The San Francisco 49ers come into 2021 with a quarterback controversy on their hands, as they took Trey Lance out of North Dakota State with the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, and Lance projects as the eventual starter. In the meantime, Jimmy Garoppolo has been named the starter, but if the offense comes out stagnantly in the regular season, and if Lance can impress in the preseason, then the change may come sooner than later. On the other side of the field, Patrick Mahomes II is only likely to play a series or two before giving way to the likes of Chad Henne and SMU product Shane Buechele.
Let’s take a look at the NFL betting prospects for the preseason opener for both teams.
NFL Preview: Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers
When: Saturday, August 14, 2021, 8:30 PM ET
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
TV: No National Broadcast
Radio: WDAF 106.5 FM Kansas City / KNBR 660 AM San Francisco
Live Stream: FuboTV
NFL Odds: Kansas City +2.5 / O/U 37 ½
Why should you bet on the Chiefs?
During Andy Reid’s time in Kansas City, he has only played his starters a few series in the first two preseason games. However, this season is the first in which the NFL has reduced the number of preseason games from four to three, and given the fact that the Chiefs overhauled their offensive line, the starters may finish the first quarter, but that remains to be seen. The new O-line has four starters who were not on the team in 2020, including left tackle Orlando Brown, named to the Pro Bowl last season. The team also added Joe Thuney from New England, and rookies Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey are projected to start this season. This crew will need time to mesh, which means lots of snaps in the preseason, rather than looking at blockers down the depth chart.
On defense, the Chiefs saw a lot of experience leave during the off-season at cornerback, and now the starters are Rashad Fenton and Deandre Baker, with Mike Hughes coming via free agency to add depth. These players should get plenty of time on defense to see if they are ready to lead the squad. The 49ers should represent a soft start for the secondary, because their wide receiving corps is not all that impressive, led by Mohamed Sanu and bolstered by Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
Why should you put your money on the 49ers?
The 49ers have both Dee Ford and Nick Bosa back; the pair of Pro Bowlers were only on the field for a combined three contests in 2020. That’s the good news for San Francisco fans; however, it is extremely unlikely that either will see the field on Saturday as the team does not want to risk them missing more time this year. Instead, Zach Kerr, Arden Key and Maurice Hurst, all of whom came in during the off-season, will get time as coaches determine whether they can play a contributing role in the defense this season.
The big story for the 49ers in this game, though, is Trey Lance. Word out of the San Francisco camp is that Lance has wowed coaches with his arm strength, accuracy, athleticism. Interestingly, the word is spreading that at least some of the 49ers’ 2021 opponents would rather see Jimmy G at quarterback than Lance.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
The 49ers should give Lance a significant amount of time at quarterback, and given the limited experience of the Chiefs’ secondary, there should be plenty of opportunities for him to move the ball down the field. The Chiefs, on the other hand, are more likely to be focused on player evaluation, and with Mahomes seeing limited action, the 49ers should have the edge in terms of production. I predict a final score of San Francisco 23, Kansas City 16.
NFL Betting Odds
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