49ers end preseason with rout of Raiders
QB rotation with Garoppolo and Lance sparked San Francisco
SANTA CLARA >> Jimmy Garoppolo, then Trey Lance. Then Garoppolo. Then Lance.
One scored, then the other did.
Such was the dizzying display of Sunday’s quarterback rotation in the 49ers’ victorious preseason finale, a 34-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The in-and-out use of quarterbacks produced touchdown runs by them on the first two drives, and, more important, it showed the NFL just what might be coming in two weeks once the regular season opens with the 49ers in Detroit.
Mind you, Sunday’s shift changes came against a Raiders franchise that did not return to the Bay Area in full force. They
left 30 players back in Las Vegas, including all but one defensive starter.
Unlike Raiders coach Jon Gruden, 49ers counterpart Kyle Shanahan utilized Sunday’s afternoon affair to showcase his quarterback options, to get veteran starters their first preseason work, and, to entertain a half-filled Levi’s Stadium in these teams’ first preseason meeting in a decade.
These are the main takeaways, starting with the obvious:
1. Dual (not duel) Quarterbacks
This wasn’t just a preseason gimmick. The 49ers truly do have enticing options by keeping both Garoppolo as the incumbent
starter and Lance as the hot-shot rookie.
Two quarterbacks, two drives, two touchdowns. Touché.
Garoppolo was inspired enough to daringly dash headfirst at the goal line and into two defenders for his 1-yard touchdown
run on the opening drive. Lance took the preceding four snaps — all handoffs, as was Lance’s other snap in that 10play series.
Drive No. 2 featured eight snaps by Garoppolo, including
a fourth-and-one sneak. Lance came in for six snaps, scoring on a 2-yard run.
A distinct difference in the quarterback usage: Lance’s snaps offer the zone-read option that seizes on confused defenses.
Overall, Garoppolo completed 4-of-7 passes for 64 yards, which seemed like a standard line. Lance was just 6-of-13 for 46 yards with three drops, raising that total to 10 drops this preseason by the occasionally too-strong-armed rookie.
2. Jalen Hurd Resurfaces
Two years after his twotouchdown debut in an exhibition opener infatuated the 49ers Faithful, Hurd made it back into game action, with mixed results. He caught four of Lance’s passes for 25 yards, but he also dropped two, and he needed teammates Jauan Jennings and Charlie Woerner to properly line up before one snap.
Hurd is a 2019 thirdround draft pick that coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have stated they want on the roster so long as he’s healthy. Now 13 months removed from an anterior cruciate ligament tear, Hurd took a big
step playing in this game, but there’s no guarantee it’s enough to warrant a job. His trade value sure climbed, though.
Hurd also had a 2-yard run in his first touch since the 2019 exhibition opener. If Hurd is competing for a roster spot, perhaps it comes at the expense of Jennings, who had a drop Sunday but promptly answered that with a 15-yard catch.
3. Hello, again Raheem
Running back Raheem Mostert looked electric, almost as much as the last time he played at Levi’s Stadium in front of fans, which was his 220-yard, four-touchdown masterpiece in the January 2020 NFC Championship Game.
Mostert ran for 53 yards on seven carries — all on
the opening drive. His speed looked in regularseason form. On Wednesday, it appeared that Mostert came out of practice with back pain, but he was back out there Thursday, and Sunday’s showing against the Raiders’ reserves assured everyone that he is capable of a big year as the incumbent starter.
JaMychal Hasty looks roster worthy with his preseason work, the highlights of which were his 35- and 3-yard touchdown runs in Sunday’s third quarter. Could that be enough to cost Wayne Gallman Jr. (13 carries, 66 yards) a job?
The 49ers ran for 242 yards Sunday, including 37 from rookie understudy Trey Sermon on seven carries. Elijah Mitchell (six carries, 24 yards) had some nice moments in his NFL
debut, although a false start wasn’t one of them.
4. Kinlaw looks ready
Hindered by knee and shoulder issues the past month, 2020 top draft pick Javon Kinlaw made the tackle on the game’s opening snap as he started alongside Arik Armstead, D.J. Jones and Samson Ebukam.
The 49ers kept defensive ends Nick Bosa and Dee Ford out all preseason as a precaution, but both have looked stellar in practice, so the 49ers’ defensive front looks potentially as menacing as their 2019 unit. Kinlaw must step up big for that to come true, however, and he played with force and enthusiasm Sunday, at one point whipping the south end zone crowd into a frenzy.
5. Safety shake-up
Safety Ha Ha ClintonDix’s third-quarter interception was an overthrown gift from Nathan Peterman. But Clinton-Dix has routinely been around the ball since his late-camp signing. Will he steal a roster spot from Tavon Wilson, a veteran who took most first-team reps next to Mimmie Ward in practice all camp?
Unlike most veteran defenders, Jaquiski Tartt suited up and played deep into the first half. Tartt needed that work to test his surgically repaired toe. The 49ers clearly want his veteran leadership in the secondary.