SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Regardless of a tumultuous season far completely different from the successful he and his group have grown accustomed to in recent times, Kyle Shanahan has no want to educate anybody however the San Francisco 49ers subsequent season or any time quickly.
Within the days main as much as the Niners’ 38-13 destruction of the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon, web chatter about Shanahan’s future in San Francisco started to unfold. One of many wildest concepts put forth was that Shanahan ought to be traded to the Bears within the offseason to restock the Niners’ lot of draft picks and provides the Bears a long-term reply at head coach after firing Matt Eberflus.
When requested about it Sunday afternoon, Shanahan made it clear he desires to be in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
“I do not wish to be anywhere on the earth greater than right here,” Shanahan mentioned. “My household feels simply as sturdy if not so much stronger. I hope you guys are going to must kick me out of right here.”
On Friday afternoon, Niners common supervisor John Lynch expressed an identical sentiment on KNBR radio in San Francisco, calling the dialogue “reasonably comical” and rattling off the Niners’ current stretch of successful, albeit and not using a Lombardi Trophy.
“We’re 100% behind Kyle and what he brings to our group,” Lynch instructed KNBR. “Like I mentioned, our focus is basically on the Bears and doing every thing we are able to. That is the place Kyle’s focus is, and that is the place all our focus is.”
On Sunday, for the primary time in a few month, the Niners appeared like a group that did have all its give attention to its subsequent opponent as they improved to 6-7 with relative ease. San Francisco acquired the opening kickoff and put collectively one of the dominant first-half performances in current reminiscence.
Along with leaping out to a 24-0 lead, the Niners outgained the Bears in whole yards 319-4. The offensive output was essentially the most by a group within the first half this season, and the protection held the Bears to the bottom yardage whole by a group within the opening two quarters this season.
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That plus-315-yard differential within the first half was San Francisco’s largest yard differential in any half over the previous 40 seasons. Rookie working again Isaac Guerendo was on the middle of San Francisco’s assault.
Making his first NFL begin after the group misplaced Christian McCaffrey (proper knee), Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) and Jordan Mason (ankle) to injured reserve, Guerendo appeared proper at house. He completed with 128 yards from scrimmage on 17 touches (7.5 yards per contact) and had a pair of touchdowns earlier than a foot damage despatched him to the locker room within the fourth quarter.
Guerendo didn’t return to the sport and is ready for additional testing Monday to see the extent of the damage and if he’ll be out there to play towards the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night time.
“Every little thing is ok,” Guerendo mentioned. “They’re simply being cautious. We now have a fast turnaround this week, so we’re simply ensuring that we’re good to go.”
Earlier than departing, Guerendo etched himself into the 49ers file books together with his profitable debut. He turned the fourth participant in franchise historical past to have 100-plus scrimmage yards and a minimum of two touchdowns in his first begin, becoming a member of Carlos Hyde (2015), Earl Cooper (1980) and Hugh McElhenny (1952) in that membership.
Guerendo additionally turned the second rookie this season to submit a number of dashing touchdowns in a sport, becoming a member of Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. All of which contributed to San Francisco scoring a season-high 38 factors, a degree greater than what it had managed prior to now three video games mixed.
“All I have been preaching to Isaac is, ‘Hey man, simply run actually, actually quick and maintain on the soccer and you are going to get plenty of yards,'” tight finish George Kittle mentioned. “And I believed he did a very good job of that right this moment.”
With Guerendo working nicely, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy and Kittle additionally acquired into a fast rhythm. Purdy completed 20-of-25 for 325 yards and a pair of touchdowns with Kittle amassing 151 receiving yards on six catches.
San Francisco’s protection complemented that offensive outburst nicely, sacking Bears quarterback Caleb Williams seven instances and limiting Chicago to simply 162 yards and three.1 yards per play.
After the win, the 49ers weren’t a lot within the temper to have a good time figuring out they’ve a brief week and an vital divisional sport forward. They did, nonetheless, set free a sigh of reduction that their three-game shedding streak is over and that there’s nonetheless significant soccer to be performed.
“It is big,” Purdy mentioned. “Clearly, it is the place we’re at and each week issues a lot. Everyone knows that. I believe simply the most important factor was simply getting some vitality and momentum. This league is, it is laborious, it is powerful and if you do not have momentum or vitality and perception inside a constructing, it may be actually powerful. For us, I believe that was the emphasis right this moment.”
Whereas the Niners acquired again within the win column, they did not get a lot assist from their divisional brethren. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals to remain two video games in entrance of the Niners within the NFC West, whereas the Rams pulled off a wild victory towards the Buffalo Payments to remain in second place by themselves forward of the Niners.
In line with ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index, San Francisco’s playoff probabilities improved from 8% earlier than the sport to 13% with the win. The one approach for these to proceed to climb, after all, is for the Niners to proceed to win. They’ve 4 video games left and virtually no margin for error.
“We nonetheless have every thing in entrance of us to play for,” Kittle mentioned. “I do know sure issues would possibly must occur, but when we win each single sport, I believe we have put ourselves in an excellent place to both win the division or someway sneak our approach into playoff competition. … I positively assume all people on this constructing nonetheless believes.”
