Lance kept it simple in 49ers' preseason win over Packers

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SANTA CLARA -- From gathering his 49ers teammates around him for a quick pregame talk to leading the team out of the tunnel and onto the field, things just looked different for quarterback Trey Lance on Friday.

And he thought so, too.

“I felt very different,” Lance said after the 49ers’ 28-21 preseason victory over the Green Bay Packers. “The game slowed down for sure.

"Obviously, it’s a preseason game, but some good, some bad. There’s a lot to learn from.”

Lance officially took over as the 49ers' starting quarterback this offseason, as the club holds onto Jimmy Garoppolo's contract while they attempt to get something in return for him in a trade.

He started only two games as a rookie and knew his role as the backup. Now, he is trying to use every experience to learn and grow before the start of the regular season on Sept. 11 against the Chicago Bears.

Lance said he was excited to spend some time Friday night and Saturday watching the game video and learning more about what he did well and where there is room to improve.

Lance completed four of five passes for 92 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Danny Gray against the Packers at Levi's Stadium.

The design of the big play was quite simple, he said.

“Throw it to the fast guy,” Lance said.

“For me, it was kind of a route-on-air play when Danny runs that fast.”

Gray, a third-round pick from SMU with 4.33 speed, has made some big plays on the practice field this summer. But those deep catches have come mostly from backup Nate Sudfeld throwing the ball down the field.

"Me and Trey, we get the work in after practice,” Gray said. “We throw the deep balls. I feel like everything is coming together.

“It’s paying off a lot. We’re going to be special together.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan said the priority for Friday night was to get some game experience for Lance while trying to minimize any risk of injury. Lance took off running on his first drop back, and he played it safe with a slide at the end of a 7-yard gain.

"It was good first game," Shanahan said. "Wish we kept him out there more, but have to get him out.” 

RELATED: What Lance showed in 49ers' preseason opener, including long TD pass

Lance and the offense have experienced an up-and-down training camp while going head-to-head with a 49ers defense that could be among the best in the league. Lance said he was excited for the opportunity to go up against another team.

“We’ve been looking forward to it for a long time,” Lance said. “Training camp try to take it one day at a time. Against our defense, there are good days and bad days, but they make us better and we showed it today.”

 

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