Kyle Shanahan is having some serious communication issues on the sideline, literally admitting that his headset cuts out and he misses play calls during games. The San Francisco coach mentioned that he has to ask for plays again, or that his quarterback, Mac Jones or Brock Purdy, will have to yell at him because the transmission gets “choppy.” This isn’t just a one-off thing, either; he said it “probably happened five times” in their last game because “headsets do that.” Talk about a head-scratcher when you’re trying to win in this league!
Injuries Mounting and Receivers Vanishing for the Niners?
Beyond the headset drama, the 49ers are also dealing with some player availability issues as they prep for their next matchup. Star pass rusher Nick Bosa couldn’t hit the practice field on Wednesday. Shanahan is “hopeful he’ll be out there tomorrow,” but missing a Wednesday walkthrough, even after a Monday game, is never ideal. Good news, though: linebacker Dre Greenlaw is back at practice. On the offensive side, Christian Kirk, a wide receiver, had a “good week of practice last week” and will be out there again today, with Shanahan hoping he feels good by the end of the week. Still, the challenge looms large for Shanahan, as the source pointed out it’ll be “fascinating to see how Kyle Shanahan attacks that without anybody at wide receiver.” You gotta wonder what that means for their offensive game plan moving forward.
Atlanta’s Defense Is No Joke, Even If Shanahan’s Headset Is
Facing this backdrop, the 49ers are heading into a tough game against the Atlanta Falcons, a team the source writer acknowledges can “just bizarrely win against the 49ers for whatever reason.” Atlanta’s defense, led by d-line coach Nate Ollie, is running an “attack-style defense” where players are told “if they think, they stink.” This aggressive philosophy has their interior defenders leading the league in pressures, with Brandon Dorlus tied for the top spot among interior linemen. While the Falcons’ back seven, including linebacker Divine Deablo, are asked to do a lot and there might be “space to be found” if the 49ers’ linemen can get to the second level effectively, that’s a big “if” when you’re struggling to get the play call in or have key players out. Shanahan’s preseason prediction might be confident, but these early season challenges are definitely putting antennas up.
The 49ers are set to take on the Atlanta Falcons. It’ll be a true test to see if Shanahan can get his communications sorted out, whether Bosa can return to the field, and how that receiver room actually performs against an aggressive Atlanta defense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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