San Francisco 49ers: Kyle Shanahan, Running Backs and the Passing Game

Kyle Shanahan’s Use of Running Backs in the Passing Game

Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman combined for 105 of the Falcons’ 530 targets a year ago. In total, over 22 percent of passes from Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan were intended for tailbacks, according to Robert Mays of the Ringer Podcast, which was sixth most in 2016.

All this while the Falcons had dynamic wide receivers Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel.

It makes sense. Defenses looked to clamp down on Jones and, to a lesser extent, Sanu in obvious passing situations. If the play was drawn up and executed correctly — it often was — tailbacks would be wide open for big gains.

Rich Madrid broke this down in his 49ers passing-game film-room breakdown (gif included):

"The Falcons are running the “sail concept” against Seattle’s cover 3 defense. Shanahan lines them up with two receivers spread to the right and a tighter two-receiver bunch to the quarterback’s left with the running back next to Ryan. The sail concept looks to stretch the defense at all levels of the coverage, knowing the defense doesn’t have that third level. Kyle Shanahan is stressing the cornerback on that side of the field. In cover 3, that corner is responsible for the deep third so Shanahan sends two receivers into that area on a deep post and a corner route. To ensure the linebacker doesn’t drop into coverage with the corner route, he also sends a receiver out into the flat to open that corner void. The result is a touchdown in the void, due to the corner not being able to pass the deep receiver off to the safety, leaving Tevin Coleman wide open in the end zone."

Watch as Coleman — lined up to Ryan’s left — is easily able to exploit the void in the Seahawks secondary.

Of course this requires a few elements the 49ers may lack — an adequate pocket, receivers running proper routes, an accurate quarterback and a pass-catching running back.