49ers position grades from tight Week 2 win over Eagles

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers Special Teams and Coaching Grades

The 49ers won this game in large part because of their play in the third phase of the game. Their coaching had a little more to answer for.

Special Teams

The Niners special teams played their best game probably in the last couple of years. Kickoffs they kept controlled, and the same on punt returns. Mitch Wishnowsky had another stellar game punting as he put three punts inside the 20-yard line.

The biggest play of the game, though, was when Javon Kinlaw blocked an Eagles field-goal try, helping stop what could have been the continuation of momentum for the Eagles and major points in a game as close as it was.

An amazing play by Kinlaw, and just the feather in the cap for San Francisco’s special teams in what was a terrific game.

Grade: A+

Coaching

The 49ers didn’t have a perfect game plan against the Eagles, but they came away with the win, which is always good.

On offense, Kyle Shanahan seemed to play, for the most part, right into the Philadelphia’s hands by running the ball inside right to the teeth of the Eagles defense and by playing several screens and delays against a defense that wasn’t susceptible to that.

Jimmy Garoppolo certainly missed open players on the outside, but Shanahan’s offense approach was more stubborn than anything else. His decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 on his side of the field was a definite plus, as an aggressive Shanahan is generally a good thing.

DeMeco Ryans redeemed himself from the fiasco in Detroit, as his defense was much stouter against the run and didn’t leak yards against the pass. His aggressiveness in calling blitzes helped minorly, but it also ended up having the Niners lose their contain and allow Jalen Hurts easy rushing lanes.

But, by and large, he called the right plays to put his defense in position, and as a young coordinator, it was good to see him progress.

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The 49ers will now match up against the Green Bay Packers for a prime-time home opener, hoping to continue this strong season start all the way to 3-0.