How the 49ers Coaches Exposed the Falcons' Weaknesses in Huge Win

Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh surprise the Falcons

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

For the second time in three weeks, the Niners faced a team many thought they should lose to on paper, the coaches won their matchup handily, and the players made the clutch plays to deliver a critical win. This time, a 20-10 shutdown of Atlanta as the Niners improved to 5-2.

Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh’s brilliant game plan took away Falcons WR Drake London with creative double teams, boxed in Bijan Robinson on the ground, and dared Michael Penix Jr. to beat the Niners with the rest of the Falcons offense. Without London, Penix looked uncomfortable and out of rhythm all night, playing a forced, inconsistent game.

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London came into the game averaging nine catches for over 130 yards in his last two. In this matchup, four catches for 42 yards by doubling him with Deommodore Lenoir and a linebacker or safety, doubling with coverage and physicality.

Without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, Saleh still takes away Atlanta’s top two playmakers and the Falcons flail. Once again, Saleh proves why he is one of the league’s best defensive coordinators.

The run game finally looked like the Niners of 2023. Welcome back, George Kittle. Kyle Shanahan shifted the emphasis from wide zone to power and duo, running downhill at the Falcons' fast front seven for chunk runs of five to 15 yards, and two red zone touchdowns for McCaffrey. The second with more than a little help from his friends.

Kittle would go in motion and then cut up the middle for critical blocks. Part of the result is Atlanta’s weak run defense, 4.8 yards per carry, and losing their best run defender Divine Deablo, to injury early. A bigger part was Shanahan, Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey, who tripled Robinson’s yardage on the ground, 129 to 40.

Game Balls

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Shanahan and Saleh – Creative and brilliant. Outside to inside on offense, the critical importance of taking London away from Penix. 3D chess from both.

McCaffrey and Kittle – The Niners get their best run blocker back and boom, McCaffrey is transported back to 2023. Why no catches for Kittle? As he told NBC’s Melissa Stark pre-game, “I‘m violently out of shape.”

Lenoir and Chase Lucas – Clutch plays throughout. Lucas keeps making plays in the biggest moments. He needs to stay on the field.

Tatum Bethune – 10 tackles and zero communication lapses by the defense.

The Big Picture

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This is an important win in playoff seeding. The Niners gain a head-to-head tiebreaker over Atlanta, who could be in the wild card mix.

The 5-2 record makes the case for trade deadline moves. Rumors say the Niners want Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, but the Bengals are in the wildcard race in the AFC. The edge move now may point to Miami with the Dolphins in freefall after losing three straight. Bradley Chubb or Jaelen Phillips become possible trade targets. However, several teams are shopping for edges, supply could be limited if Cincinnati and the Giants pull out of trade talks, and that can drive the price up.

The Niners somehow weather the injury storms, and expect to get Brock Purdy and Ricky Persall back next week in Houston. This team continues to get character wins. That speaks to players believing in themselves and each other, coaches instilling that belief, and game plans that produce wins despite a hospital wing of injuries.

I pick against them, thinking they can’t overcome the injuries this time, and they keep proving me wrong.

The 2025 Niners keep finding a way.