Kyle Shanahan’s place in 49ers history got a new line next to it on Sunday, but the offense he brought to the field against Denver didn’t exactly match the occasion.
In San Francisco’s 24-14 win over the Broncos at Levi’s Stadium, Shanahan passed Hall of Famer Bill Walsh for the franchise lead in games coached. It was a notable milestone for a coach whose arrival in 2017 helped change the direction of the organization. But on the field, the 49ers leaned far more on Raheem Morris’ defense than on Shanahan’s usual offensive touch.
The Niners moved to 4-0, and the defense did plenty of the heavy lifting by keeping Bo Nix and the Broncos in check. That mattered especially in a Week 4 matchup that looked like San Francisco’s toughest test yet, with Denver’s defense and the stifling heat both looming as factors.
Still, the 49ers’ offense never really found its usual rhythm.
Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel each provided explosive runs, helping San Francisco take advantage of a Broncos run defense that looked vulnerable. But Brock Purdy wasn’t nearly as sharp as he had been through the first three weeks, when he had been piling up the league’s top numbers in nearly every major category.
Purdy finished 19-of-30 for 218 yards and two touchdowns, with a passer rating of 107.4. Even with those numbers, the first half felt off, and the connection between quarterback and play-caller didn’t seem as clean as it had earlier in the season.
“Brock Purdy just not as dialed in today and Kyle Shanahan not calling as good of a game
Offense just seems out of rhythm in this half outside of some Deebo / McCaffrey explosive runs”
San Francisco still put up 358 total yards, went 6-of-13 on third down and avoided turnovers. But the offense also had to survive a few shaky moments, including a 4th-and-1 direct snap to Kaelon Black in a tied game that turned out to be a fortunate break. Denver losing both starting cornerbacks to injury helped, and George Kittle’s late touchdown also gave the 49ers some breathing room.
Now Shanahan and the offense have to turn the page quickly. The schedule doesn’t give San Francisco much of a pause before a Week 5 road trip to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, a team that has shut down Purdy and the 49ers’ offense in their last two meetings.
Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it was just an off day. Either way, Shanahan’s milestone game was one the 49ers won, but not one his offense will want to remember.
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