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The San Francisco 49ers defense — a unit loaded with talent — has been underperforming under Steve Wilks in his first year leading the unit.
One particular call with 16 seconds remaining in the first half of the 49ers’ loss to the Minnesota Vikings on October 23 is garnering criticism from fans and both local and national media.
The 49ers had the Vikings offense facing third-and-6 on their own 40-yard line and with no timeouts.
Wilks dialed up a seven-man blitz, leaving rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison in one-on-one coverage with CB Charvarius Ward. Ward almost intercepted the ball, but Addison made an incredible play on the under-thrown ball from quarterback Kirk Cousins and wrestled it away for a 60-yard touchdown.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on October 25 that Wilks realized he made a mistake.
“Yeah, he knows,” Shanahan said. “He knows he messed up on that call. I have no problem with zero blitzes, especially when people need a lot of yards. If you need to get 20 yards to kick a field goal, I have no problem with a zero blitz. But I do when there’s 16 seconds left. That’s where he lost track. There was no necessary need for that just because of the time. I have no problem with that play call, but when it’s that time, you can’t do that. That’s not an option.”
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pushed back on Shanahan’s response, stating the call ultimately falls on him as the head coach.
“Ultimately, Shanahan is responsible for whatever his team does,” Florio said. “There’s a real difference between delegation and abdication. Too many offensive gurus place too much blind faith in their defensive coordinators. So while it might have been Wilks’ error, Shanahan apparently allowed it to go unchecked.
He can blame Wilks all he wants, but the buck always stops on the head coach’s desk. Even if the head coach doesn’t say so publicly.”
Chris Simms Dumbfounded By Wilks Defensive Call
Like many who have questioned Wilks’ decision to send an all-out blitz at that point in the game, Florio’s co-host, Chris Simms, didn’t hold back his thoughts about the decision.
“That moment right there, that was the first time it felt like the 49ers were about to start controlling this game and it’s going to start swaying their way,” Simms said.
“The Vikings have no timeouts. That play call by Steve Wilks and the defensive coaching staff there is inexplicable. I don’t know what they were doing there. That was a monumental mistake. Monumental. There’s no timeouts, it’s third down, and you bring an all-out blitz. In fact the only thing, where you go, ‘They could actually get points we are going to play that defense, we’re going to roll the dice.”
Simms said he believed that play changed the entire game.
“To give Kirk Cousins and Addison a chance on a one-on-one ball, in that moment, and, yeah, when they hit that play, I was like, oh, man, the 49ers were about to go into halftime with all the momentum, and now it’s going to be an uphill battle in the second half, I don’t care how well they play in the second half down nine points. And, yeah, it could have been an interception — I understand that — but the defensive play call is where it starts and that’s what you get for blitzing seven people on third-and-6 and the clock doing down. When did they snap it, with 16 seconds left? Absolutely made no sense. That was a bad, bad move by the 49ers and the coaching staff there.”
Former 49ers Says Steve Wilks Is Under Fire
It’s clearly been a tough week for Wilks.
Former 49ers safety Donte Whitner said in a video posted by NBC Sports Bay Area on October 26 that the San Francisco defensive coordinator is really under fire.
.@DonteWhitner would like to see more in-game adjustments from 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks
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“After Monday night’s loss and the second-consecutive loss for the 49ers, Steve Wilks is really under fire,” Whitner said. “Both of the 49ers previous defensive coordinators were known for in-game adjustments. The ability the utilize the front four, marry with the coverage to get off the field on third down, cause turnovers and completely effect quarterbacks.”
Whitner bashed the now widely criticized late second-half call against the Vikings.
The former 49ers star said he believed that fixing the defense quickly is imperative for San Francisco to right the ship.
“All in all the 49ers defense has to play better. The coaches have to call it better if they are going to get off of this two-game losing streak.”
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NFL Analyst Blames Kyle Shanahan, Not Steve Wilks, for Botched Call