Getty Kyle Shanahan was none too happy with 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
After the disappointing Monday night upset loss to the Vikings, the second loss in a row, there were several players who stepped up to take at least a share of the blame. And coach Kyle Shanahan says someone else—defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, in his first 49ers season—has put his hand up, too.
After the game on Monday, Shanahan was asked about a back-breaking touchdown the 49ers allowed to end the first half, which came on a third-and-6 play from the Minnesota 40-yard line. After a sloppy first half, the 49ers broke through with a touchdown midway through the second period, and were trying to get to the locker room with the score at 10-7, Vikings.
But with 16 seconds to play, Wilks dialed up a zero-blitz, which means heavy pressure on the quarterback and no safeties back for help. Veteran Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins recognized it and tossed a deep pass to rookie Jordan Addison, who tore the ball from 49ers defensive back Chavarius Ward and, with no help back, waltzed into the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown.
Rookie WR Jordan Addison (@Espn_Jordan) had a career-high 123 yards and 2 TDs in the @Vikings’ #MNF win over the @49ers.
He joins @profootballHOFer @RandyMoss as the only Minnesota player with 6+ rec TDs through 7 career games.
Shanahan was not happy about the play after the game, and was still not happy after watching film. “He knows he messed up on that call,” Shanahan said in his Wednesday presser.
‘No Problem’ With 49ers’ Steve Wilks Calling Blitzes
Shanahan explained that he leaves the defensive coordinator’s calls to Steve Wilks, but that the situation on Monday was one in which a zero blitz should not have been called—not with the clock working against the Vikings and not on a third-and-6.
“I have no problem with zero blitzes, especially when people need a lot of yards,” Shanahan said. “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.”
The 49ers, in general, have been among the most conservative teams in the league when it comes to using this blitz this season, and it is entirely possible that Wilks hoped to catch the Vikings off guard by using it. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, the 49ers blitz 21.2% of the time, which is 28th in the NFL.
49ers’ Chavarius Ward Missed INT & Tackle
To give defensive coordinator Steve Wilks a little credit, though, that play might not have been a big deal if Ward had done his job and either made the interception—it was a catchable ball for him—or made the tackle. Earlier in the game, Ward had gotten an interception on a similar wrestling match.
“He wrestled it away from me,” Ward said. “It is what it is. Next time, I feel like I’ll make that play. … He got his get-back.”
But Ward still should have made the tackle, and missed tackles are an issue that is becoming worrisome in San Francisco. Wilks addressed that last week after the Cleveland loss.
“It’s nothing in particular,” Wilks said. “I just think, once again, as coaches, it reminded us as a staff, that we can’t get away from the fundamentals and technique. We talked about that Week One against Pittsburgh. We wanted to be the best tackling team that particular week because that’s how I know teams lose games, busting coverages and missing tackles. That mindset, Week One can’t change. That’s what we got back to this week.”
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Shanahan Calls Out 49ers DC Steve Wilks: ‘He Knows He Messed Up’