhile, has a career 2.3 interception percentage, which suggests an edge in that department for Detroit. Yet the Niners have had Goff’s proverbial number for much of his career, as he has a 3-5 record against San Francisco during his time with the Rams, also tossing six interceptions over those eight games and having an interception percentage of 2.49.

Hurting for offensive weapons might aid the 49ers defense in this case, while making Goff’s life that much more difficult.

In the simplest of terms, whichever quarterback turns the ball over more is likely to be on the losing side of the game’s outcome.

The Niners and Lions kick off on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. ET from Ford Field.