Will Trey Lance’s Hype Dwindle if he Struggles vs. Chiefs?

Trey Lance will get to finally showcase his ability in front of everyone on Saturday at Levi’s Stadium when the 49ers host the Chiefs.

The hype around Trey Lance has dramatically risen since training camp commenced.

Even on a day when he looks just okay, he still manages to have some plays where you can see the unique talent he has. Lance will get to finally showcase his ability in front of everyone on Saturday at Levi’s Stadium when the 49ers host the Chiefs. 

This game is definitely going to attract an influx of eyeballs. Not to mention the fans that get to return to watch their beloved team. Seeing what all the hoopla is with Lance in live action is going to reveal a lot. However, there is a scenario where Lance doesn’t look impressive. He could completely wet the bed, then all of a sudden the hype and momentum he built up gets erased.

Does Lance’s hype dwindle if he struggles against the Chiefs?

A smidge.

His hype dwindles a smidge. No one should be up in arms if he looks average or low level. Lance is not going to be playing with any of the starters. Kyle Shanahan has already said that once Jimmy Garoppolo takes the opening series, everyone will be pulled from the game. That leaves Lance to battle with the backups that he has been with since training camp started. It isn’t the skill position players that I am worried about because he can look sweet with them. 

It is the backup offensive line that concerns me. 

Shanahan wants around 30 snaps of Lance against the Chiefs, yet I doubt he makes it close to that because of the immense pressure he’s facing. In fact, if Lance does play poorly I am willing to bet it is at least partly due to the atrocity of the second string offensive line. They have not been able to keep Lance clean through all of training camp and a lot of the penetration allowed derives through the interior. If anything, Lance will be credited for making the best of the situation. 

Saturday’s game will most likely end up being about how Lance’s footwork looked against pressure and how to maneuver around it. After everything he has said himself, I am sure this is the key thing Shanahan looks for. Regardless, Lance looking less than stellar will surely taper his hype, which is natural. It’s really all about just seeing him get to play. It’s been a year since he played a game and this will be quite the adjustment to live NFL game speed.

“I'm just excited to see him play like everyone else is," said Shanahan. "It's fun to watch quarterbacks go out there for the first time and stuff, but I don't get nervous for the person or anything like that because I think it's fun to watch. I know no one's going to remember how his first pre-season game is. They will the next day and that's alright. So, I know rookies get some butterflies and stuff and it is a big deal for them, but the reality of it is it isn't. It's an experience for them.”

Either way, one game doesn’t diminish the strides he has taken. Lance still has two more preseason games to build his case as an exciting player who deserves to be the starting quarterback. It will just be an added bonus and pressure on Shanahan if Lance does end up lighting it up against the Chiefs.