Why The 49ers Are Underachieving So Far In 2022
After two disastrous losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers look to right the ship against the Los Angeles Rams. After reloading the roster with talent and adding former all-pro Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco must avoid going 3-5 for the second consecutive year.
Another Slow Start For The 49ers And Kyle Shanahan
What a tumultuous start for Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers. Some of the Faithful had high expectations after losing in the 2021 NFC Championship game leading 17-7 in the fourth quarter. Despite the big loss, the 49ers regained momentum in the off-season by getting players back healthy, such as Trent Williams, extending Deebo Samuel, and signing Charvarius Ward to be CB1.
Trey Lance looked to make his impact in the league and put in a tremendous amount of work knowing he would be the starter. Once again, the 49ers had a cerebral, mobile quarterback to unleash. Deebo Samuel is also coming off an all-pro season and Brandon Aiyuk was the best player in camp. While they had to reconstruct the offensive line, first-year starters Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford are contributing right away.
What Is Wrong With Shanahan’s Offense, Despite Having All-Pro Talent?
On the other hand, the 49ers’ offense is anemic. Currently, Kyle Shanahan has not found a formula that works. In 2021, Deebo Samuel switched positions from wide receiver to running back to help the offense move. This year, opposing defenses have game-planned more for Deebo in the backfield more effectively; therefore, the dynamic runs to their wide back are not working anymore.
Jimmy Garoppolo aggressively threw the football downfield against Atlanta, however, Charlie Woerner and Ray-Ray McCloud had crucial drops that stalled drives. The 49ers lack offensive execution because Jimmy will have a bad game one week, and the next his supporting cast.
How Good Is John Lynch As The General Manager?
John Lynch, Adam Peters, and their staff constructed a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Moreover, we cannot overlook the scouts who found players like George Kittle, Samuel Womack, Talanoa Hufanga, Emmanuel Moseley, Dre Greenlaw, Deommodore Lenoir, Jauan Jennings, Azeez Al-Shaair, and Fred Warner – all mid to late round draft picks and some even undrafted free agent signings.
But there have also been some serious misfires in the draft, trades, and free agent signings. Here are some players that have not panned out: Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas, Dee Ford, Jerrick McKinnon, Joe Williams, Reuben Foster, Akhello Witherspoon, CJ Beatherd, Dante Pettis, etc. I could name a lot more players the staff has whiffed on. Why do the 49ers thrive off late-round selections?
The 49ers Have The Deepest Roster In The League!
Has Kyle Shanahan underperformed with this roster? In my honest opinion, the 49ers were the best roster in football in 2019 and 2021 when they fell short. Additionally, Kyle Shanahan continually did not bring an elite quarterback to the bay despite many chances to do so. Finally, they drafted the future, Trey Lance, but completely fumbled his development so far. Why can’t he get it right? Does he have too much power in the organization?
Beginning Of The End For Kyle Shanahan And John Lynch?
After Trey Lance went down, rumblings within the locker room suggested they were better off with Jimmy Garoppolo. If the 49es lose to the Rams Sunday afternoon and fall to 3-5, someone needs to be held accountable. Who will you hold accountable: the locker room, Kyle Shanahan, or John Lynch for selecting injury-prone players?
For some reason, if the 49ers miss the playoffs this year, someone deserves to get fired. Surely, DeMeco Ryans will demand a job elsewhere and once again Kyle will lose a talented coach from his staff.
Vic Fangio attended many 49ers practices during training camp as he is a probable candidate for defensive coordinator. Many believe we are lucky to have Kyle as our head coach. What makes me wonder, could a fresh staff come in and take this roster over the top? Ken Dorsey, the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator is eligible for a head coaching position. Could San Francisco fire Kyle and John, bring in Ken Dorsey, Vic Fangio, and promote Adam Peters to GM?
It could be a reality within the next couple of years. We will have to wait and see how this season shakes out.