Trick Plays Fall in 49ers’ Favor in First Shootout Win
49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan and Saints’ head coach Sean Payton are two of the best offensive game planners and play callers in the NFL. The two are not only in a heated battle for the top seed in the NFC, but also coach of the year honors. The winner of Sunday’s game would hold control of both those races.
In a game that boasted the NFL’s No. 1 and No. 8 defenses in yards per game, the offenses and play-calling were what shined. Knowing Sunday was a must-win, neither team held anything back. Ultimately it was Shanahan, keeping it simple, that won the 48-46 thriller.
Both coaches have proved they are not afraid to dip deep into their bags of tricks to win a game. Payton is one of the gutsiest coaches in the NFL, but San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan is quickly earning a daring reputation as well.
Outside of going for it on fourth down and kicking onside kicks, Payton utilizes his Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill in numerous ways to confuse the defense. Hill, a quarterback by trade, lined up all over the field, including at punter, but for the most part, was controlled by the 49ers (five rushes for 13 yards and one catch for 12 yards). Hill was at the center of two of the biggest plays in the game, and the 49ers came out on top both times.
Following a first-quarter touchdown to take a 13-7 lead, Payton opted to go for two. Hill, always a weapon in short yardage situations, got the ball, but was immediately stuffed by San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner. The failed attempt was still early in the game, and hindsight, of course, is 20/20, but those lost points would come back to haunt the Saints.
With under a minute to go, the Saints scored to take a 46-45 lead. They were forced to go for two to try and make it a field goal game, but failed. Those two failed conversions were ultimately the difference in the game.
Two quarters later, Hill would be involved in another controversial play. On fourth-and-18, Hill lined up at punter and threw a deep ball to gunner Tre’Quan Smith, but San Francisco defensive back Tarvarius Moore was able to break up the pass for the turnover on downs. On a normal pass play, pass interference would most likely have been called, but given a now-known rule, where during a punt, the outside gunner can’t be called for pass interference, the flag was not thrown.
Of course the team that the obscure rule went against will have its gripes, especially when it’s a noncall against New Orleans. Yet, the rule makes sense. Gunners are always hand battling on punts. Defenders on punts are not expected to turn their heads to look for a pass. They are focused on blocking their man, not guarding him.
Nonetheless, the play will be debated all week as it played a major part in the game’s outcome.
Earlier in the game, on a much less controversial play, the 49ers converted a few trick plays of their own. On one, fullback Kyle Juszczyk pitched a hand-off to Raheem Mostert for 18 yards and a first down.
Two drives prior, the 49ers were even fancier. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo handed the ball off to wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who then pitched it to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders, looking to throw, retreated a few yards and then heaved the ball downfield to find a wide open Mostert for the touchdown.
Surprisingly, the touchdown pass was not the first of Sanders’ career, but it was the longest. Sanders threw a 28-yard touchdown to Courtland Sutton last year with the Broncos. Although both coaches took plenty of risks, when it came down to the final five minutes, they both went back to the basics, putting the ball in the hands of their best players.
The Saints and Drew Brees fed potential MVP wide receiver Michael Thomas (11 receptions, 134 yards and a touchdown) at volume on their final two drives. Brees threw two touchdown passes in the final seven minutes, including a go-ahead touchdown in the final minute.
When the 49ers were backed against the wall, Shanahan trusted his quarterback to make the right throws, and his faith paid off.
Shanahan and Garoppolo did not get fancy, especially on their game-winning drive. On fourth-and-2 with 39 seconds left on their own 33 yard line, Shanahan called a play for his best player. Garoppolo hit tight end George Kittle on a three-yard drag and the Pro Bowler was off to the races. Kittle gained 39 yards, fighting through tackles and a face-mask to set up Robbie Gould for the game-winning field goal as time expired.
While some coaches would panic on the fourth down situation, Shanahan kept it simple and was rewarded with the biggest win of his head coaching career.
