49ers vs. Chiefs: Lopsided Week 7 loss leads to ugly game grades
By Peter Panacy
49ers special teams, coaching grades vs. Chiefs
DeMeco Ryans is going to catch a lot of flak for what happened on Sunday, and rightfully so. Yet there was a complete lack of complementary football between the offense and defense, so Kyle Shanahan bears a lot of responsibility for the outcome, too.
So does special teams coordinator Brian Schneider.
Special teams
The Niners’ special teams unit didn’t cost them the game, but it certainly didn’t help win it either.
Robbie Gould converting all three of his field goals was nice, but trading field goals for Chiefs touchdowns is going to be a recipe for disaster, and it was.
Likewise, KC kick-return specialist Isiah Pacheco managed 126 yards on kickoffs, including a long of 48 yards that resulted in a Chiefs touchdown.
About the only thing that went well for San Francisco on this third phase of the game was punt returner Skyy Moore muffing a punt that the 49ers recovered on Kansas City’s 12-yard line.
Too bad Jimmy Garoppolo tossed that pick a few plays later, though.
Grade: C-
Coaching
Needless to say, Andy Reid ran circles around Kyle Shanahan all day, making Ryans’ defense look completely vulnerable from the halfway point of the second quarter onward.
Shanahan’s game plan essentially had two effective drives, both of which took place in the first half and both of which resulted in field goals.
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The Niners went 2-of-4 in the red zone, and one of those was the George Kittle touchdown when San Francisco was already trailing significantly. And a problematic red-zone offense has been a storyline for Shanahan all season long, too.
Yet the bigger problem here is the fact Shanahan has an array of elite offensive weapons, such as Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams and now Christian McCaffrey.
While Kansas City’s defense isn’t bad by any means, it’s not elite. And the 49ers were still only able to garner 23 points.
Something isn’t right here.
Grade: F
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