Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers Offense Can't Point the Finger at the Defense

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't mince words when it came to defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

In the loss to the Vikings, one of the game changing plays was the final minute of the first half. Wilks dialed up an all out blitz on third down with his secondary playing Cover 0, so all of the defensive backs were in man-to-man coverage with zero help. It was a play call that Wilks would soon regret as the Vikings scored a touchdown on it. Shanahan wasn't too pleased and held Wilks accountable at his press conference on Wednesday.

"He knows he messed up on that call," said Shanahan. "I have no problem with zero blitzes, especially when people need a lot of yards. If you need to get 20 yards to kick a field goal, I have no problem with a zero blitz. But I do when there's 16 seconds left. That's where he lost track. There was no necessary need for that just because of the time. I have no problem with that play call, but when it's that time you can't do that. That's not an option.”

Shanahan is not wrong. For Wilks to call a zero blitz there when all the 49ers needed was to get out of the half was extremely bold. It was a high risk, low reward type of situation. Besides that play, the 49ers defense played a mediocre game.

However, the 49ers offense doesn't get off clean either. All they managed to do was score 17 points against a very average Vikings defense. Shanahan and the 49ers offense can't point the finger at the defense. They need to be held accountable as well. Yes, the 49ers defense played the uglier game in the loss to the Vikings, but the offense of the 49ers has been the strength of the team this season, or it is supposed to be.

In the loss to the Browns, they get somewhat of a pass because they were facing arguably the best defense in the league. Against the Vikings, however, they do not get that excuse. Brock Purdy, until the fourth quarter in which he was concussed, was playing a solid game. The passing attack was working for the 49ers, but Shanahan, being as stubborn as he is, would not adapt to it and continue to run the ball ineffectively. Christian McCaffrey could not get anything going on the ground.

At that point, Shanahan needs to start incorporating more Jordan Mason to give the run game a change of pace, or actually trust in Purdy to carry the offense. Every run play was practically a wasted down for the majority of the game for the 49ers. In fact, the last three games, the 49ers have been held in check running the ball with McCaffrey. This is why I keep pounding the table to utilize Mason more. It might benefit McCaffrey and the run offense to give a different style.

Wilks and the 49ers defense deserve blame for playing poorly against the Vikings, but Shanahan and the offense aren't absolved either. They need to step it up and it starts in Week 8 against the Bengals.