Getty Trey Lance's designed runs will be key for the 49ers vs. the Seahawks.
Trey Lance struggled mightily as a passer during his first game as the outright starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, but the second-year signal-caller still added something extra to the offense.
Lance has brought back a designed QB-led running game not seen since the days of Colin Kaepernick. While the benefit of Lance’s running barely elevated an offense stuck in rain-soaked slop against the Chicago Bears in Week 1, Niners’ head coach Kyle Shanahan plans to let Lance continue to gain ground as a rusher against the Seattle Seahawks.
It’s an obvious strategy to follow but not one without risks, according to one NFL analyst. He’s cited recent history to gauge how Lance might fare against the Seahawks.
Familiar Foe Can Stifle Latest Wrinkle In 49ers Offense
Writing for NFL.com, Bucky Brooks outlined how effectively Lance ran against the Bears. Specifically, Brooks broke down how many of the runs by the QB are no longer ad-libbed moments, but purposefully schemed methods of attack with Lance in the lineup:
A dual-threat playmaker with exceptional physical tools, the 49ers’ new QB1 has added a dimension to the offense as a power-running quarterback with the potential to rumble between the tackles or scoot off the edges on a variety of read-option plays or designed runs. Last week, he executed six designed runs and seven scrambles against a fast Bears defense in a driving rain. According to Next Gen Stats, Lance’s seven scrambles were the most by a 49ers quarterback since Colin Kaepernick’s seven in Week 12 of the 2016 season. The heavy rushing workload is part of a trend in which Lance has averaged 7.3 designed runs (27.7 rush yards per game) and five scrambles (30.3 rush yards per game) in his three starts.
Six designed rushes offered ample proof for how pages of the playbook are now being dedicated to letting Lance carry the ball. The tactic paid dividends when the 49ers averaged 4.8 yards per rush against the Bears.
It also helped others succeed, something noticed by David Lombardi of The Athletic, who mentioned how a Lance run is now being made a possibility on “most handoffs.”
Not enough is being made of how Trey Lance is positively impacting the 49ers with his legs. And I’m not talking specifically about his 54 rush yards. Shanahan has baked the threat of QB run into most handoffs, too. Significant part of Deebo TD and 176-yard performance
Those things led to Lance accounting for 54 of his team’s 137 yards on the ground. So it makes sense for Shanahan to want to see his quarterback continue to run.
Shanahan made that clear while speaking on an episode of Greg Papa’s 49ers Gameplan, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jarrod Castillo: “That’s his advantage, that’s what he’s got to keep. I mean, that’s what gives him an advantage in this league when you are a threat to run even though you don’t have to do it every time. It can make things easier on him.”
Wanting Lance to run is one thing, but the Seahawks may not be the ideal opponents for Shanahan to keep his QB1 on the move. Not according to Brooks, who noted how effective Seattle’s defense has been at shutting down running quarterbacks: “Last season, Seattle finished above league average in defending designed quarterback runs and scrambles. Carroll’s 2021 Seahawks held opponents to just 2.5 yards per game on designed quarterback runs (ranking second in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats) and 12.0 scramble rush yards (tied for 12th).”
If the Seahawks can take away the safety net Shanahan described for Lance, the latter will struggle again. Those struggles will only increase the chatter about a QB controversy involving last season’s starter Jimmy Garoppolo.
The chances of Lance succeeding in both phases against the Seahawks could hinge on the availability of an injured member of his supporting cast.
TE Availability Key to Lance’s Continued Success as a Runner
Not having All-Pro tight end George Kittle available definitely had a negative impact on the Lance-led offense in Week 1. Kittle missed out with a groin injury and while he returned to practice recently, the 28-year-old remains “questionable,” according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Kittle’s noted primarily for his ability as a receiver, but his value as a blocker in the running game can’t be overstated. Lance has previously experienced how tough things become without Kittle, per Jordan Elliott of SB Nation’s Niners Nation:
I would be concerned if George Kittle misses this game
Last time Trey Lance started a game without George Kittle the run game took a huge hit
Here’s an example of how a bad rep by a TE cost the 49ers a big gain on the ground in that game
Even without Kittle, the 49ers should feel confident about making gains on the ground against this Seahawks defense. The same unit gave up 103 yards on just 20 attempts during Week 1’s 17-16 win over the Denver Broncos.
Most of those yards were gained by running backs Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. The 49ers don’t have the same level of talent in the backfield after losing Elijah Mitchell to a knee injury.
While Jeff Wilson is ready as the next man up, Adam Schefter told his ESPN colleague Field Yates how undrafted rookie Jordan Mason is an “interesting” option with “juice to his game.”
The 49ers will have to alter their plans at RB in Week 2 with no Elijah Mitchell. @AdamSchefter joined the show to share some insight on the next backs up.
Ultimately, it may not matter which member of the running back room plays workhorse. Not when Lance’s threat to run will give the Seahawks one more potential ball carrier to worry about.
Brooks pointed out how Shanahan is just 2-8 against the Seahawks, but Lance could be the ideal weapon to change the 49ers fortunes against their NFC West rival. He couldn’t do it last season when he took over from Garoppolo during Week 4’s game at Levi’s Stadium, but Lance still gained 41 yards on 7 carries as a runner in a 28-21 defeat.
If a Seahawks team that no longer has Russell Wilson to make magic lets Lance run free again, the Niners will win and finally get a new era on track.