Head coach Kyle Shanahan is once again under scrutiny after the San Francisco 49ers' loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Some are questioning his late-game clock management, a recurring topic during his eight seasons in Santa Clara.
On Monday, Shanahan addressed the media and was asked about the final drive, his decision-making, and whether he regrets not taking a shot at the end zone with just minutes remaining.
"You don't just call plays to say, take a shot into the end zone or check it down," Shanahan responded. "It kind of depends what the defense is doing and they played so much soft Tampa two having a two score lead. It was tough to get a shot into the end zone. It would've led to an interception if you just force it in there.
"The main thing was getting stuck in that fourth down. Really wish we would've moved the chains down there. [LB Andrew Van Ginkel] 43 made a hell of a play, tipping it, and [WR] Deebo [Samuel] went to try to block it out, knock it out. Unfortunately, it stuck in his stomach and he caught it.
"And then, we weren't going to go for it on fourth and eight. We knew our best chance there was to kick the field goal and try an onside kick at the end."
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger weighed in on Shanahan's decisions during an interview with Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game on Tuesday morning. Baldinger pointed out that Shanahan could have managed the clock more effectively down the stretch.
"I feel like you got to pay attention to the clock closer," Baldinger said. "You've got to give yourself more time at the end of the game, anticipating you're going to score. But I do believe that it's never a bad time, when you're down by two scores, to like just [go to] the no huddle, just start speeding things up. You just can't go at the same pace anymore."
Baldinger added that speeding up the offense affects the defense, preventing them from getting into ideal personnel looks or making the adjustments they want.
"When you sort of eliminate that by just the urgency that you play with, it affects the defense as much as it might get you into that rhythm that you're talking about," Baldinger added.
The 49ers are now facing a significant challenge, with Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey sidelined for some time. Baldinger emphasized the importance of getting more production from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk during this stretch.
"We've got to see more of Aiyuk, period," Baldinger stated. "Aiyuk's got to be featured. He's going to get a lot more targets than what he's got, and hope he's in good shape and he's up to speed right now. But he's going to have to pick it up."
Aiyuk has only managed six catches for 71 yards on 10 targets through two games—an underwhelming start for a player who signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension before the season.
Baldinger noted that Aiyuk is still working his way back into football shape after a lengthy holdout, and these early games could be considered his training camp. The lack of production, while unfortunate, shouldn't surprise anyone.
"[WR Jauan] Jennings is quality," Baldinger continued. "He just knows how to get open. He's not a burner or anything like that, but he's got size, he knows how to get open. So you're going to have to lean on those guys right now."
Baldinger also expects the 49ers to incorporate their speedy rookie running back, Isaac Guerendo, into the offense moving forward, giving the team another playmaker to help compensate for their key losses.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Baldinger below.
