Mike McDaniel Assesses Trey Lance's NFL Debut

The Trey Lance package flopped Week 1.

Sure, he through a touchdown pass in the red zone, and that was beautiful, but the Lance Package featured three runs that gained a whopping 2 yards. The 49ers used him like the Saints use Taysom Hill, only Lance had far less success on the ground.

But the 49ers don't blame Lance for those failed runs.

"Assessing him in his opportunities, he did right by what we presented him," offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said Thursday. "There were a couple situations that I as an offensive coordinator -- and I know Kyle (Shanahan) looks at it this way, and (passing game coordinator) Bobby Slowik at it this way -- everyone looks at it like, 'Hey, it's my fault we didn't put him in the right position.' He had nothing that came up in that game where were like, 'You should get better at this or that.' I think his second play and first pass in the NFL was a touchdown. We were pretty happy about that. And then there were a couple run looks that weren't the best that we put him at a disadvantage, which we're OK with, he's OK with and we're moving forward with it."

I appreciate McDaniel's answer, because he took accountability for those failed runs. He didn't blame the players, the way Kyle Shanahan tends to do.

McDaniel's answer provides hope that he and Shanahan will fix the issues with the Lance Package and use him more effectively in the future. Because they're going to need him when they play teams that are better than the Lions.

And they're going to need to him to throw, not just run. Because right now, everyone expects him to run when he's in the game. That's part of the reason his runs didn't work and his pass was so successful.

I expect the Lance Package will grow in the upcoming weeks.