Evaluating the performance from the 49ers quarterbacks in their preseason loss to the Raiders isn’t an easy task considering the pressure they were under.
Watching live it was clear quarterbacks Trey Lance and Sam Darnold weren’t getting much chance to get comfortable, but the numbers from Pro Football Focus illustrate how disastrous it was. In total, 49ers quarterbacks were pressured 12 times in 36 dropbacks – an absurdly high 33.3 percent pressure rate.
Lance dropped back 20 times and was under pressure on 10 of them. A 50 percent pressure rate is insane. Lance took four sacks (though at least two were on him for not getting rid of the ball), and completed three of his five throws under pressure for 16 yards and a touchdown.
PFF marked his touchdown pass as a turnover-worthy play, although head coach Kyle Shanahan after the game expressed some optimism about that particular play.
Darnold had a little bit easier time, but still was under duress on three of his eight dropbacks. A 37.5 percent pressure rate is also not good. He got the ball away all three times he was under pressure and completed one of the throws for 16 yards. It was a nice layered throw over a linebacker, in front of a safety to rookie WR Ronnie Bell.
The last QB Brandon Allen, who played most of the fourth quarter, had a much more normal day. He had eight dropbacks and was pressured just once. He completed his only throw under pressure for 15 yards.
While the pressure rates for Lance and Darnold were bad and may have stunted their chances to make positive plays, there’s still plenty for the coaching staff to evaluate in terms of how the QBs handled the pressure they were under.
With Darnold it was fine. With Lance it was a mixed bag where he led himself to sacks, but he also scrambled to turn a couple of potential negative plays into plus ones.
It’s unlikely the 49ers are going to roll out their starting offensive line for their backup QBs in a preseason game, so their signal callers will need to figure out the best way to deal with defenders hanging out in the backfield for the final two games on the exhibition slate.
