Lance rallies 49ers
Trey Lance threw two touchdown passes and continued to make his case to be San Francisco’s Week 1 starter as the 49ers rallied for a 15-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Trey Lance threw two touchdown passes and continued to make his case to be San Francisco’s Week 1 starter as the 49ers rallied for a 15-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night.
Lance, the third overall pick in April’s draft, had a rough start. He completed one one of his first six passes and was picked off in his first three series before settling down. Lance was 7 of 8 for 93 yards on his final three drives, which included the two TDs.
Lance, who finished 8 of 14 for 102 yards, also won the duel of former North Dakota State quarterbacks. Easton Stick, who mentored Lance in 2018 when the Bison won their seventh FCS title in eight years, got the start for the Chargers and was 10 of 14 for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Stick was sacked for a safety early in the second quarter by San Francisco’s Jordan Willis, giving the Niners a 2-0 lead. Willis — who is ineligible for the first six games due to a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy — got leverage on Chargers offensive tackle Trey Pipkins, forcing him into the end zone before tackling Stick.
San Francisco got the ball back, but Tevaughn Campbell picked off Lance’s pass intended for Mohamed Sanu in Niners’ territory and returned it to the San Francisco 25. After an illegal blindside block penalty moved the ball back, Stick directed a seven-play, 40yard drive, culminating when he scrambled near the right sideline while being pursued by three defenders and lofted a 3-yard pass to a wide-open Josh Palmer in the back of the end zone.
Michael Badgley’s 50-yard field goal extended the Chargers advantage to 10-2 before the Niners rallied. San Francisco took over at its 25 with 57 seconds remaining in the first half as Lance directed a late TD drive. Trent Sherfield took advantage of a breakdown in coverage and a missed tackle by Mark Webb Jr. for a 41-yard reception to the Chargers 13 with 21 seconds remaining.
Two plays later, Lance connected with Sanu for a 5-yard touchdown pass, bringing San Francisco within 10-8 with 12 seconds remaining. Lance ran it in for the two-point conversation, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. Robbie Gould then missed the point-after attempt, hitting the right upright.
BROWNS 17, GIANTS 13
CLEVELAND — Case Keenum showed why Cleveland invested in him to back up Baker Mayfield, throwing a touchdown pass and leading the Browns to a victory over New York.
Keenum tossed a 7-yard TD pass to wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge to end Cleveland’s opening possession. He finished 9 of 12 for 74 yards with an interception while playing most of the first half.
The Browns (2-0) rested Mayfield, running back Nick Chubb, All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett and most of their starters for the second consecutive week.
So did the Giants (0-2), who got a 1-yard TD plunge from Devontae Booker in the first half when both teams played second- and third-stringers.
New York’s No. 3 QB Brian Lewerke threw a TD pass to David Sills in the fourth quarter to pull the Giants within one. Instead of kicking the extra point, New York Coach Joe Judge went for two, but the Browns stuffed running back Gary Brightwell at the line.