CHICAGO — There is plenty of blame to go around for the 49ers' 19-10 loss to the Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field, but Trey Lance already is shouldering more than his fair share.
Lance opened his postgame press conference by taking responsibility for the offense’s missed opportunities. The Bears scored 19 unanswered points after the 49ers had shut them out in the first half, which provoked the second-year pro quarterback's frustration and disappointment after the game.
“Made too many mistakes,” Lance said Sunday. “Defense kept us in the game. Had a big miss to Tyler Kroft in the end zone. Tried to throw a perfect ball. Should have put it right on him. He was wide open.
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“Turned the ball over. Took a sack that knocked us out of field-goal range. Missed Deebo [Samuel] on third down. Missed another third down to Jauan [Jennings]. Just too many mistakes. A lot of stuff to clean up for sure.”
While he did make several mistakes, Lance also showed reasons why the 49ers traded up to select him with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Lance’s 20-yard pass to Ray-Ray McCloud in the second quarter went much further in air yards and threaded the needle between two defenders.
Lance finished the game completing 13 of his 28 passes for 164 yards with an interception. The North Dakota State product also was the 49ers' top rusher with 13 carries for 54 yards. Lance’s maturity and humility after the disappointing loss, however, might be the most impressive element of his performance.
“I’m frustrated with myself,” Lance said. “I feel like I’m a lot better than that.”
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Late in the game, Lance was seen going up to his teammates on the sideline in what appeared to be pep talks. After the game, he explained what the conversations entailed.
“Keep your head up, keep grinding,” Lance said. “There are 16 more of these things in the regular season. So, I’m excited for next week. Those guys did a great job. I’m proud of them. Receivers made a bunch of plays, running backs made a lot of great plays. I just have to do better.”
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During Lance’s press conference, Trent Williams stood off to the side waiting for his turn to speak to the media. The veteran left tackle was disappointed in the 49ers' loss but not by how Lance handled the situation.
“That’s why they handed him the keys to the organization,” Williams said. “He is a mature dude. He’s a great teammate. That doesn’t surprise us, that’s why he’s there.”