49ers' Kyle Shanahan Isn't Overlooking Washington Despite 1-5 Start
Week seven puts the undefeated San Francisco 49ers up against a lowly 1-5 Washington Redskins team. Washington has just flat out been abysmal this season and a lot of it has stemmed from in-house drama.
Offensive line coach Bill Callahan currently holds the reigns as interim head coach after the front office decided to relieve Jay Gruden of his duties. They would go on to win their first game of the season last Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
The 49ers clearly have the upper-hand in this matchup from a talent and coaching standpoint. However, Kyle Shanahan isn't overlooking the Washington Redskins despite their 1-5 start. When asked what the tape tells him about Washington, Shanahan responded:
“It tells you they’re capable of beating anyone. I know they just won their first game, but they have some good players in there. I know they have some good coaches. They’ve got a very tough D-Line, they’ve got some corners, they’ve got a good safety, they have some good O-Linemen." Kyle Shanahan continues. "Anytime you go against some good players and good coaches, it doesn’t matter what your record is, that ball bounces the wrong way, you don’t come in ready to play your best game, they will humble you and beat anyone in this league.”
Shanahan is refusing to overlook this team because it very well is a trap game for the 49ers. This is what Shanahan doesn't get enough credit for. It's keeping his team composed and focused. No one on the 49ers has been sucked into the hype of their record. They legitimately enjoy it for the day and move on to the next one, which can be difficult for successful teams.
They musn't get too high or too low. Maintaining a balance is key, but critics labeling the 49ers as "pretenders" has been a noted motivational factor to the team. No matter who the opponent is, Kyle Shanahan is going to give them the utmost respect. He understands that anything can happen on gameday.
The preparation that goes into every week must remain the same and no one should ever be overlooked. Considering the 49ers' current situation, they must continue to win to keep ahead of the Seattle Seahawks who have nearly matched their record.
Sunday against the Washington Redskins is the first trap game of the season for the 49ers. Thankfully the San Francisco 49ers have Kyle Shanahan as their head coach to refrain from overlooking opponents.
