Is Kyle Shanahan Scapegoating Steve Wilks?
The 49ers have lost two games in a row and it's not Kyle Shanahan's fault according to Kyle Shanahan.
It's the defense's fault. Or more specifically, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks' fault. Shanahan keeps second guessing his decisions.
First, Wilks defense gave up 160 rushing yards in a loss to the Browns because it didn't play enough defenders in the box, according to Shanahan. And this past Sunday, the 49ers defense blitzed with 16 seconds left in the first half and gave up a 60-yard touchdown catch in a game they lost by five. That was the difference in the game.
"He knows he messed up on that call," Shanahan said of Wilks. "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 wants everyone to know that Wilks is responsible for the decision that cost the 49ers a victory against the Vikings. Which means Shanahan is scapegoating Wilks. Throwing him under the bus. These are things Shanahan could and probably has said to Wilks privately. Publicly, they're supposed to be a united front. A team.
And Shanahan isn't being totally fair. He's the head coach. He's on the head set during the game. If he didn't like Wilks' play call with 16 seconds left, Shanahan could have vetoed it and called something else, but he didn't. He criticized it after the fact.
I wonder how Wilks feels about Shanahan right now.
