Predicting 5 games in which Trey Lance struggles most in 2022
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Trey Lance could struggle vs. Buccaneers defense in Week 14
At least Trey Lance will go through an arduous campaign against some top-contending defenses during a San Francisco home stand late in the year. That helps.
However, hosting quarterback Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14 is a challenge in itself, and Lance surely will be feeling the pressure of matching up against the GOAT, who makes his return to the Bay Area for the first time since 2016 when he was with the New England Patriots.
Going up opposite Brady is one thing for Lance. Facing off against head coach Todd Bowles’ defense will be another.
A year ago, then-coordinator Bowles’ defense led the league in blitzing, nearly 41 percent of passing snaps using a blitz package. And while the Bucs defense might not be quite as prolific as it was during its Super Bowl victory two seasons ago, the fact Pro Football Focus gave Lance a 67.8 passer rating when facing blitzes in 2021, compared to a 106.6 mark when he didn’t, suggests this could be a problem.
True, last year is a small sample size, and Lance was a rookie. Yet that’ll be a dynamic to watch.