San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 takeaways from Week 12 loss to Seahawks
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: The Coaching Staff Is Learning on the Job
Both head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh have flashed moments of brilliance along with numerous head-scratching decisions.
And Week 12 was no different.
Shanahan’s Xs and Os are among the best in the NFL, and one could argue his play-calling is limited by the lack of overall talent on offense. Yet with two weeks’ preparation time, Shanahan’s game plan lacked a serious amount of creativity.
Despite a banged-up Seahawks secondary, Shanahan rarely had quarterback C.J. Beathard target his receivers down the field. When running back Carlos Hyde ended up being the leading receiver with seven receptions, well, that tells you what you need to know.
Saleh, in comparison, also dialed up a number of three-man pass rushes instead of the traditional four-player groups. It was a bit odd to see, especially when edge rusher Ronald Blair winds up in coverage against Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham.
Not sure what the idea was there.
Simply put, these first-year coaches are learning how to put an effective game plan together. Sunday wasn’t their best effort, though, which prompts questions just how far along each coach is on the learning curve this deep into the season.