Week 2 of the preseason went much better for the 49ers, as they walked away with a 31-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The focus on offense was to see if HB Elijah Mitchell could take on a bigger role in order to help spell veteran running back Raheem Mostert during the regular season. He answered that question by running for 94 yards on 13 attempts and getting the ball across the goal line twice on the ground. He also got involved in the passing game, as he hauled in 4 receptions for 48 yards and a receiving TD. He in fact, made a case for closer to 50% of the snaps in the regular season.
Trey Lance had a much better week, as he showed improvement from the first week of the preseason. After an abysmal preseason debut, Lance put together a much better Week 2 performance and racked up 60 yards and a TD, while completing 100% of his 4 pass attempts.
With HB Mitchell answering the question about his role when the regular season starts, the focus on offense in the final preseason week is switching over to QB Lance. The team is going to give the rookie a serious look, to see if he can possibly do more than just backup incumbent QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
On defense, Ambry Thomas was the center of attention, but was overshadowed by veteran CB Kawaan Williams and his two interceptions. That being said, Thomas still put together a respectable game as he totaled two tackles and a pass deflection for the game. He is still competing for a slot or dime role, so he will again be the focus on defense in the final week of the preseason.
The 49ers are staying home to face off against the former San Francisco Bay rival Las Vegas Raiders in the final week of preseason.
