"It's the family business that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan inherited from his dad, Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan. It's that synchronized ballet of an offensive line firing off the ball in unison, moving left or right, attacking space first and defenders second. This scheme is the reason roughly half the coaches in this league have jobs. And it's supposed to be art."
"So what did the younger Shanahan, in front of the entire world on a standalone night game, do Sunday against the Falcons? How did the offensive genius finally figure out how to run the ball? By not running his offense. The Niners stopped being dancers and became bouncers against Atlanta. Forget finesse. Forget angles. This was pure, unadulterated power. It was simple. It was brutal. It was opposite day for the Niners. And it worked."
Outside zone blocking defines the Shanahan lineage, emphasizing synchronized linemen attacking space. Through the first six weeks the 49ers ranked last in yards per carry despite premier left tackle and a once-MVP-caliber running back. Kyle Shanahan abandoned the scheme against the Falcons and employed a power, gap-based approach: pulling guards, trapping tackles, and instructing the runner to follow blockers and run through openings. The result was a 174-yard rushing day and a 20-10 win that halted the rushing slide and potentially altered the team's season trajectory. The change appeared subtle to casual viewers but marked a jarring, effective shift in blocking philosophy.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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