Takeaways from NFC Championship week
Coach Shanahan is downplaying November win over the Packers
SANTA CLARA >> Kyle Shanahan’s last win before becoming the 49ers coach in 2017 was a NFC Championship Game triumph over the Green Bay Packers, as the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator.
Shanahan’s biggest win as the 49ers coach could come Sunday, when the top-seeded 49ers host the No. 2-seed Packers at Levi’s Stadium for a berth in Super Bowl LIV.
Unlike that NFC Championship Game three years ago, Shanahan is fully healthy as he dives into preparations. Three years ago, he came down with the flu two nights before the game, shortly after interviewing an unnamed candidate to become his defensive coordinator with the 49ers.
“It was rough but fortunately I was just a coach, not a player, so once the game started, I sat in my chair all game, very relaxed, dressed warm and just called plays,” Shanahan recalled. “It was more of a story just because I was pretty sick.
“It doesn’t affect play callers very much. We’re not the ones who have to go out and run around all game.”
Here are the top takeaways from Shanahan’s press conference Monday:
1. DON’T PUT STOCK IN LAST GAME >>
Routing the Packers 37-8 on Nov. 24 should give the 49ers confidence they can again win. Shanahan pushed back hard at that notion, however.
“We know it’ll be different. That game got away from them early,” said Shanahan, whose team led 23-0 at halftime. “That’s definitely not the team we’re going to see this week. … That game really holds zero relevance as to what will happen Sunday.”
The Packers have not lost since then, and they set up this rematch by virtue of a 28-23 win Sunday over the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Shanahan claimed he hasn’t “dissected” that Packers’ win, yet, and while he doesn’t expect them to overhaul their schemes, “everyone adds wrinkles.”
Shanahan’s teaching point about their first meeting: “Don’t be that stupid. It’s not real. It’s about Sunday’s game. I could give a 1,000 stories about games I’ve been part of.
… The game before never matters like that. Four teams are left, four very good teams and it’s going to be a hard game for all of us.”
2. HAPPY TO KEEP SALEH >>
Shanahan’s reaction when he heard Sunday that the Cleveland Browns were not hiring away defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to be their coach? “I was pumped,” Shanahan said unapologetically. “I heard it on my way into work so I was extremely excited. I have empathy for Saleh, because anyone who goes through that process, you want to win and get that opportunity.
“Every year we keep him, we’ll be very fortunate. Saleh’s going to be a head coach in this league, could have been one this year, most likely will be one next year. He’s going to have the right opportunity for him and it’s a matter of time. I’m just very happy we’ll have him going into next year.”
Shanahan said it would have been “very hard” to replace Saleh, though he has confidence in other assistants who could merit a promotion. “It definitely helps me but also this organization, and it will help Saleh in the long run,” Shanahan said.
3. ALL GOOD ON HEALTH FRONT >>
There were no new injuries to report, and the only ones listed after Saturday’s win do not concern Shanahan, including those to running backs Raheem Mostert (calf cramps) and Tevin Coleman (elbow). Shanahan said Mostert’s cramps prompted Coleman to stay in for another series, then another, and another en route to a 22-carry, 105-yard, twotouchdown day.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s left ankle (or rebuilt knee) were dinged on a second-series hit, and that prompted Shanahan to call a timeout after the ensuing play could not get snapped in time. “He was fine, a little banged up after that play, it wore off and he was good to go,” Shanahan said.
Dee Ford’s return after missing virtually all of the previous six games went well and the pass rusher should see a similar practice set up in which he’ll be limited. “He played at a high level and was very impactful when he was in there,” Shanahan said of Ford, who had one of the 49ers’ six sacks.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander wasn’t credited with a tackle in his return from an Oct. 31 pectoral tear, but his energy was contagious and he “did a good job not making mistakes,” Shanahan said. “He kept his poise on the field. You can feel his speed out there.” 4. HOW TO STOP DAVANTE ADAMS? >> Palo Alto native Davante Adams sparked the Packers’ win Sunday with eight catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Nickel back K’Waun Williams likely will be tasked with covering Adams most of the time, presuming they line up opposite each other in the slot.
“K’Waun can match up with anyone in this league,” Shanahan said. “He’s done a great job all year. Last game, he took it to another level. He had a great game and I expect him to do it again this week.”
Shanahan noted that Adams’ specializes in beating man coverage. He had seven catches for 43 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 14 yards, in the Nov. 24 loss to the 49ers.
5. SOUND OF HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE >>
Year 6 of Levi’s Stadium brought with it the 49ers’ first playoff game Saturday, and Shanahan raved about the noisy reception from the sold-out crowd of 71,649.
“The fan noise is as big of a difference as probably our team is, also,” Shanahan said in comparing this season to last. “They’ve gotten a lot louder as we’ve gotten better. They’ve been loud and great all year.
“I didn’t think it could get much louder. But it was unbelievable Saturday just going out there for pregame and hearing how loud it was. At the line of scrimmage, they were loud when Kirk was at the huddle calling out plays. I can tell when they’re touching their ears if they’re affecting guys in the huddle or not, and he was doing it all game.”
Shanahan also noticed the swarm of red jerseys in the stands, rather than an invasion of purple, Vikings garb.
“Usually when you’re driving in, you see a lot of jerseys of other teams and you always see them in the stadium,” Shanahan said. “It was unbelievable our guys didn’t sell tickets to Minnesota people, either, because all I saw in the stands was red. It was very noticeable and it was a very special feeling.”
Packers fans notoriously travel well, and it will be interesting to see how many scoop up tickets on a highpriced, secondary market as Cal product Aaron Rodgers in his fourth conference championship — and fourth away from Lambeau Field.
Extra points • Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley figures to have succeeded Ahkello Witherspoon in the starting lineup, and although Shanahan said he won’t confirm that until he talks to them, he did share an anecdote about how great
Witherspoon responded to Saturday’s first-quarter benching.
“He went right up to (special teams coordinator) Hightower after that — which ‘Tower told me about yesterday — and was like, ‘Coach pulled me. They’re going with E-man. But I’m good. Make sure to give me all of E-man’s reps on special teams and I’ll do whatever I can to help. He needs his energy. Put me in on special teams.’ ”
Moseley still played 10 special-teams snaps; Witherspoon played seven, and he returned the final two defensive snaps once Richard Sherman was pulled.
“Our guys have a lot of love for each other all across the board. You’ve got everyone out there doing whatever they can to get this one in on Sunday and hopefully one after that.”
• Tight end George Kittle made the Pro Football Writers of America’s AllNFL team, and he was selected to their All-NFC team with Richard Sherman.
• Shanahan did not dispute that Nick Bosa committed an illegal hit on Richard Sherman’s interception return, but he disputed the notion it was a “cheap shot,” as Vikings players and coach Mike Zimmer called it.
“People say cheap shot when someone gets hit violently. To me, the term cheap shot is your intent is to try and hurt someone,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think he’s thinking about that at all. That’s a normal block in football for a long time. The guy wasn’t completely out of the play, he could have made a tackle and Bosa went and hit him. That’s a rule, you can’t do that now, can’t hit a guy in that position.”
• Robbie Gould has made his past 12 field-goal attempts, reaffirming the 49ers’ confidence in awarding him with $10.5 million guaranteed on a fouryear deal this summer after a contract stalemate with the franchise-tagged kicker.
“We were all good once we got back here. Robbie’s been great,” Shanahan said. “He’s going to fight for everything he can. Sometimes can be tough to deal with, which is why I joke he’s one of best at what he does. He fought hard this offseason, like he does on the field.
“Once he got here, it’s all good. We started out a little slow. Some of that was on him, some on other things, then he had that rough injury. To battle back and kick the way he’s been, it’s been pretty much how it’s been since he’s been here and what we expect.”