What We Learned About Kyle Shanahan in the 49ers' Loss to the Ravens

Shanahan's game plan was to attack through the air -- that's why his first five play calls were passes. That is NOT the 49ers identity.

Kyle Shanahan was having the best season of his career until he lost to the Ravens on Christmas.

For the most part, his game plans were perfect every week. Before the bye, the 49ers lost three games in a row, but they were missing Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel, so Kyle Shanahan had an excuse when his offense scored only 17 points in each of those three defeats.

But Shanahan has no excuse for his performance against the Ravens. He simply had the wrong game plan, and he failed to adjust mid game.

Shanahan's game plan was to attack through the air -- that's why his first five play calls were passes. That is NOT the 49ers identity. They're a run-first team that features Christian McCaffrey, the best running back in the NFL. Brock Purdy is a good quarterback, but not the best one in the NFL, as he showed on Christmas.

Once Purdy threw his first interception on the fifth play of the game, Shanahan should have understood that the moment was too big for his young quarterback, and that it was time to shift gears and put the game in McCaffrey's hands.

But Shanahan stuck with his game plan, gave McCaffrey only 14 carries, and allowed Purdy to throw four picks before he left the game with a stinger early in the fourth quarter.

Choosing to attack Baltimore through the air was a curious choice, considering Baltimore ranks 1st in yards per pass allowed and 22nd in yards per carry allowed.

If these teams meet again in the Super Bowl, you can bet Shanahan's game plan will be different.