3 spots 49ers need to shore up entering 2020 NFL playoffs
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Getting Better in the Red Zone
Kyle Shanahan has a long, somewhat worrisome history of his offenses struggling in the red zone. If you doubt it, check out this breakdown from former KNBR 680 insider Brad Almquist, who pointed out it’s something which has followed Shanahan nearly everywhere he’s been calling plays.
San Francisco 49ers
Granted, Shanahan’s offense has been electric this season. No one is questioning that. But the red-zone issues have continued into 2019. Over the regular season, the 49ers have managed touchdowns on their red-zone drives just 53.2 percent of the time, which ranked 21st.
Exactly how Shanahan and his staff manage this is anyone’s guess. But it surely needs to be a focal point, especially considering high-powered offenses, particularly with the Saints, potentially await.
Yet San Francisco’s focus in the red zone can’t solely be on the offensive side of the ball, either.
The Niners also struggled a bit defending the red zone this season, although linebacker Dre Greenlaw‘s heroic stop against the Seahawks in Week 17 helped this a bit, the 49ers still finished with the league’s 23rd best red-zone defense, allowing opponents to score touchdowns 60 percent of the time here.
Getting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt back from a ribs injury should help here, as the Niners were forced to simplify things in the red zone with him out, as Niners Nation’s Kyle Posey pointed out:
"The 49ers played more single-high, vanilla coverage near the goal line with Tartt out. It made the team more susceptible to isolation routes and throws over the middle of the field. With Tartt in, Robert Saleh trusted both safeties to play more man-matching coverages."
Next. 5 49ers players who underachieved in 2019. dark
San Francisco will kick off its 2020 NFL playoffs campaign in the division round on Saturday, Jan. 11 from Levi’s Stadium.