Why Shanahan believes 49ers sometimes confuse themselves

Share

The 49ers' offense is so complex, that sometimes even they are confused by their own in-game position changes. 

Whether it be Deebo Samuel at running back, George Kittle at fullback or even offensive tackle Trent Williams going out for a touchdown pass, the 49ers are not afraid to get creative on offense. 

There's a method to the madness, as coach Kyle Shanahan explained to KNBR's "Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks" Wednesday afternoon. 

"When everyone's assigned a certain player in man coverage," Shanahan said. "And they're looking for them by the numbers or in the slot every single play their whole life, and then you break the huddle very fast, and you snap it in one second, no one really can find that guy who's all of a sudden in a three-point stance behind the quarterback." (h/t 49ers WebZone)

"You try to just do that stuff, and unfortunately, it kind of confused us a little," Shanahan admitted, "because when we snapped the ball, it looked like they had 11 guys inside the box because no one knew where to go, and we ended up busting a couple of guys open. But you don't always know how it's going to play out. It's some of the different things with doing something that's unexpected. You feel like someone's going to get open, but you don't know exactly how they're going to react to it."

RELATED: Stopping Deebo will be key for Vikings against 49ers

The best teams in the NFL are oftentimes the ones who take risks and keep opposing teams on their heels, as did Shanahan's 49ers in 2019. 

Winners of two straight games, the 49ers are on a roll and look to leapfrog the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC playoff picture with a win against them on Sunday at Levi's Stadium

The Vikings' defense is susceptible through the air, but mostly on the ground, which could present more rushing opportunities for players like Samuel. 

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

Contact Us