🏈 How The 49ers Are Navigating A Two-QB System

The 49ers are showing it’s possible to be in a strong position and yet simultaneously be in a bind. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Whatever happens with the San Francisco 49ers’ QB situation from this point forward is going to be strange ... we take a look at what’s next for the Packers and Texans ... and we are treated to a must-watch video featuring J.J. Watt and Chandler Jones. There are several things the National Football League just wouldn’t be the same without, and hugs are one of them. There are joyous hugs of celebration, hugs of somber commiseration, touchdown hugs, interception hugs, pregame and postgame hugs, bro hugs, bear hugs and even hugs where the participants’ hearts aren’t really in it, something a friend once insisted was known as a “shrug hug.” We don’t talk a lot about hugs, perhaps because they are so common, but in the case of Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance and the weird seat-warming saga going on in San Francisco, we’ll make an exception. Last Sunday, Garoppolo, the 49ers starting quarterback, and Lance, the rookie drafted to eventually (or perhaps imminently) replace him, shared a hug. They did so during the team’s 41-33 victory over the Detroit Lions, in the moments after Lance had come in toward the end of a drive and thrown his first career pass for a touchdown. It happened over by the 49ers sideline and it was sweet, uplifting and yep, really freaking awkward all at the same time. It wasn’t exactly the hug heard around the world - because hugs don’t really get “heard,” do they? However, it was enough to make us realize one thing about the QB situation in the Bay Area. Whatever happens from this point forward, it is going to be a strange situation, all season long. [STORY IMAGE 1] “That’s not an easy hug to give,” former NFL QB Mark Sanchez said on the FOX broadcast. When interviewed postgame, Garoppolo, with somewhat surprising candor, agreed. "He's not wrong," Garoppolo said with a laugh. “It’s an it-is-what-it-is type of situation. It's just one of those things that you can only control what you can control. And I'm out there with my boys, making the best of it, having a good time. And at the end of the day, we're playing football, trying to get a win. So, whatever it takes. “This league, it's crazy how things happen. You've just got to roll with the punches and let the chips fall as they may at the end. And we'll see where everything is at the end.” It ends, almost certainly, with Garoppolo playing for another team, but we’ll get to that momentarily. Garoppolo was in charge for the vast majority of the game, going 17-for-25 with 314 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 and would love to begin the campaign with a pair of road wins to build some momentum. Frankly, they look good on both sides of the ball. [STORY IMAGE 2] Is it possible for a team to be in a really strong position and yet simultaneously be in a bind? Plenty of organizations would be delighted to have a QB that took them to a Super Bowl less than two years ago running the show, with a youngster who smacks of smarts and potential waiting in the wings and backing him up. The 49ers went all-in to get Lance during the offseason, sending a treasure trove package to the Miami Dolphins in order to move up to the No. 3 pick, which, of course, they used to select the signal-caller from North Dakota State. That put Garoppolo on the clock and effectively ensured he has no long-term future in San Francisco, making this campaign an effective audition to determine where he lands next and how much he gets paid for it. The worst-case scenario is that Garoppolo plays bad but not terribly, pushing the 49ers into a position where the temptation is to thrust Lance into action earlier than they would ideally like. Until the changeover, such an outcome would increase the awkwardness and become a talking point hanging over the team. [STORY IMAGE 3] The best-case scenario is that Garoppolo thrives, taking a talented team toward a position where they can contend for a deep playoff run and giving Lance time to grow and learn while being given occasional snaps in certain situations. Yet that situation has a similar effect in some ways. Moving on from Garoppolo appears to be set in stone right now, but what if the 49ers go 13-4 with him under center? It’s going to be a hot button issue, with plenty of disagreement, no matter what. On “First Things First,” FS1’s Nick Wright predicted that the period following a Week 10 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams could be a tipping point, arguing that a string of subsequent games against relatively weak defenses might allow for a seamless introduction for the rookie. “If Trey Lance is showing a grasp of the offense showing growth throughout the season, there is a spot where even if Jimmy G is healthy I think it makes sense,” Wright said. [STORY IMAGE 4] [FOX Bet lists the 49ers as three-point favorites against Philadelphia]( which has gone through the whole QB switcheroo thing themselves, with Jalen Hurts now in control after Carson Wentz moved on to the Indianapolis Colts. 49ers fans can be forgiven for not knowing what to wish for. Even a rousing 2-0 start and things are going to be uncomfortable. There is sympathy to be had for both Garoppolo, who is operating in a situation that comes with a mix of embarrassment and the permanent need to look over his shoulder, and Lance, who is learning from a guy whose job he’ll poach, sooner or later. The best way to feel better when things are tense and awkward? A hug, of course. But even the most satisfying squeeze can’t fix everything, and it can’t fix every part of this conundrum. If the 49ers keep winning, though, does it even need fixing? [STORY IMAGE 5] Here’s what others have said ... Steve Young, NFL Hall of Famer: “The whole thing is fraught with terror, right?” Nick Wright, First Things First: “Jimmy G has a very defined ceiling... There is going to be a moment this season when he confirms what most of us already know." Marcellus Wiley, Speak For Yourself: “You can get too cute in these situations. You want the best of both worlds and might end up with nothing at all.” [IN OTHER WORDS] - What’s next for the Packers? Why did the Texans start strong? [FOX Sports NFL Analyst Peter Schrager has the answers in his Week 2 cheat sheet](. - Saturday's race at Bristol is one last chance for playoff contenders to eliminate mistakes — or else. [FOX Sports NASCAR Writer Bob Pockrass has the story](. - [Skip Bayless has been an Oklahoma Sooners fan his entire life]( a love affair solidified in 1971’s “Game of the Century.” [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED] [THE INTERNET IS UNDEFEATED]( The Arizona Cardinals put on what we refer to as a “defensive clinic” in their dominant 38-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The team posted some mic’d-up videos from Sunday’s game, including this one featuring J.J. Watt and his reaction to fellow defensive end Chandler Jones recording five(!) sacks in the game. “Excuse me. Are you serious,” Watt said. Jones responds by saying “we’ve got the opportunity to do something great,” to which Watt says “We doing it. YOU doing it!” Watt, Jones and the Cardinals take on the Minnesota Vikings Sunday at 4::05 p.m. ET on FOX. [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Ohio at Louisiana (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) Kurtis Rourke and the Ohio Bobcats take on Levi Lewis and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. New York Giants at Washington Football Team (NFL Network, 8:20 p.m. ET) Daniel Jones and the New York Giants take on Chase Young and the Washington Football Team on Thursday Night Football. [BET OF THE DAY] [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Good news, everyone! [FOX Super 6]( is back for NFL Week 2 with yet another chance for you to win a whopping $1,000,000 of Terry Bradshaw's money – absolutely for free. And to help you get to the pay window, here are Jason McIntyre's thoughts and picks for all six games, including some insight on how you might want to approach each game against the spread at [FOX Bet](. LOS ANGELES RAMS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS The Rams did let David Montgomery rush for 108 yards on just 16 carries. If Jonathan Taylor can control the clock and keep the Rams offense off the field, the Colts will have a shot. PICK: Rams to win by 7-9 points NEW ORLEANS SAINTS @ CAROLINA PANTHERS Carolina, which dominated in the trenches against the Jets (6 sacks, 6 TFL, 10 QB hits), won’t be pushed around as easily as the Packers. Their front seven is a sneaky underrated group having added Haason Reddick in free agency opposite Brian Burns. Sean Payton has won four straight against Matt Rhule, and eight of nine against the Panthers overall. PICK: Saints to win by 1-2 points SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES The Eagles won in the trenches easily against the Falcons, something they won’t be able to do against the 49ers. However, the 49ers showed they were susceptible to passes to TEs/RBs, as the Lions got 28 receptions from players at those positions. The Eagles have better players at both positions and should be able to score with the 49ers if Jalen Hurts can play mistake-free football. PICK: 49ers to win by 7-9 points CINCINNATI BENGALS @ CHICAGO BEARS I'm not even sure it’s an upset if the Bengals win, given their propensity for keeping games close with Joe Burrow. Outside of two blowout losses against the Ravens as a rookie, he’s 7-2 ATS. PICK: Bengals to win by 3-4 points BUFFALO BILLS @ MIAMI DOLPHINS The key will be if Buffalo’s run defense can get off the field. Expect Miami to slow the game down with a heavy rushing attacking, hoping to wear down the Bills in the humid, 90-degree weather expected in South Florida. PICK: Bills to win by 1-2 points KANSAS CITY CHIEFS @ BALTIMORE RAVENS It doesn’t help Baltimore was missing Marcus Peters (out for the season) and Jimmy Smith (TBD), but that’s not changing in a few days. I’m not sure there’s a path to victory for the Ravens on either side of the ball, short of a heroic performance from Lamar Jackson after his two-fumble disaster on MNF. PICK: Chiefs to win by 10-14 points [WHAT THEY SAID] “No one ever drowned in sweat.” — Lou Holtz [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2021 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. Fox.com Business & Legal Affairs - Manager Digital Media P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213-0900