CHICAGO — The 49ers’ season-opening loss at Chicago can be remembered for the wet mess, the dozen penalties, the defensive freefall, and the shortcoming of Trey Lance to tug out a Jimmy Garoppolo-esque fourth-quarter comeback win right here.
If all that mixes for the “rising pains” anticipated out of a brand new quarterback in his first 12 months as a starter, so be it.
In fact, Lance and all say they’ll study from this, that such a humbling expertise will encourage them going forth. The great thing about a 17-game season is there definitely can be time to show themselves — and to enhance.
Listed below are 10 takeaways past the field rating:
1. LANCE’S ACCOUNTABILITY
After dropping his first season-opening begin, Trey Lance appropriately mentioned he made too many errors. After which he listed them: overthrowing Tyler Kroft close to the objective line, getting sacked to get rid of a field-goal attempt, lacking third-down throws to Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, and having a fourth-quarter go intercepted down 13-10.
Left sort out Trent Williams was within the media room because the 22-year-old quarterback plead his guilt, and Williams put Lance’s accountability into perspective. “For this reason they handed him the keys to the group. He’s a mature dude, he’s an excellent teammate,” Williams mentioned. “Yeah, that doesn’t shock us.”
What was Lance’s demeanor down the stretch? “He was laid again, even when it was pouring down rain and it was a two-score recreation and we needed to make one thing occur actually fast,” Williams replied. “He didn’t waver in any respect. He stayed calm, cool, and picked up.”
Jimmy Garoppolo, Lance’s predecessor, didn't play a snap in his new position because the backup quarterback. Garoppolo engineered fourth-quarter comebacks in December 2017 and final Halloween right here.
Lance, by the way in which, mentioned he emerged wholesome from his heavy workload (13 carries, 28 passes, two sacks) apart from just a few scratches, which is in contrast to his beginning debut final season, when he awoke with a sprained knee following a 16-carry loss at Arizona.
2. MITCHELL’S KNEE
Elijah Mitchell walked out of the 49ers’ locker room along with his proper leg stabilized by a black knee brace. How unhealthy is he harm? “Unsure,” coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned. “They thought he had an opportunity to return again, they usually dominated him out.”
Mitchell’s knee took a tough hit from security Eddie Jackson on an 11-yard run early within the second quarter, and Mitchell stayed within the recreation. He had a 1-yard stick with it the following snap, and he helped block just a few snaps afterward Deebo Samuel’s landing run. Contemplating how banged up Mitchell received in his 963-yard rookie season, this newest well being alert appears too acquainted.
3. RUSHING OPTIONS
With or with out Mitchell, the 49ers needed to distribute the ball amongst a number of gamers, as would be the case going ahead. This recreation, Lance got here away with 13 carries (54 yards), Jeff Wilson Jr. had 9 (22 yards), Samuel had eight (52 yards) and Brandon Aiyuk had a 7-yard run on the opening drive.
The 49ers didn't swimsuit up 2022 third-round draft choose Ty Davis-Worth, and that conjured up recollections of final season’s opener, after they didn’t gown Trey Sermon, a 2021 third-round choose who received lower after this previous preseason. As an alternative of activating Davis-Worth, the 49ers opted for undrafted rookie Jordan Mason as a result of he fared higher on particular groups, Shanahan mentioned.
Wilson is extra of a third-down again however has the veteran expertise to deal with full-time chores, if wanted. That doesn’t imply he’ll be RB1 if Mitchell is out an prolonged time. It might be Mason, might be Davis-Worth.
4. DEEBO DELIVERS
Samuel fumbled on his first carry when Jaylon Johnson punched the ball free on the 12-yard line. That wasn’t sufficient to dare sway the 49ers from not giving him the ball once more, and he confirmed his bodily demeanor particularly effectively in barrelling into security Eddie Jackson on the objective line for a 6-yard landing run. “As soon as I see a gap, I’m going to hit it and no matter occurs, occurs,” Samuel mentioned.
5. SAFETY REVIEW
Samuel’s turnover was negated on the following sequence when security Talanoa Hufanga intercepted Fields. Hufanga completed with a career-high 11 tackles. “From what I noticed on the market, it regarded like he performed very well,” Shanahan mentioned. “I used to be seeing him loads early, particularly making that turnover. However you by no means know till you watch the tape.”
Tashaun Gipson began at free security alongside Hufanga. Gipson dropped a possible interception. And there was one instance of a blown protection when 49ers castoff Dante Pettis was extensive open on the 30-yard line on an eventual 51-yard landing.
Fields on Hufanga’s interception: “They had been in three-hook-weak (protection). The protection got here down. I noticed Mooney opening up. I attempted to maneuver Fred, who's a front-side hook defender, with my eyes the appropriate approach, however that back-side hook defender, like I mentioned earlier than, they performed the imaginative and prescient and break protection. So as soon as that again aspect hook defender noticed my eyes go proper, then he came visiting just a little bit, the protection did, and that’s why they received the choose.”
6. WEATHER CONDITIONS
Soldier Discipline’s new Bermuda sod understandably puddled up amid pregame showers, and though the rain broke for a bit of the sport, a downpour arrived because the 49ers’ pale within the fourth quarter.
“As soon as we received the ball again after the turnover we had, it simply began (raining once more),” Samuel mentioned. “The ball was heavy. It was onerous for Trey to throw it. It was onerous to catch it.”
How did it evaluate to the 49ers’ rain-soaked loss at dwelling towards Indianapolis final 12 months? “At this time was in all probability worse,” security Talanoa Hufanga mentioned. “However circumstances don’t matter. It makes it enjoyable. It’s not a bonus for the protection or the offense. All people is feeling the identical factor on the sphere.”
The Bears’ celebrated with stomach slides on the moist turf, just like the 49ers’ transfer after a 2019 win at Washington. Matt Eberflus’ response when requested if was tempted to have a good time in that vogue after his first win as Bears coach, he mentioned: “There was no stomach flop going. No, I wasn’t going to try this.”
7. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
Nick Bosa on the 49ers’ temper: “We’re going to be alright. We’ve been by worse. We’d clearly wish to get a win, however it’s simply annoying to provide a recreation away like that. Simply completely happy to get again to California.”
Final time the 49ers left Chicago, they snapped a four-game dropping streak with final Halloween’s victory. That recreation reignited the 49ers’ hopes for a season that reached the NFC Championship spherical.
Lance mentioned of his message to teammates on the sideline: “We’ve received to maintain our head up, hold grinding. It’s a protracted season. Sixteen extra of those within the common season.”
8. RAY-RAY IN THE RAIN
Credit score Ray-Ray McCloud, the 49ers’ new return specialist and slot receiver, for not muffing the 4 punts and two kickoffs he fielded. McCloud entered with 11 fumbles (9 misplaced) in his profession. McCloud had just one reception, however it got here on an nearly mystical, 20-yard tightrope from Lance.
9. FIELDS ON DEFENSE
Fields claimed he wasn’t stunned to see Dante Pettis so extensive open on the 51-yard landing go, after Fields scrambled out of Arik Armstead’s clutches. “No, probably not, simply because the protection they play, imaginative and prescient and break protection,” Fields mentioned. “They’re simply watching me, watching my eyes, and form of watching the place I am going.
“So I knew he was over there and as soon as I form of regarded proper and noticed him there extensive open, I simply needed to, I lofted it up simply to ensure he caught the ball.”
10. LOSING HURTS
Trent Williams sat stonefaced at his locker along with his shirt off after the sport. In the meantime, reporters interviewed guard Aaron Banks within the locker subsequent to Williams (and Banks mentioned he’s engaged on honing his method).
Why was Williams so stoic? Was this a traditional sight after a loss, contemplating reporters haven't been in a regular-season locker room since 2019, the season earlier than Williams’ arrival from Washington?
“It’s due to the loss. Anytime you lose, you’re by no means completely happy,” Williams mentioned. “Simply needed to take a minute to gather my ideas. However yeah. It sucks when you realize you had the sport in hand and you realize that plenty of unforced errors is what actually precipitated it. We’ve received a younger staff, we’ll bounce again and we’ll be higher subsequent week.
“However anytime you let a staff hold round, it’s by no means gonna be that good. It simply so occurs that after we actually needed to transfer the ball by the air, the climate was at its worst. That’s what occurs in soccer.”