NFC Notes: Trey Lance, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

The Trey Lance package has disappeared from the 49ers’ offense and HC Kyle Shanahan has an explanation for why he’s curtailed the snaps for his first-round quarterback. 

“It’s more about me to tell you the truth,” Shanahan said via NBC Sports’ Jennifer Lee Chan. “In terms of calling plays, We get into a rhythm of attacking a defense and what fronts they are playing and what coverages. Every play kind of plays off the next play and you get a feel, our players do and I, of what we are going to.”

Shanahan explained defenses treat the 49ers’ offense dramatically different when Lance is in the game as opposed to Garoppolo, which makes sense considering the rookie is a dangerous runner. 

“What’s been hard on me, that I didn’t realize, is when you do bring in a different quarterback who gets a different set of plays, it’s almost the first play I’ve been seeing of a new defense,” Shanahan said. “You see what fronts and coverages they are doing but they are doing it completely to a plan as a threat of the runner at that position. 

“I don’t know what to anticipate with it, and then I got to stay in it for a while to get a feel for that. And then you go back and that feels kind of off for the last guy, so it kind of hurts my rhythm a little bit of understanding what a defense is getting. That’s why personally as the year has gone I’ve gotten a little more away from it because I like to get a feel for what the defense is doing.” 

Cardinals

• Cardinals RB James Conner, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent, said he would like to stay in Arizona past this season: “Man, I want to win a Super Bowl here.” (Bob McManaman)
• Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said RB Chase Edmonds (ankle) and LS Aaron Brewer (forearm) have been ruled out from Week 13, while LG Justin Pugh (calf) will be a game-time decision. (McManaman)
• Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons said Kingsbury reassured him that he’s not interested in the University of Oklahoma job: “You and me are in this for the long haul. From what he told us, he’s not going anywhere.” (McManaman)
• Kingsbury mentioned that he didn’t have any input on the Cardinals taking S Jalen Thompson in the 2019 supplemental draft: “I was probably on a beach in Europe.” (Kent Somers)

Rams

• A scout for an AFC team opined to Fansided’s Matt Lombardo about the issues facing the Rams: “They’re too heavy in big-names and star players. The problem is, their depth is lacking.”
• The scout added he thought HC Sean McVay could be doing a better job as a coach: “McVay’s a part of their issues right now, too. There’s no doubt he’s bought into his media image.”