Three Ways the 49ers Can Improve their Red Zone Offense

Let's help Shanahan brainstorm. Here are three things he can do better.

Oct 27, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on after the first down by the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Through 10 weeks this season, Kyle Shanahan still hasn't found a solution to the 49ers' red-zone problems.

They have one of the most talented offenses in the NFL -- that's why it ranks second out of 32 teams in yards gained. But in the red zone, despite all that talent, Shanahan can't figure out how to get the ball into the end zone. The 49ers' 47.4 red-zone touchdown percentage ranks just 28th. Awful.

If Shanahan had new ideas, he would have shown them after this past Sunday after the bye week. But even an extra week to prepare plus the return of Christian McCaffrey didn't improve the 49ers red-zone offense. The 49ers scored just one touchdown in three trips inside the Buccaneers' 20-yard line.

So let's help Shanahan brainstorm. Here are three things he can do better.

1. Call some passes on first down inside the 10-yard line.

Through nine games this season, Shanahan has called 19 runs and just 3 passes on first down inside the opponent's 10-yard line. That means he's calling runs 86 percent of the time. And those runs have gained just 1.3 yards per carry. So when the 49ers have first and goal from the 8, their next play usually is second and goal from the 7 after an unsuccessful run between the tackles.

The 49ers are way too predictable near the goal line. Shanahan needs to break tendency and start calling passes on first down in the low red zone. Play-action passes should be particularly effective considering defenses expect the 49ers to run.

2. Go for it on fourth down.

Shanahan has gone for it on fourth down just once inside the 10-yard line and merely three times inside the 20 this season. He's too content to kick short field goals even though his kicker isn't good, his special teams are the worst in the league and his red-zone offense really could use another opportunity to score a touchdown. Be aggressive, Kyle.

3. Run Brock Purdy.

Other than the occasional quarterback sneak, Shanahan hasn't called a designed run for Purdy in the red zone yet this season. No naked bootlegs. No zone reads. No quarterback sweeps. As opposed to Jim Harbaugh, who called a quarterback sweep for Justin Herbert on fourth and 1 from the four-yard line this Sunday and he scored. That was creative and bold. Harbaugh used to call that play for Alex Smith, too. Why can't Shanahan call it for Purdy? He's much quicker Herbert. Shanahan used to call zone reads for C.J. Beathard near the goal line. Why can't Shanahan call that play for Purdy? He's much quicker than Beathard. I'm just saying.