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San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan

For a former NFL player, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, his style of play has gone way too far.

The 49ers are now 2-3 after a disappointing 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and turning things around against the Seattle Seahawks is difficult. On Wednesday, FS1 analyst Emmanuel Acho commented on Shanahan’s style of play.

“It’s like Kyle Shanahan is coaching like his dad is in the stands and he wants to make his dad proud.” Acho said. “He shoots a basket like his ex is in the crowd, and you know when you start dribbling the basketball so hard that you can keep up with the basketball on the hardwood? Kyle Shanahan calls plays like he’s showing off.”

Those are strong words for a coach who has made two Super Bowl appearances in the last five seasons. But the Niners have lost some surprising games this year, capped by the Cardinals’ loss.

Acho didn’t stop there and also said that the team will continue to fight as long as Shanahan continues to get in the way.

“The 49ers are in trouble until Shanahan gets out of his own way, because right now he’s in his own way,” Acho said. “He is the one who stops this offensive. … Shanahan needs to get out of his way immediately.”

49ers offensive rankings

What Acho specifically means when he mentions Shanahan’s tendency to “show off” is not clear. Shanahan may be overcomplicating things, but the 49ers’ offense is still performing at a fairly high level despite its early season woes.

According to TeamRankings.com, San Francisco ranks 10th in the NFL with 25.2 points per game. Additionally, they rank second in yards per game (407.4) and yards per game (6.3).

Where Shanahan and the 49ers offense deserve criticism is in the red zone. When San Francisco is within striking distance, they only score touchdowns 40.9% of the time.

Additionally, the team is turning the ball over at an alarming rate. They give the ball away 1.6 times per game, which ranks 26th in the NFL.

Shanahan comments on the second half collapse

When the 49ers lost to the Cardinals last Sunday, they did so in unusual fashion. San Francisco led 23-10 early in the fourth quarter and appeared to take control.

However, their last four drives ended with three turnovers and a failed fourth-down conversion. The Cardinals took advantage of their scoring opportunity and completed the comeback.

After the game, Shanahan was asked if RB Jordan Mason gave up a sack that led to QB Brock Purdy’s final interception. Shanahan defended Mason, saying the RB had two blitzers to deal with. He also emphasized that the entire offense was a complete disappointment in the fourth quarter.

“Yes, I mentioned it after the game, it’s not all on JP. We all did our part. We had four possessions and three turnovers in the second half and one turnover on downs. The easier way out is to get to the last turnover. But that’s not the case,” Shanahan said Oct. 7.

Evan Reier is a sports journalist who covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He previously covered sports for the Montana Standard and was managing editor for Outsider. More about Evan Reier