The Monday after Week 1 of the NFL season usually has some big overreactions. There were some major surprises during the opening weekend of the season, as some teams played very well while others were a major disappointment. Arguably the biggest disappointment in Week 1 was the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have a roster that many believe to be among the best in the league. Super Bowl aspirations exist despite the change at the quarterback position as Trey Lance was pegged as the starter, replacing Jimmy Garoppolo.
Lance has a much higher ceiling than Garoppolo with his dynamic skill set, but it is certainly a risk. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is the more explosive player, but he lacks game experience as he hasn’t played much in the last two years. In two out of the last three seasons, Garoppolo led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game.
The team’s Week 1 performance will certainly not put anyone at ease. San Francisco managed only 10 points and they lost to the Chicago Bears 19-10. Despite being on the road, this was a game many expected the 49ers to roll as the Bears were expected to be among the worst teams in the league.
One player that has been critical of Lance, even coming into the season, was Shannon Sharpe. He wasted no time making a bold prediction on UNDISPUTED on FS1 earlier Monday, as he doesn’t believe Lance will make it through the season as the team’s starter.
“You can’t just throw the season away for the sake of experience. At some point in time Jimmy G will become the starting QB for the San Francisco 49ers.”
While Week 1 was certainly a struggle, Lance should get some benefit of the doubt. The game was played in terrible conditions, as there was so much rain the field was flooding throughout the game.
That is rough conditions for the passing game and Lance was without some of his best weapons. Tight end George Kittle didn’t suit up and starting running back Elijah Mitchell injured his knee in the second quarter and is expected to miss multiple weeks.
While he can get a pass this time, Sharpe is on the right track when insinuating that Lance should be on a short leash. This is a team that should be among the best in the league and if he falters, keeping them from attaining that level of performance, a change will have to be made.
