Well, it looks as if the 49ers will finally start rookie Trey Lance in Week 5 against the undefeated Cardinals, and he has some things to accomplish.
It’s official. The San Francisco 49ers will start their top pick from the 2021 NFL Draft, quarterback Trey Lance, in Week 5 against the undefeated Arizona Cardinals.
Lance will get his first-ever NFL start against the NFC West’s top team in the wake of the previous starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, suffering a calf injury during the Niners’ Week 4 loss versus the Seattle Seahawks. Garoppolo exited at halftime during that game, giving way to Lance, who finished out the second half with two passing touchdowns but also a number of scrambling runs when he couldn’t identify his passing options.
“Some good, some bad,” as head coach Kyle Shanahan said during his postgame presser.
At least Lance got all the first-team reps in the week of practice leading up to Week 5, though, which should hopefully make a positive difference in the No. 3 overall draft pick’s development. And while there may be moments where Lance looks like, well… a rookie, the hope is his dynamic playmaking abilities and skill set will help offset any inexperience and jitters he could have.
Considering San Francisco is desperate to avoid falling below .500 and effectively out of contention for the division just past the first-quarter mark of the season, Lance having a promising debut against Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is going to be vital to the 49ers’ chances.
In order to find some success on Sunday, Lance needs to check off the following items from his Week 5 to-do list.
No. 3: Trey Lance, 49ers must have zero-turnover game
One of the common trends many of the first-year quarterbacks are having this season is tossing an inordinate number of interceptions. The New York Jets’ Zach Wilson is atop the list with eight through four weeks, while the No. 1 overall pick, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, is right behind him with seven.
Trey Lance, albeit only having attempted 19 passes this season, has yet to have one.
Of course, Lance will eventually toss interceptions. He’ll probably end up fumbling at some point this season, too.
But against a potent offense like that of the Cardinals, which enters this contest with the No. 1 scoring rank and the most yards gained through four weeks, the Niners can ill-afford to give Kyler Murray and Co. extra possessions.
Plus, a turnover-prone game from Lance would put an awfully big damper on his first-start efforts.
Lance needs to do the basics, taking what the defense gives him and not trying to force the “hero ball” right out of the gate.
No. 2: Trey Lance, 49ers can exploit some downfield passes
One of the reasons why Jimmy Garoppolo is limited as a passer is because he lacks the arm strength to toss the ball deep. At least with any sort of accuracy or zip, as attested by Next Gen Stats giving him an average-intended-air-yards metric of just 6.7, which is tied with the no-longer-potent arm of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for fourth lowest among qualifiers this season.
Trey Lance, however, has the strong arm. The only question is whether or not he’ll want to try forcing passes at moments when they shouldn’t be forced.
That doesn’t mean Lance has to avoid the deep ball, though.
Arizona is expected to be without its top cornerback, Byron Murphy, who missed this week’s practice sessions and was eventually ruled out of Sunday’s contest. This might open up some more favorable matchups for Lance, particularly if he can get some chemistry going with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, with whom Lance had a great rapport in training camp and with the Cardinals focusing on the NFL’s leading receiver, Deebo Samuel.
Lance only has to take a few shots deep down the field to open up things underneath.
No. 1: 49ers can actually ‘run’ Trey Lance
Yes, Trey Lance should actually use his athleticism. A lot.
While Arizona’s offense is prolific so far, and Kyler Murray is playing at an MVP level, the easiest way to prevent damage to San Francisco’s defense is to not let that group on the field. At least too much.
The 49ers offense will have to extend drives by any means possible, and a low-scoring game certainly plays into their favor.
Trey Lance, for all his inexperience passing, is still a massive rushing threat, evidenced by him already scoring one touchdown on the ground, having 44 rush yards total despite being on the field for just 17 percent of offensive snaps and by him picking up three first downs with his legs.
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If there’s one glaring vulnerability the Cardinals have, it’s defending the run.
Over the last four weeks, Arizona is surrendering an average of 5.4 yards per carry, which is next to the worst in the NFL. While the 49ers would be wise to utilize plenty of run-pass options with Lance as the delivery method, even giving Lance some designed runs or letting him scramble when he can’t identify his options would be a wise move.
It might be the best way to move the chains and, essentially, the best way to offset the Cardinals offense.