49ers quarterback Trey Lance threw his first career touchdown pass on the first throw of his NFL career Sunday as San Francisco opened the 2021 season with a 41-33 win against the Detroit Lions.
Lance, 21, made his NFL debut for San Francisco at Detroit, and it didn't take long for him to connect with wide receiver Trent Sherfield on the five-yard score to give the 49ers a 7-0 first-quarter lead. Lance became the first QB to throw a TD pass on his first career pass attempt since Tim Tebow in Week 10, 2010 against the Chiefs.
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Lance was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft, joining Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco's QB room. Though he sustained a “chip” in his index finger on his throwing hand during an exhibition win over the Raiders on Aug. 28, Lance finished off an early 49ers drive with the touchdown pass. Garoppolo started the game, but the 49ers will bring Lance in for snaps as well.
Garoppolo threw for over 300 yards Sunday and connected with receiver Deebo Samuel nine times for 189 yards and a touchdown. Lance's final stat line? 1 for 1 for five yards and one touchdown.
49ers rookie running back Elijah Mitchell, who saw an extra workload with Trey Sermon out, added 104 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.
Quarterback Jared Goff made his debut for the Lions and nearly executed a 24-point comeback. He threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns along with an interception.
(Photo: AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
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Jimmy Garoppolo's sharp play pairs well with Trey Lance's TD in the 49ers' win over Detroit
What surprised in the opener?
David Lombardi, 49ers beat writer: The 49ers' performance mirrored how they looked during training camp: Garoppolo was efficient and Lance was used exactly as anticipated — in the red zone and in specific down-and-distance situations. Garoppolo's mobility — he avoided a couple sacks that he likely would've have avoided over the past two years — may be seen as a surprise from the outside, but he did showcase those that in the preseason. The 49ers offense did what it was expected to do against a weak Detroit defense.
Will we see more or less of Lance after Garoppolo's performance Sunday?
Lombardi: Garoppolo's very good performance won't affect how often the 49ers use Lance moving forward. This was Kyle Shanahan's plan all long: Garoppolo is his top quarterback, and Lance is here to mix in situationally in 2021. If anything, Lance's package role will grow when the 49ers face stronger opposition because there was no reason to showcase too much against the lowly Lions. But Shanahan knows that Garoppolo is his most efficient option at QB right now, both in terms of managing the play-action and leveraging the run game on a play-by-play basis.
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How did Goff look in the opener?
Chris Burke, Lions beat writer: Story of two games for Goff. There were the first three-plus quarters, in which Goff looked like the QB he was throughout training camp — hesitant to push the envelope, slow processing things in the pocket, leaning on his backs and tight ends for check-down throws. And then there were the final five minutes or so, when Goff tried to pull off a miraculous comeback from a 41-17 deficit. Seeing as how so much of the Lions' season is about showing toughness and resolve, coach Dan Campbell will love what he saw down the stretch. But Goff will have to be better to keep the Lions out of those spots in the first place.