Kyle Shanahan believes Sunday night was one of the most complete performances turned in by his San Francisco 49ers. The team dominated on all fronts—offense, defense, and special teams—securing a commanding 42-10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys.
That doesn't mean Shanahan was at ease, even with a comfortable lead. The coach has seen games turn around quickly. In fact, Shanahan was a little frustrated heading into halftime, with his 49ers up 21-7. He felt they left opportunities on the field that could have significantly widened the lead.
"But it was 21-7, and I thought it should have been 35-7, Shanahan said Thursday afternoon on KNBR's "Tolbert and Copes" show. "Rarely in this league do you just stay hot like that, and the other team doesn't. So, when it's 21-7, and you know they're starting [with] the ball in the third quarter, you're like, 'Man, this could be 21-14, and I feel like this should be 35-7.' So you don't know if you missed your opportunity."
Luckily, the 49ers didn't let up, maintaining their momentum through the second half. By the fourth quarter, the coach started to feel more comfortable. The team kept piling on points en route to an impressive win.
"The players all felt the same way at halftime, and they came out, and the defense stopped ... they went down and got a field goal, which made it 21-10," Shanahan said. "So there was a little life there. But once we went down and answered and made it 28-10, it was smooth sailing after that."
The undefeated 49ers are preparing for their Week 6 road game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Shanahan's squad seeks to secure its 16th consecutive regular-season victory, dating back to Week 8 of last season. That feat would set a new franchise record.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Shanahan below.