HOUSTON — Trey Lance was under heavy duress, chased out of the pocket by Texans veteran defensive end Jerry Hughes, and barely avoided a sack as he gained a yard before being tackled.
It wasn’t long before the San Francisco 49ers’ new starting quarterback was on the ground again as undrafted rookie defensive tackle Kurt Hinish shoved his way into the backfield to sack Lance.
With his blocking failing him consistently, it wasn’t the kind of final dress rehearsal the 49ers envisioned for the replacement for former starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo, technically still on the roster as he awaits his release or a trade, is no longer the guy.
49ers quarterback Trey Lance @treylance09 @49ers @PFN365 pic.twitter.com/wkQj6AUTIS
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 26, 2022
An incomplete grade for Lance
It’s Lance who’s been anointed as the 49ers’ QB1, but this game didn’t provide a complete picture of his skills.
It’s preseason football, so the 49ers’ offense followed the usual disjointed rhythm.
Lance completed 7 of 11 throws for 49 yards and a 73.7 passer rating, averaging just 4.5 yards per completion. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t reveal any of the more intricate portions of his playbook, saving it for the regular season. Most of Lance’s throws were underneath routes and checkdown passes in a 17-0 road loss at NRG Stadium.
“There were some ups and downs for sure,” Lance said after the game. “It never feels good to lose, but we will learn from it and turn the page. We’re not going to make a bigger deal out of it than we need to for sure.
“There was some ugly stuff out there for sure. Man, it definitely wasn’t our best night, but like I said, we’re not going to make too big of a deal out of it. We’ll watch the tape tomorrow, learn from it and get better.”
Lance was more impressive in the preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers when he completed 4 of 5 passes for 92 yards and one touchdown.
The 49ers failed to score on any of Lance’s three drives on Thursday night, punting twice and getting stuffed on a fourth-down run.
There wasn’t anything alarming about Lance’s evening, but it was underwhelming overall for him and the 49ers’ offense. Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel was targeted once for an incompletion.
“I wish it was cleaner just from a whole, but I’m not going to make too much of it,” Shanahan said. “We wanted him to get just two drives. I ended up giving him three because I wanted to give him a little bit more there, but there weren’t too many opportunities, and we got into some long down distances, which made it tough.”
The 49ers need to clean up their protection issues heading into a regular-season opener Sept. 11 against the Chicago Bears.
The real games await.
“I’m excited, I’m super excited,” Lance said. “We almost got the whole gang back together on offense this week. We were close. A couple guys getting healthy. These 17 days will be super important getting ready for Chicago.”
Lance has been getting ready for a long time
Lance has been preparing for this moment ever since the 49ers traded up to draft him third overall out of North Dakota State.
He clearly has the requisite arm talent and athleticism. What he needs is time to set up and throw, and he needs a lot of help from his teammates.
The addition of speedy rookie wide receiver Danny Gray may provide a boost for Lance in his bid to prove that the 49ers made the correct decision in replacing Garoppolo, a former Super Bowl quarterback, with him.
Shanahan has been extremely complimentary of Lance’s mobility, and that may give him a leg up when the season starts.
“There’s certain plays you have to get good at just to succeed in this league and to move the ball,” Shanahan said. “And then what can Trey do differently than we’ve had? I do believe Trey is a threat to run at any time, so knowing that he is a threat to run at any time, that definitely changes things. That gives another element that defenses have to worry about.”
Upgraded knowledge of the playbook should benefit second-year QB
Lance said during training camp that he has made strides in all areas.
That includes his more advanced knowledge of the playbook and his comfort level inside the 49ers’ locker room as he grows into a leadership role.
It’s all a process, and it’s one that Lance and the 49ers hope they’re managing smoothly.
The upside is there. The patience needs to be there, too, for a quarterback who didn’t play a lot of college football and is heading into his second NFL season.
“All over the place,” Lance said when asked where he has improved. “Practice is different than games, for sure. Just chemistry with the guys on and off the field. I’m familiar with how the guys run their routes. The next 17 days will be super important.
“Absolutely. I feel like I get better and learn so much from every rep. Seeing pictures, banking pictures, memorizing different looks. Just seeing as many things as I can and getting as many live game reps as I can.”
As a rookie, Lance passed for 603 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. He completed 57.7 percent of his throws for a 97.3 passer rating. His accuracy needs to keep improving.
“The guys in the locker room, just them having my back,” Lance said. “I know they’ve got my back and I’ve got theirs. That’s all that matters to me.”
Brett Favre takes issue with decision to go with Lance
Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, in a recent interview with the 33rd Team, questioned the sanity of the 49ers moving on from Garoppolo.
“My personal opinion, I would go with Garoppolo,” Favre said. “He’s not as flashy, not near as flashy. He wasn’t their first-round pick, and no offense towards Trey Lance, but what Jimmy has done is win. And win, win, win. Again, not flashy so it’s not the glamorous pick, but my goodness, the guy has won and put them in a position to go or compete for the Super Bowl year in and year out and deserves that right to keep playing.”
“There’s a tremendous upside with Trey, there’s no question about it. But Jimmy G has been a proven winner. Often times that gets overlooked: ‘Is this guy a winner?’ And Garoppolo is definitely a winner.”
Regardless of Favre’s opinion, the decision has been made.
It’s Lance’s job. Now, we’ll see how he performs.
Lance said he doesn’t speak often with Garoppolo, as he did in the past.
“We talk kind of just in passing,” Lance said. “He is not really around for practice or meetings or anything like that, but Nate Sudfeld and Brock [Purdy] have been that for me for sure this year. They have done a great job. Again, just having two guys that I know got my back.”
Charles Omenihu makes some noise against old team
Former Texans defensive end Charles Omenihu, traded to the 49ers last season for a 2023 sixth-round draft pick, made his presence felt during his first game against the team that drafted him in the fifth round out of the University of Texas.
49ers defensive end Charles Omenihu @charless_94 @49ers @TexasLonghorns @DavidMulugheta on his return to NRG Stadium, recording one sack and three tackles for losses against the Texans, who traded him last year pic.twitter.com/TjsC7Tb4YQ
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 26, 2022
Omenihu proved to be a difficult blocking assignment, sacking backup quarterback Kyle Allen. He also had an unnecessary roughness penalty earlier in the game for a diving hit on quarterback Davis Mills. He had three tackles for losses.
It wasn’t a secret that Omenihu, who had 1 1/2 sacks and three quarterback hits in a playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys after the trade, wanted out of Houston. When general manager Nick Caserio traded him to the 49ers, Omenihu got to reboot his NFL career after falling on the Texans’ depth chart. Now, he’s making the most out of his opportunity in the final year of his rookie contract as he consistently gained penetration into the Texans’ backfield.
“A little bit, I ain’t gonna lie,” Omenihu said when asked if his return was an emotional moment. “It was good. There’s been time removed from a bad situation. I’m glad I’m here, saw some of the guys I was really close with after the game. At the end of the day, it was football and another team I have to go against.
“I feel like it was good, but I had missed plays out there. The first third down, I had a penalty. I got to be more aware. The back came and chipped me. The backside play where I should have cleanly got him down. Credit to Brevin Jordan on the tight end screen, he made me feel like it was a real pass. There were a couple of plays I wish I had back, but that’s why I got 17 days to iron it out and get ready for the first week.”
Omenihu said he had some support in the stands, considering that he’s a former Longhorn standout and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
“Going to Texas, those fans are going to stay loyal,” Omenihu said. “My first two years in Houston were really good, so the fans still have some love for No. 94.”
Omenihu, a 6-foot-5 Rowlett, Texas native who spent his offseason devoted to a strict diet and a Pilates, yoga, and plyometrics regimen to get down to a lean 270 pounds, had three tackles for losses.
“I definitely feel like I’m in better condition,” Omenihu said. “I feel as strong as I’ve been. The conditioning is something I always wanted to keep my foot on, so that will continue to get ready for the game against Chicago. I feel like I can go eight plays in a row and not really miss a beat.
“That’s something I got to continue to work on. I had a drive where I had six plays and kind of fell off at the end. That’s something I got to continue to work on, because I’m going to play quite a bit this year.”
Omenihu is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He’s set his ambitions on manufacturing the kind of season that will make the 49ers or anyone else around the NFL take notice and reward him commensurately.
“One-hundred percent, major year,” Omenihu said. “I’m glad I’m here for it. Just kind of take it one day at a time and keep going from there.”
49ers’ injury updates
One of the reasons why the 49ers signed veteran safety Tashaun Gipson this week is the injury status of safety Jimmie Ward.
Ward will begin the season on injured reserve, missing the first four weeks of the season.
Ward, 31, whose three-year, $28.5 million contract was restructured last year, had 77 tackles, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and six passes defensed.
Against the Texans, the 49ers ruled out linebacker Curtis Robinson with an ankle injury, and linebacker Oren Burks was announced as questionable to return with a knee injury.
49ers defensive lineman Akeem Spence was evaluated for a concussion.
49ers’ quick hits
- 49ers running back Trey Sermon had a difficult time breaking tackles or gaining any traction against the Texans’ defense. Sermon rushed for 20 yards on eight carries, but 12 of those yards were gained on one run. The 49ers’ running game struggled overall.
- 49ers safety Tarvarius Moore delivered an alert play for an interception. When Texans wide receiver Chris Moore bobbled an end-zone pass from Davis Mills, Moore was in position for the interception and a touchback. It was a sharp play by Moore, who had 37 solo tackles and one forced fumble last season.
- 49ers tight end Ross Dwelley did a nice job of creating an easy target to find. He ran sharp routes and caught all three passes thrown to him for 42 yards.
- 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, one of the best pass-catching fullbacks in the NFL, caught one pass for 15 yards. He caught 30 passes for 296 yards and one touchdown last season. And the versatile former Harvard standout has 229 career receptions for 2,145 yards and 13 touchdowns.