SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Earlier than the San Francisco 49ers began their newest postseason run, coach Kyle Shanahan sat down with the group’s analytics employees and went via the potential eventualities for a sport that may attain extra time.
The NFL put in new guidelines for postseason extra time in March 2022 that will enable for every group to get a possession no matter what the group with the ball first does (except there’s a defensive rating). However the Niners had not been concerned in an extra time sport within the playoffs in that point.
All of which made what occurred in Sunday evening’s Tremendous Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs uncharted territory for each groups.
After a number of Niners stated after the sport they weren’t conscious of the extra time setup, Shanahan stated Tuesday he had laid out a plan along with his employees earlier than the playoffs started. He stated he additionally instructed his assistant coaches to let the group know earlier than the extra time interval began however didn’t really feel the necessity to talk about that plan along with his group earlier than that time.
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“We instructed everybody as we have been ready for the coin toss to assessment everybody to verify they’re positive earlier than we exit,” Shanahan stated. “So, we requested place coaches to do this. However I did not cowl it in a gathering on the Tremendous Bowl week. I do not assume that adjustments something.”
A number of 49ers stated Tuesday that whether or not they knew the specifics of the rule or not didn’t change the truth that they wanted to attempt to rating on offense and get a cease to beat the Chiefs and declare the franchise’s long-awaited sixth Lombardi Trophy.
Quarterback Brock Purdy stated quarterbacks coach Brian Griese did certainly give him a heads up on the foundations on the finish of regulation.
“He defined the foundations to me and every thing so I had an understanding of it,” Purdy stated.
On the heels of San Francisco’s 25-22 loss to the Chiefs, Shanahan’s resolution to take the ball first after the 49ers received the toss has been scrutinized. The Niners took the ball and managed solely a 27-yard area objective from kicker Jake Moody earlier than Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes marched his offense down the sector to win it on a 3-yard landing move to receiver Mecole Hardman.
After the sport, Shanahan stated his dialogue with the group’s analytics employees had indicated it could be greatest to take the ball first as a result of if each groups matched scores on their opening drives, the Niners would get the ball to open the portion of extra time wherein the primary group to attain would win.
On Tuesday, Shanahan defined that these discussions occurred earlier than the playoffs, however he needed to stay versatile relying on how the sport was enjoying out. If the sport had been extra excessive scoring, Shanahan indicated he may need taken the ball second the place he would have identified precisely what he wanted to win the sport earlier than San Francisco’s first possession.
“I all the time make [the decision] within the warmth of battle with that data,” Shanahan stated. “If it was just like the Tremendous Bowl the 12 months earlier than the one which appeared extra like a shootout, I believe I may need felt somewhat bit in a different way however having that data entering into and the way in which ours was going, I did not really feel in a different way. I felt correct with what they really useful.”
Niners normal supervisor John Lynch additionally identified that the 49ers protection had simply been on the sector making an attempt to fend off Kansas Metropolis’s frantic closing drive. The Chiefs marched 64 yards on 11 performs, and Niners cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and security Ji’Ayir Brown needed to be helped off the sector with accidents simply three performs earlier than the tying area objective.
“If you’re enjoying Mahomes, you are chasing him lots,” Lynch stated. “So, there’s a variety of effort that is expended. I believe the context from there may be you want a while to get recent. So, all these issues play into it. These are sound choices.”
After their second devastating Tremendous Bowl defeat in 4 seasons, the 49ers returned to the Bay Space on Monday. They spent Tuesday cleansing out their lockers, discussing the performs they need they’d made within the sport in addition to how they plan to spend time grieving the competition — and championship — that acquired away.
Lynch vowed to proceed working to enhance the roster, acknowledged that the group hopes to re-sign vast receiver Brandon Aiyuk (who has one 12 months left on his rookie deal) and that the group will use their newest loss on the large stage as “gasoline” for an additional crack at all of it subsequent season.
A weary Shanahan hung out speaking to as many gamers as doable earlier than they left, noting that he hadn’t but watched the movie from the Tremendous Bowl. He stated expects his teaching employees again largely intact however that these conversations nonetheless should happen within the coming weeks.
Requested how he feels in regards to the rising notion that he cannot win the largest of video games, Shanahan made it clear he is not apprehensive about exterior dialogue a lot as he can attain the NFL mountaintop.
“If I mounted notion, meaning I did every thing I needed to do, which is not mounted notion, it is profitable a rattling Tremendous Bowl,” Shanahan stated. “We have received a variety of large video games right here. We received a variety of large video games to get into the playoffs. … These two Tremendous Bowls have been robust dropping to Kansas Metropolis. However to assume that if we win that, meaning I can win an enormous sport. No, meaning our group received a Tremendous Bowl. That is what I perceive.
“You guys can have any narrative you need, however the success or the failure, it comes down to 1 sport. And I hope that I will be part of the group that wins a sport on the finish of the 12 months. However to say that the Niners cannot win an enormous sport could be a particularly inaccurate assertion.”
