The 49ers handled their business as a playoff hopeful but Fate, aka the Carolina Panthers losing to the New Orleans Saints, might’ve ended their season for good.
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For starters, the 49ers needed to ensure they beat the visiting Houston Texans at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday. That they did behind rookie quarterback Trey Lance’s 2nd outing as a starter, something that 49ers fans have been asking for months now. The No. 3 overall draft pick finished 16-23 with 249 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. These stats don’t shout an established veteran arm but it was clear how much Lance had improved between the first and second half of Sunday’s game.
Kyle Shanahan still believes in Jimmy Garoppolo as his “unquestionable starter” even if he isn’t 100% healthy. He undoubtedly understands the upside and limitations of both his QB options and prefers to ride with the veteran starter. Despite that, Shanahqn wasn’t shy of praising Lance’s second stint as a starting quarterback.
Trey Lance is undeniably talented
Lance’s mobility and arm strength was on display in the 2nd half when the game was still close.
The rookie showed his poise and confidence by playing through an interception. He made up for it by adding 31 rushing yards on eight carries to his already positive outing. Eli Mitchell, who rushed 21 times for 119 yards, was the recipient of one of Trey’s two end zone completions.
Can the San Francisco 49ers still make the playoffs?
If a little luck had gone their way and the Carolina Panthers had managed to beat the Saints in week 17, the 49ers would be sitting right now with a wild card spot secured. But that did not happen as the Saints beat the Panthers keeping their own playoff hopes alive. Shanahan and his squad will now head to Los Angeles as the 2021-22 NFL regular season comes to its end, hoping to get the win, move on to the postseason and hopefully get some answers to their quarterback dilemma on the way.
