Sunday vs. Carolina is a Measuring Stick of How Far 49ers Have Come Under Kyle Shanahan

The 6-0 San Francisco 49ers will look to stay undefeated this Sunday as they host the 4-2 Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium. Carolina, led by star running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Kyle Allen, have surprised some people with their four straight wins since Cam Newton went down with a foot injury.

San Francisco, led by their defense, have overcome a few injuries of their own, to take control of the NFC West. Sunday’s meeting will be the first time the Panthers and 49ers have played since the 2017 season opener, and although it’s been just two seasons, both teams find themselves in quite different positions.

Led by then-rookie head coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers were well past the Jim Harbaugh era, and were quickly trying to erase the brief, but painful, Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly aberrations. The Panthers, two years removed from a 15-1 season that ended with a Super Bowl 50 loss to the Denver Broncos, returned to the location of that heartbreak with a 23-3 win over the 49ers.

With only a preseason to work with, Shanahan’s successful play-action offense had yet to be fully implemented. Dreams of Kirk Cousins leading the 2018 49ers remained feasible as Jimmy Garoppolo was still Tom Brady’s backup. The 2017 49ers were made up of unproven rookies, aging veterans, and holdovers from the previous three coaching staffs.

Their on-field performance in the season opener looked as such. San Francisco's quarterback, Brian Hoyer, could not manage to get his team in the end zone against the vaunted Luke Kuechly-led Carolina defense, but did throw for 193 yards.

Although he did get four carries, Matt Breida had not become a focal point of the 49ers’ offense, but was rather a change of pace for Carlos Hyde, who led the team with 45 rushing yards. George Kittle was an unknown commodity who caught five passes for 27 yards in his NFL debut, and Pierre Garcon led the team with 81 receiving yards.

Quite possibly the lone bright spot from the game was Jaquiski Tartt’s highlight-reel interception. The 2017 season was just the beginning of the complete overhaul that Kyle Shanahan, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and general manager John Lynch had in mind.

Fast forward to 2019, and the pieces have fallen into place.

SF is 5th team to start 6-0 or better in Super Bowl era after winning fewer than 5 games the previous season. Two of the other 4 teams (1988 Bengals, 1999 Rams) reached the Super Bowl. Niners have allowed 64 points, their 2nd-fewest through six games in franchise history (1976).
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2019

The trio have applied their schemes, acquired the right players and developed the existing talent into one of the league’s most impressive rosters. Although familiar faces are sprinkled in, the 2019 49ers were pretty much rebuilt from the ground up.

Depending on if Joe Staley recovers from injury to start on Sunday, the 49ers return just one starter on offense (Marquise Goodwin) and three starters on defense (Arik Armstead, Deforest Buckner and Tartt) from the 2017 opener.

This is thanks in most part to the development of draft picks like Kittle, Buckner and Fred Warner, as well as the acquisitions of integral pieces like Garoppolo, Kwon Alexander, Richard Sherman and Dee Ford. The change in personnel mixed with better understanding of complex schemes has vaulted the 49ers’ defense into the top flight of the NFL.

Although both teams have endured changes up and down the roster, none are more substantial and effective as the 49ers’ pass rush. In the 2017 game, the 49ers had zero sacks and two tackles-for-loss. The lack of pressure allowed Newton to find the open receiver without much risk. That won’t be the case on Sunday.

Armstead and Buckner have combined for 6.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in six games. The offseason acquisitions of rookie Nick Bosa (eight TFLs, four sacks) and Ford (4.5 sacks) have paid great dividends. Through six games, Dee Ford and Arik Armstead are two of the six highest-graded defensive lineman on Pro Football Focus.

Even Solomon Thomas, who was a rookie in 2017, is elevating his level of play. So far in 2019, he has seven defensive stops on 111 snaps. He had 16 over 644 in 2018 per Pro Football Focus. The contrast of this 49ers team compared to week one of 2017 is insane.

Just as the 49ers have transformed, the Panthers’ offense has changed quite a bit. Relying on Newton to win games is no longer an option due to injury, but Allen has performed admirably, while McCaffrey has elevated his game to dark horse MVP status.

San Francisco will have their hands full on Sunday with McCaffrey, but if anyone can stop him it is the vaunted defense of this team. Even though this isn't the same Panthers team that the 49ers are facing, Sunday's game will still be a measuring stick to demonstrate how far this team has journeyed under Kyle Shanahan.

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