The First Play 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan will Call against the Cardinals

Help settle an argument between my dad and me.

My dad, former San Francisco Chronicle and Santa Rosa Press Democrat sports columnist Lowell Cohn, thinks 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will call a pass on the first offensive play of the season. I think he'll call a run.

This debate has divided the Cohn household -- or the Cohn Zohn, if you will.

My dad believes Shanahan will expect the Arizona Cardinals defense to expect him to call a run. So instead, he'll call a play-action pass to All Pro tight end George Kittle to deke the defense. My dad's logic checks outs.

But Shanahan likes to set up the big play -- he usually doesn't call one right away. Last season, the first offensive play of the season he called was a Tevin-Coleman run up the middle, and he gained one yard. Call this the Shanahan Gambit -- it's his favorite opening move.

Then he called a pass to Kittle on the second play of the game and Kittle gained 19 yards. Shanahan set up that pass by calling a run first.

I think Shanahan will use the Shanahan Gambit again this Sunday against the Cardinals. Whichever running back is on the field for the first play -- Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, Jerick McKinnon -- I'm guessing Shanahan will call a run between the tackles for that player. A boring, vanilla run between the tackles. Shanahan will save his dazzling plays for later in the game.

What do you think?

To listen to the full Cohn Zohn podcast from this week, click here.

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