49ers news: 3 biggest headaches team has had in 2021

49ers have a general lack of focus

The five Week 5 San Francisco penalties mentioned earlier came in the form of offensive holding calls. Now, let’s consider the fact the 49ers have only seven such calls against them for the entire year. These five calls in one week indicate the lack of preparation going into the game.

Since Trey Lance has a different skill set than Jimmy Garappolo, Kyle Shanahan and his staff are responsible for reminding players about off-schedule, back-yard type of plays. Also, having a future franchise star player running quarterback draws and taking big shots from the defense is not a great way to begin his career.

Related Story: 3 things Kyle Shanahan must fix now after loss to Cardinals

Case in point, Lance suffered a knee injury at some point against the Cardinals and could potentially be shelved a couple of weeks.

Good thing it’s the bye week.

Eventually, Lance will learn how to protect himself for the sake of the team. But for now, coaches are responsible for helping these young players properly develop while protecting them from themselves. And on top of that, the sheer need for the entire roster to focus on the game plan, which starts with the coaching staff, needs to be much better.

The Week 6 bye is a great remedy for a struggling Niners team. It’s still early enough in the season for such a talented roster to figure things out and remain competitive within the division.

Let’s hope the bye week serves them well.