49ers overreactions: Is Shanahan’s play-calling limiting team?

49ers overreactions: Is Shanahan’s play-calling limiting team? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers head into the bye week basically where they started the regular season.

The season is in front of them. At 4-4, they are tied with the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks atop the NFC West. The Los Angeles Rams (3-4) are just one game behind.

The 49ers did not win back-to-back games at any point in the first half of the 2024 NFL season, and coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledges there is a lot of work to be done.

“I look at where our team is at and where I think our team can be, and I don’t think we’re there yet,” he said. “I think there are a lot of things we need to improve on. I think we are gradually doing that.

“But I think we’ve got the guys here capable of doing it. We’ve just got to make sure we become a better team in the second half than we were in the first half.”

How the 49ers get there is the main thought of the team’s fan base, as this edition of 49ers overreactions indicates:

The 49ers need another pass rusher to help close out these games. (1tanyewest)

Overreaction? No.

The first reaction is … absolutely.

The 49ers have Nick Bosa, one of the top pass-rushers in the NFL. Then, who else?

Leonard Floyd was counted on to provide double-digit sacks when the 49ers signed him to a two-year, $20 million contract. With three sacks in eight games, maybe he still can get there.

Sam Okuayinonu has provided the 49ers with a nice lift as an inside pass-rusher in nickel situations.

Kevin Givens (3.5 sacks) and Maliek Collins (three sacks) have provided some pass rush, too. But is that enough?

The 49ers expect Yetur Gross-Matos to bring something to the defensive line rotation when he returns later in the season from knee surgery. The 49ers have registered 20 sacks. In comparison, Brock Purdy has been sacked 15 times.

The New York Giants lead the NFL with 35 sacks, and all that has brought them is a 2-6 record. Could the Giants trade edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, who is on the final year of his contract? If he’s available, that would consider a good, hard look. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Other outside pass-rushers with ties to the 49ers who could be available are Arden Key (Tennessee Titans) and Chase Young (New Orleans Saints). Za’Darius Smith (Cleveland Browns) has reasonable price tags for this year and next. If the 49ers look to bolster their run defense, it is worth considering a reunion with Denver Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones. Although, with the Broncos’ 5-3 record, they probably aren’t going to be sellers at the trade deadline.

A lot of the contenders have comparable sack numbers to the 49ers. But, absolutely, the 49ers could add another defensive lineman for help on third downs.

Third downs are when a consistent pass rush shows up the most. And the 49ers rank 26th in the league, allowing a 44.1-percentage of third-down conversions.

Why is Brieda not on the team? We need a RB (bullnbearhp)

Overreaction? Yes.

The 49ers have been just fine at running back. In fact, that position has not been an issue at all.

Matt Breida was with the team in training camp, and he was among the team’s first cuts as they started the process of getting to the 53-man roster limit. He is not even on any team’s practice squad.

Through eight games, Jordan Mason has rushed for 685 yards with a 5.1-yard average. Rookie Isaac Guerendo has picked up 227 yards with a 6.1 average.

Oh, yeah, and Christian McCaffrey is expected back after the bye week. If the 49ers’ running backs have dropped off in any area, it has been in the passing game. McCaffrey can fix that.

The 49ers will not stop having these opponent comebacks until Shanahan stops going into a conservative shell every time they get a lead. He needs to trust Purdy like he has an elite offense. (briansedel)

He threw three times in a row in the fourth quarter when they were allegedly trying to run clock. That’s not conservative. It’s not smart, either. (mattmani)

Overreactions? Yes.

There are no absolutes when it comes to play-calling.

If the play works, it’s a good call. If a play does not work, it’s not a good call.

The 49ers rank second in the NFL with an average of 412.4 yards per game. They’re fourth in passing and fourth in rushing.

That means they do a lot of things well on offense, and there is not just one thing they should do when they have a lead. They should keep it balanced with their passing and running.

Nick Bosa’s post-game debacle overshadowed the win (rich.colbert)

Overreaction? That depends.

Half the country is going to have one view; the other half is going to have another.

Whether it overshadowed the victory, I don’t know. It certainly left people feeling a certain way.

It probably was not cool for Nick Bosa to crash the postgame interviews with George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Isaac Guerendo to make some sort of political statement.

Then, when given a platform to expound on his reasoning during his postgame interview, he answered, “I’m not going to talk too much about it, but I think it’s an important time.”

I don’t know the political leanings of the players being interviewed by NBC’s Melissa Stark. Regardless, Bosa’s fly-by with a “Make America Great Again” hat certainly put them all in awkward positions.

The NFL can be expected to fine Bosa in the amount of $11,255 for displaying a personal message or an unauthorized logo or branding. That’s OK. He can afford it.

Overreaction? Yes.

The Jets are a mess. Carolina is a mess. We could list many other teams that would fit into the “mess” category ahead of the 49ers, including the team they defeated Sunday night.

The 49ers have not been a mess since the changes were made at general manager and coach at the end of the 2016 season.

The 49ers head into the second half of the season with a 4-4 record. They have been an average team, which their record signifies. But that’s a lot different from being a hopeless cause.

There’s nothing going on in the locker room that would suggest this team is a mess, and the coaching staff provides the leadership and instruction to keep things rolling in a positive direction.

There is no sense of dread or resignation with this team as they head into the bye week. There is not the sense this team is going to implode and fall far out of playoff contention down the stretch.

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