SUNDAY NIGHT PRESEASON NFL: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

BY ADAM GREENE

Our second game of preseason Sunday picks up in SoFi Stadium as the Los Angeles Chargers host their NoCal neighbors, the San Francisco 49ers. Like every other set of teams facing off this week, the Niners and Chargers have enjoyed some joint practices where the comparisons between Justin Herbert, the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year for LA and Trey Lance, the current rookie and (as of right now) back up in San Francisco made for easy column inches to write.

It didn’t hurt that Herbert’s former Oregon teammate, Deommodore Lenoir, is a corner for the 49ers and had a quote ready, telling reporters that “Trey is very talented. I actually played with a quarterback that was just like him with arm strength and then being able to make them tight window throws… Yeah. Justin Herbert.”

Of course, Jimmy Garoppolo is currently penciled in as the starter for San Fran, but at this time last year Herbert was No. 2 to Tyrod Taylor. So anything can happen.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (+5.5, O/U 34)

Location: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif.

Broadcast: NFL Network

Kickoff: Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. EST

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-1)

While the 49ers did fall to the Kansas City Chiefs 19-16 in their preseason opener, no one cared much about that. Instead, everyone was jacked up over Lance’s performance, specifically one play in which Lance dropped a dime on Trent Sherfield for an 80 yard touchdown pass. The beauty of the play, and what you have to love if you’re a San Francisco fan, is that Lance had more than one option open on the play. Which goes to show how well Kyle Shanahan drew it up. The easiest throw would have been to Brandon Aiyuk, who came open on a crossing pattern right at the first down marker. It would have been a great play, Aiyuk was wide open with a defender trailing and no one in front of him for 10 yards. Not only would he have gotten the first down, but probably picked up 15 or 20 more. Lance saw it. When you watch the replay, it’s right in front of him. But here’s where you separate the men from the boys. Lance looked right and saw the Sherfield play developing. So he moved on from Aiyuk and tossed a lovely rainbow right to Sherfield, over two defenders’ heads. It’s a killer instinct play. Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes type stuff.

Lance just finished 5 of 14 passing for 128 yards and that score, but it was enough to get everyone excited. And they should be. Garoppolo is an NFL starter and, even when his time is up with the Niners, he’ll land on his feet somewhere. But we want to see Lance Sunday and the books do too, as this 5.5 line is no joke.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (1-0)

While we might want to see Justin Herbert as well, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley has learned from his old boss to not care at all about that. Herbert won’t play a down in the preseason, so we’re getting Chase Daniel and Easton Stick again. Last week in a 13-6 win over the Rams in the “Battle of Los Angeles,” Daniel finished 15 of 24 for 104 yards and Stick, who I still have trouble believing is a real person, was a perfect 7 for 7 for 63 yards. It’ll be all backups and reserves again as Staley wants to take his loaded team into the regular season healthy. This is a playoff unit and only one thing can mess that up; injuries.

THE PICK

Garoppolo will probably get a quarter to get his feet wet before Lance takes over and we all get glued to the game to see what he’s going to do. With no Herbert, the Chargers can still move the ball and could have some success late as San Fran begins to pull its depth. Still, the Niners are too strong and I think Lance is going to do something to make us all wake up from our Sunday night preseason stupor at some point. 49ers 23, Chargers 16

Last week

Straight up: 6-10

Against the spread: 5-11

Preseason

Straight up: 7-10

Against the spread: 6-11

The NFL season begins on Thursday, Sep. 9 and the Week 1 Schedule is already up and taking bets at BetOnline.AG.

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