SANTA CLARA — The 49ers are averaging 20.3 factors per recreation. Even in probably the most lean years below coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers by no means completed a season having this a lot issue discovering the top zone.
And right here come the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, nonetheless rolling with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight finish Travis Kelce below the tutelage of coach Andy Reid, main the NFL at 29.8 factors per recreation.
It’s a far much less productive 49ers’ offense than the one which confronted the Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl LIV, one which led the league at 29.9 factors per recreation within the common season and steamrolled each Minnesota and Inexperienced Bay earlier than arising brief in Miami.
In accordance with a number of experiences, former Stanford star and Carolina operating again Christian McCaffrey is coming to the rescue, so the 49ers are clearly had been involved sufficient to depart with appreciable draft capital.
We’ll see how a lot McCaffrey may also help towards the Chiefs in a brand new system and new teammates. Coach Kyle Shanahan instructed KNBR Friday morning that will all be sorted out within the subsequent 48 hours.
“It’s occurred so quick. We’ve acquired to see the place he’s at,” Shanahan stated on the Murph and Mac Present. “It’s not a bodily challenge. he’s been practising all week on the market. he’s prepared in that method. However he’s not going to get a observe in with us. He’s by no means even seen our playbook. Doesn’t know the phrases or something.
“However Christian is a fairly good pure soccer participant. I believe he picks issues up quick so we’ll simply see the way it goes.”
The 49ers averaged 20.7 factors per recreation in Shanahan’s first season, going 6-10 and had been 21.4 with a 4-12 season in 2018 and 24.4 with a 6-10 report in 2020.
Take away defensive touchdowns by Talanoa Hufanga and Emmanuel Moseley this season and the 49ers offense has been chargeable for simply 18.0 factors per recreation via six video games after a 28-14 street loss to Atlanta.
The prevailing notion amongst offensive gamers is there may be loads of time to spice up these numbers, and an excessive amount of expertise for it to not occur.
“It begins with us as gamers. We’ve simply acquired to execute higher,” quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stated Thursday. “It sounds fairly cliché, however there are some simple performs we left on the market on Sunday that we must always have made and have made previously. We’ve acquired to do the little issues in observe that remodel into the sport.”
To carry quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo solely chargeable for the offensive swoon could be a mistake. It's the offense that should carry Garoppolo and never the opposite method round, and thru six video games the 49ers are falling brief.
“We’ve shot ourselves within the foot too many instances,” left sort out Trent Williams stated. “I believe that’s why the scoreboard doesn’t mirror the expertise we now have.”
It ought to assist that Williams, top-of-the-line at his place, is anticipated to be again within the beginning lineup after lacking three video games with a excessive ankle sprain.
The 49ers have top-of-the-line defensive groups within the NFL, though had been lower than that in a 28-14 street loss in Atlanta with out the likes of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Emmanuel Moseley and Charvarius Ward (for a half) and Jimmie Ward. Armstead received’t play and Moseley is out for the season. Bosa ought to play, and Ward has an opportunity with a groin pressure.
To tight finish George Kittle, the magic quantity is 24, and it has nothing to do with Willie Mays.
“We’re going to have to attain a minimal 24 factors if we’re going to win these video games,” Kittle stated. “To date that’s been fairly true. We strive to not flip the ball over, rating 24 factors, and our protection is doing a very good job.
“Now we’re in all probability taking part in the most effective offense we’re going to face. They’ve acquired Mahomes, Kelce, good receivers, a superb run-game and a top-three third-down protection. Our offense goes to have to remain on the sector, management the ball and never let Mahomes go to work.”
True sufficient, the 49ers have scored 27, 24 and 37 of their wins, and 10, 10 and 14 of their losses.
So it will behoove the 49ers to get issues into gear sooner reasonably than later. Some points that should be sorted out Sunday:
The right combination for Deebo
If it appeared like Deebo Samuel was much more explosive early on final season, you'll be appropriate. By means of six video games, he had 38 receptions for 648 yards (17.0 yards per catch) and 4 touchdowns versus 27 receptions for 345 yards (12.8 ypc) and two scores.
However right here’s the rub. Samuel really had extra touches via six video games final season (50 to 44) as a result of he hadn’t but been used extensively as a operating again. He’s acquired 23 rushes for 136 yards versus solely six carries a 12 months in the past.
A few of the issues getting Samuel free must do with groups being extra terrified of him after a breakout season and utilizing their assets to sluggish him down. Regardless of the purpose, Shanahan has to seek out methods to get Samuel in area.
“I don’t assume it’s that they’re defending Deebo any in another way,” run recreation coordinator Chris Foerster stated. “We’ve put him in related conditions and there are alternatives. A few of been missed by him. Others we haven’t correctly executed for him.”
McCaffrey’s arrival as a operating again and receiver ought to give Shananan first rate odds at getting one or the opposite in open area when on the sector on the similar time.
Discovering Kittle ultimately zone
Tight finish George Kittle missed the primary two video games with a groin pressure, and has 19 receptions for 182 yards and no touchdowns in 4 video games. He’s come shut twice — as soon as when Kittle couldn’t get each toes in bounds towards Carolina and a landing was reversed, and a second time when got here extensive open towards Atlanta and Garoppolo missed him whereas rolling to his proper.
Kittle’s final landing got here on a 16-yard move from Garoppolo in final season’s NFC title recreation towards he Rams and he doesn’t have a daily season landing since Week 13 final season towards Cincinnati.
Even permitting for the truth that his blocking duties are far higher than that of counterpart Travis Kelce of the Chiefs, Kittle must get ultimately zone for the 49ers offense to choose up the tempo.
Ending what they began
A lot was fabricated from the 49ers’ meandering 16-play clock consuming drive towards Atlanta after they devoured 8:08 off the clock down by 14 factors. And didn’t rating.
Sure, it damage and it was aggravating to observe. However Shanahan made it clear the issue was not scoring extra so than the time consumed. The purpose is, he’s not going to alter. If Shanahan thinks there’s time for 2 scores, he’s going to be affected person, prefer it or not. That’s how he’s wired, for higher or worse.
Ending extra drives would make a giant distinction. Seven instances in 17 purple zone possessions, the 49ers have failed to attain a landing. That’s not ok.
Working the ball
The 49ers have run the ball effectively at instances, however not persistently, with 518 of their 744 dashing yards in three video games.
McCaffrey figures on this space instantly, and Elijah Mitchell ought to be again after the bye, not that it'll assist them towards the Chiefs. One of the best ways to sluggish Mahomes and Co. is to maintain them on the sideline.
Foerster, charged with getting the blockers and backs working in live performance, stated there are too many issues to depend with regards to execution of any operating play.
“It’s normally only a bunch of little issues that add up after which fairly quickly the sum of the entire shouldn't be ok,” Foerster stated. “The sum of the components isn’t ok.”