49ers Struggle in Red Zone: Need for Improvement

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers had an excellent season thus far, ranking as one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL. But the 49ers have a major area they must work on: the red zone. For now, the 49ers are just scoring touchdowns on 50 percent of their red zone trips. This is dramatically lower than last year when they scored a touchdown on nearly 68 percent of their red zone trips. It’s unexplainable, having this amount of talent on the roster, that they can’t seem to close drives out when they reach the red zone. It’s puzzling to fans how this team doesn’t capitalize well on their scoring chances.

Current Situation

San Francisco 49ers
Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (59) tackles New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Watching the 49ers, it is evident that they have the material to win games. Quarterback Brock Purdy has displayed enough ability in the game, and the talent at skill positions is undeniable. Yet, once they get to the red zone, something seems to drag. Sinking field goals instead of sealing those opportunities into touchdowns will draw ire from fans at times. You can almost feel the swing in energy if they get close enough only to bring out the kicker to celebrate a field goal instead of a touchdown. This is something they have to address if they are going to be consistent in dominating opponents.

One reason the 49ers aren’t doing great is because of the absence of Christian McCaffrey. Without him, they haven’t broken down the running game all that much, but the offense just doesn’t seem to have that spark inside the red zone. McCaffrey’s unique skill set often puts the squeeze on the defenses and also creates mismatches. Without him, the 49ers just have to find some other creative and effective ways to do some things inside the 20-yard line. Maybe it’s just the need for more play-action pass concepts or quicker decisions by Purdy.

Time to Execute

Pointing fingers is easy, but the coaching staff needs to take a good look at its play-calling. Kyle Shanahan is one of the better play-callers in the league, but somebody needs to wake him up in the red zone. The crucial aspect, however, is the better execution by the offensive line and skill players. The team has three All-Pro caliber players who can thrive when working in tight space and should be able to navigate said offense and use all their skills here. The team needs to start getting some timing and coordination going. There are just a few missed blocks or miscommunications that can turn a promising drive into a disappointing field goal attempt.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 49ers have definite red zone improvement potential to take their game to another level. Such a talented team should not waste its points; instead, they should be concerned about scoring their share. Issues around red zone efficiency will both boost the scoring average and get them winning games with a comfortable margin too. Having moved on with their season, it is important for the team to look for ways to complete drives and capitalize on all their chances. Fans are therefore optimistic that, with a few tweaks, the 49ers will learn to turn red-zone misses into touchdown-making moments.

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