Prevent Defense Only Prevents Your Team From Winning
This is something many gamblers have recognized over the years. Unfortunately for 49ers fans, it's not a lesson Kyle Shanahan heeded.
Prevent defense only prevents your team from winning.
After falling short on the Chiefs' nine-yard line, the Niners needed to hold Kansas City out of the endzone. Instead, they leaned into the prevent defense, lining their linebackers eight yards off the line of scrimmage with soft help from their safeties. By doing so, they effectively gave the Chiefs three to four free yards on every snap. Smartly, KC took what was given and marched into the endzone.
This was San Francisco's game to lose. And they blew it. Two leads late in the game as -1.5 chalk, and the Niners' defense couldn't take care of business.
Next time, Shanahan's team needs a 4th-and-1 stop to win the Championship; hopefully, he doesn't trot out a soft zone coverage to give up a free six yards.
