How Well Does Trey Lance Have to Perform for the 49ers to Beat the Bears?
Trey Lance will make his debut as the full-time starter for the 49ers on Sunday when they face the Bears.
Finally, after constant criticisms of Lance throughout the year, judgements can be made from an ACTUAL game. All eyes will certainly be focused closely on Lance and how he fairs in his debut. A win will be needed from the 49ers with him. Otherwise, a loss only will fan the flames that are his critics who have been completely obnoxious.
So how well does Lance have to perform for the 49ers to beat the Bears?
Lance just needs to be average. That's it. Nothing fancy or elite needs to be delivered from him, so if you're looking for him to ball out, then you might be disappointed. The 49ers can even survive a turnover from him should he throw it or cough it up to the Bears. This isn't a game that the 49ers should struggle with at all. Chicago, for lack of a better word, stinks. They'll be lucky to keep it a close game into the fourth quarter.
Ultimately, I'm looking more at the performance of Kyle Shanahan than I am with Lance. Will Shanahan look to make a statement by having Lance drop back a ton and throw bombs? I could very well see that happening. But I think Shanahan will know better than to do that, especially with the rainy conditions. This is a game that screams for Shanahan to stick to his roots, which is running the football.
Doing so will make it easier on Lance. This game is all about giving him that stepping stone towards building momentum. Putting too much on his plate is not wise at all. His passing attempts should stay between 20 and 25 for the game. If it gets more than that, then either Shanahan is trying to cut him loose in his debut game or the 49ers are trailing, and it should never get to that point.
Keep it simple. Run the rock. Then let Lance cut loose on play-action shots. Have him be a part of the offense, not lead them like how it's been with Jimmy Garoppolo and other quarterbacks in the past. Just an average performance out of Lance with no more than a turnover, and the 49ers can win. Then build him up from there.
