GLENDALE, Ariz. — Win or lose, it’s how Trey Lance played the game that made his 49ers’ starting debut so compelling.
How much would he run? (A lot.)
Would his high-speed passes hit their mark? (Sometimes.)
Exactly what devilish schemes would coach Kyle Shanahan unveil with his prize from the No. 3 overall draft slot? (Fourth down failures ensued.)
Lance, overall, proved a dual-threat with his running and passing, but the 49ers lacked explosive plays and could not upend the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, who won 17-10.
Five times the 49ers went for it on fourth down, and four times they failed, with Shanahan only summoning new kicker Joey Slye once for a field-goal attempt, which he made from 47 yards with 4:12 remaining.
The 49ers’ only other points: Deebo Samuel’s 13-yard run, upon taking Lance’s lateral, following blocks by Trent Williams and Mohamed Sanue, then stiff-arming a defender en route to the goal line with 1:42 left in the third quarter.
Not only did the 49ers fail four times on fourth down, they missed a play-making element, which could be attributed to play calls, the absence of George Kittle (he went on injured reserve Saturday) and an erratic rookie quarterback who started at least this game in place of an injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
So now the 49ers (2-3) go home riding a three-game losing streak into their bye week, with some uncertainty still swirling about their quarterback position, which leads off our takeaways:
LANCE’S HIGHS/LOWS
When Lance wasn’t bobbing and weaving his way in or out of the pocket, he looked more lethal as a rusher than as a passer, and not just because of a first-series interception. The passing wasn’t as bad as the stat line may indicate, considering drops by Samuel (two), Mohamed Sanu and Brandon Aiyuk.
Lance threw for 192 yards (15-of-29, no touchdowns, one interception, 58.4 rating) and he ran for 89 yards on 16 carries.
Lance’s runs came with an element of danger. But not to him. Rather, it was his offensive linemen or Cardinals defender who often were collateral damage on some carries. Mike McGlinchey and Alex Mack each got hit awkwardly from behind on Lance runs.
When Lance ran, he’d either shuffle his way out of trouble or, in one photogenic case, give a second-effort lunge forward even after a defender pulled off his helmet, which happened on on the 1-yard run preceding Samuel’s touchdown.
FOURTH-DOWN CALLS
Fourth-down failures cost the 49ers multiple possessions and points. Shanahan’s calls backfired 4-of-5 times, including a Lance incompletion that J.J. Watt deflected in the fourth quarter. Kyle Juszczyk sneak for no gain on fourth-and-1 with 9 minutes to go.
Shanahan called Lance’s number on a pair of fourth-down runs that did not convert, and none was bigger than the fourth-and-goal run from the 1, in which Lance ran into a hellacious collision short of the goal line. That begs the question: Was Shanahan so intent on showing off his hot-shot quarterback that he passed up points with none on the scoreboard?
Lance’s earlier fourth-down try was a second-series run up the middle that was bland and unproductive. Even when the 49ers finally converted on a fourth-down (Mohamed Sanu 6-yard reception), that drive sputtered out because of a sack and the third holding penalty that series.
HOLDING PENALTIES
Multiple holding penalties aren’t just a byproduct of facing J.J. Watt and Chandler Jones. Because Lance doesn’t have Jimmy Garoppolo’s quick trigger, offensive linemen must hold their blocks longer.
But the holding penalties mounted at a rapid rate in the second half. Getting flagged were Trent Williams, Mike McGlinchey and wide receiver Travis Benjamin. McGlinchey also drew a false-start penalty, and he looked justifiably angry with himself after his second holding penalty.
PASS RUSH FADES
The 49ers proved capable of sacking and pressuring Kyler Murray, who proved a capable MVP candidate with fourth-quarter throws. When Nick Bosa cut his pass rush inside, Murray rolled out into space for a 30-yard completion to DeAndre Hopkins.
Earlier, Bosa made a timely sack of Murray, dropping him for a 13-yard loss and pushing the Cardinals out of field-goal range in the final minute of the first half. It was Bosa’s fifth sack of the season; he had nine in 2019 as the NFL defensive rookie of the year.
D.J. Jones, who missed Thursday’s practice with a knee injury, got the first sack of Murray. Dee Ford didn’t get a sack, but he got held on a double-team block that nearly produced a safety (the penalty was at the 1). Arik Armstead and blitzing safety Talanoa Hufanga also pressured Murray into incompletions.
DEFENSIVE ISSUES
The 49ers finally recovered a fumble for the first time this season, courtesy of Dontae Johnson and a fourth-quarter replay challenge. But the 49ers could not make enough momentum-swinging plays against the NFL’s highest-scoring team.
Along the way, there were missed tackles, including two that allowed Rondale Moore to run to the 1, and a Marcell Harris whiff on a catch by Maxx Williams, who sustained a serious leg injury on the play.
Of course, there was also a defensive pass interference penalty on third down. It was the 49ers’ NFL-leading ninth P.I. call this season, and Josh Norman’s infraction still could not prevent Hopkins from making a 26-yard conversion catch.
NORMAN’S RETURN
Making his return from a Week 3 bruised lung, Norman often drew the tough assignment of Hopkins, who sealed the 49ers’ fate with a 9-yard touchdown catch with 5:13 remaining against Norman’s tight coverage. That came one snap after a 30-yard catch by Hopkins.
Norman allowed the aforementioned third-down conversion despite a pass-interference penalty, as well as a 9-yard gain just before halftime. But Norman also prevented Norman from catching a deep pass on the Cardinals’ possession following the 49ers’ initial touchdown. Emmanuel Moseley, to his credit, played well, including coverage in the end zone.
RUNNING BACK ROTATION
If Lance is now the 49ers’ defacto leading rusher, then starting running back Elijah Mitchell at least made a somewhat positive return from a two-game absence. He revved up late in the first quarter with back-to-back 9-yard gains, and outstanding vision led to a 14-yard gain to the 5. He also got stopped twice for losses and 1-yard gains.
Fellow rookie Trey Sermon didn’t get his first carry until the final few minutes, and he delivered a 7-yard run.
