Skip to main content

Analyzing Day 15 of the 49ers Quarterback Competition

Breaking down every throw from Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo on Day 15 of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback competition.

SANTA CLARA -- Here's what Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance did on Day 15 of the 49ers quarterback competition.

JIMMY GAROPPOLO

Garoppolo threw his eighth interception of camp. He also completed 13 of 19 pass attempts and threw a beautiful 26-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk, but the interception outweighs the good stuff he did because interceptions lose games. And Garoppolo throws entirely too many picks for a man of his modest skillset. Today, he got picked off by linebacker Fred Warner for the third time in camp and the second time in the past two days. Garoppolo never saw him. He almost never sees linebackers in coverage and gets picked off by them more often than any quarterback I've ever seen. Garoppolo played better in camp last year than this year, which means he's regressing. So far, he has done nothing to hold off his inevitable replacement. If he keeps it up, he will give away his starting job as as soon as the 49ers let him throw more than 10 yards downfield in a game -- preseason or regular season.

Here's the play by play of Garoppolo's morning.

1. Threw an incomplete play-action pass that got tipped at the line of scrimmage. The intended receiver was Deebo Samuel, who ran a deep curl route.

2. After getting sacked by Arik Armstead, Garoppolo completed a 20-yard pass to Brandon Aiyuk, who ran a deep over route from left to right. Nice throw.

3. Threw an interception right to Fred Warner, who was standing 10 yards away from him. Garoppolo never saw him. How can he fix this issue and stop throwing picks to linebackers if he won't even acknowledge their presence on the field?

4. Threw a screen pass to Aiyuk who ran for 10 yards.

5. On 3rd and 10, completed a 10-yard pass to George Kittle, who beat Dre Greenlaw with a dig route from right to left.

6. On 3rd and 5, got sacked by Warner, then overthrew Samuel, who beat K'Waun Williams with a corner route.

7. Completed a 6-yard pass to Kittle over the middle.

8. Overthrew Mohamed Sanu, who beat Greenlaw deep with a fade route.

9. On 3rd and 10, completed a 15-yard pass to Richie James Jr., who ran a dig route from left to right.

10. On 3rd and 7, threw an incomplete pass up the left seam to Kittle, who was covered well by Jimmie Ward.

11. On 2nd and 10, completed a 15-yard pass to Trent Sherfield, who beat Jason Verrett with a comeback route.

12. On 2nd and 12, completed a 5-yard pass to Kittle in the right flat.

13. On 3rd and 7, completed a 5-yard pass to Sanu, who ran a quick out route.

14. On 3rd and 7, sailed a pass over the head of Kittle, who ran a deep crossing route from left to right.

15. On 1st and 10, completed a 6-yard pass to Kyle Juszczyk in the left flat.

16. On 1st and 10, completed a check down pass to Trey Sermon, who gained 8 yards.

17. On 1st and 10, completed a 4-yard pass to Kittle, who ran a stick route.

18. On 2nd and 6, completed a 15-yard pass to Aiyuk, who beat Verrett with a crossing route from left to right.

19. On 1st and 10, threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Aiyuk, who beat cornerback Dontae Johnson. Aiyuk was wide open. The pass was on the money.

TREY LANCE

Completed 9 of 15 passes. Missed a few easy throws he should have hit, but also didn't throw any interceptions, which is more important. Through 15 practices, Lance has thrown just 3 picks -- quite good, considering he has thrown 189 passes. That means his interception percentage is 1.6, which is outstanding. Meanwhile, Garoppolo's interception percentage is 3.3, which is too high. The league average last season was 2.2. Lance will give the 49ers the best chance to win simply by throwing fewer picks than Garoppolo.

Here's the play by play of Lance's practice.

1. Replaced Garoppolo as the first-string quarterback, and handed off to Trey Sermon, who gained 5 yards.

2. Stood in the pocket and completed a 40-yard play-action pass to Travis Benjamin. Lance threw the ball before Benjamin turned his head to find it. High-level throw.

3. Replaced Garoppolo as the first-string quarterback again, and handed off to Sermon again, who again gained 5 yards again.

4. Rifled a check down over Nsimba Webster's head in the right flat. Lance threw his pass entirely too hard, like a pitcher who fielded a ground ball and then sailed it over the first baseman's head. Easy does it, Trey.

5. On 3rd and 9, stood in the pocket and completed a 15-yard pass over the middle to Jauan Jennings, who beat B.W. Webb with a dig route from left to right.

6. On 3rd and 5, stood in the pocket and completed a 10-yard pass to Samuel, who beat Deommodore Lenoir with a dig route from right to left.

7. Completed a 5-yard pass to Trent Sherfield, who ran a quick out to the left.

8. Completed a swing pass in the left flat to Wayne Gallman, who gained no yards.

9. Ran a zone read up the middle and gained 10 yards.

10. Fired an incomplete check down pass at Sermon's feet. Easy, Trey.

11. On 2nd and 7, stood in the pocket and completed a 6-yard pass to Aiyuk, who ran a curl route.

12. On 2nd and 10, stood in the pocket and completed a 15-yard pass to Aiyuk, who beat Lenoir with a dig route from left to right.

13. On 2nd and 12, stood in the pocket and completed a 10-yard pass to Aiyuk, who beat Lenoir with a curl route.

14. On 3rd and 2, ran a zone read to the left and gained 5 yards.

15. On 2nd and 7, scrambled to the right and fired a laser on the run that hit Richie James Jr. in the chest plate 20 yard downfield. Of course, James dropped the ball. This was Lance's best throw of practice.

16. On 3rd and 7, stood in the pocket and threw an incomplete pass late and behind Jennings, who ran a curl route.

17. On 1st and 10, scrambled for 8 yards.

18. On 1st and 10, rolled left and floated a pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt, who gained 6 yards. Nice touch throw.

19. On 1st and 10, stood in the pocket and threw an incomplete deep pass to Jennings. Talanoa Hufanga broke up the pass, which was late.