San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance took responsibility for his role in a 34-7 preseason loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The 23-year-old, who is trying to win the starting job, failed to pick up a first down on the game's first three possessions.
Lance finished 10-for-15 passing for 112 yards but took four sacks and threw a couple of near-interceptions. He trails Brock Purdy in the battle to begin Week 1 under centre.
"I mean, it doesn't feel good to go three and out, especially to start the game," Lance told reporters after losing to the Raiders. "So, that was definitely frustrating, but I obviously put it on myself to continue to be better, make sure the guys around me are ready to go, I'm ready to go. It starts with me, so I put that on myself.
"I'd say more than anything just things were opening up. Had a good feel for what they're doing, especially after these joint practices. So, felt good even going into the game those first few drives. Just miscommunication, guys on different pages and got to execute."
The passer said he was "excited" to play after missing most of 2022 with an ankle injury sustained in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. That setback ultimately let Brock Purdy take control of the starting quarterback position. The Iowa State product thrived after rising from third-string to first-choice when Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo were hurt.
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Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will get extended opportunities during the preseason as Purdy works his way back from a UCL injury. The 49ers have offered positive updates about Purdy but didn't play him against the Raiders.
"For me, I was just excited to get back out there," Lance said. "Honestly, today that was the biggest thing, go play real football again, go compete again. But just from drive to drive, just got to execute better."
The Las Vegas Raiders applied constant pressure on Trey Lance during their preseason game. (Getty Images)Despite Lance's critical view of his performance, head coach Kyle Shanahan professed support for the quarterback, blaming the bumpy performance on the entire offence.
"It got off to a rough start for everybody. I don't put all that on Trey," Shanahan said. "I mean, three three-and-outs for the whole offense the first three times, so I don't put that all on Trey by any means. I thought the whole offense was sloppy to start."
Lance didn't play the whole game, which is typical for preseason, as teams look at as many players as possible amid roster competitions. After he exited, Sam Darnold went 5-for-8 passing for 84 yards, and Brandon Allen went 5-for-8 for 36 yards.
Darnold is also a former No. 3 draft pick. He played for the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers before signing with the 49ers this offseason. San Francisco will likely use him as a backup unless injuries emerge. Allen, meanwhile, appears a long shot to make the active roster for the regular season.
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