The 49ers signed Alex Mack to be their new starting center this offseason and his first snap in a regular season game didn’t go as planned.
Mack’s snap to Jimmy Garoppolo was a botch and Lions linebacker Jamie Collins fell on the loose ball to give the Lions the ball on the 49ers’ 38-yard line. They picked up a first down, but Jared Goff missed an open Amon-Ra St. Brown down the sideline and a screen to D’Andre Swift lost eight yards to halt their momentum.
The Lions opted for a 51-yard field goal try, but Austin Seibert missed the kick to keep the game scoreless.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell made a different call on the first possession. The Lions had a fourth-and-two at the 49ers’ 35-yard-line and Campbell opted to go for it. Jamaal Williams was stuffed behind the line to end the drive, so neither option has worked out for Detroit.