Kyle Shanahan feels the 49ers have been in playoff-mode for weeks
Jan 10, 2023, 1:30 PM | Updated: 2:12 pm
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 24: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers looks on before the game against the Washington Commanders at Levi's Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Despite heading into the postseason on a 10-game win streak, the San Francisco 49ers view Wild Card weekend as a fresh start, a new season if you will.
Starting the season 3-4, the 49ers have dominated teams down the stretch run of the regular season. To close out Week 18, the Red & Gold thrashed the Arizona Cardinals, 38-13, putting in their backups at the start of the fourth quarter. Their stellar play over the last few months is a result of their mindset, viewing each week as a chance to go 1-0 by Sunday night.
“I feel like our mentality, we’ve been playing playoff games for a long time. And the pressure is always on,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday.
The pressure has certainly been on rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, stepping into big shoes with impressive performances the last six games. In Week 18, he became the first rookie QB since Dan Marino to throw for two touchdowns or more in his first five starts.
The kicker: Purdy threw for three TDs Sunday afternoon.
More 49ers Brock Purdy for Rookie of the Year propaganda pic.twitter.com/PTZXBlDojw
— Brad (@Graham_SFN) January 10, 2023
As we all know, however, the playoffs are a different animal where the pressure can become insurmountable at times. While the team, and Purdy himself, have the utmost confidence in his play, it’s still Shanahan’s job to make sure his rookie gunslinger has his game face ready for a deep playoff run.
“I think Brock takes [pressure] into every game and this game if you want to sit and think about all the outside stuff, I’m sure you could psych yourself out but that’s the only thing I would say through experience of it. Once you get on the field, there’s absolutely nothing different. So whether it’s a playoff game, whether it’s a Super Bowl, all you can do is control the athletic sporting event that you’re involved in. Don’t make it more than that,” Shanahan explained.
That starts this Saturday with the Seattle Seahawks coming to town.
Despite the previous two meetings ending in a dominant win for San Francisco this season, Shanahan and the team will continue to treat their opponents like a blank slate, hoping to go 1-0 after each postseason contest.
“I look at it as we only have to beat him once, because there is no more ‘in a row’. Everything behind us doesn’t matter and it’s a one-game season right now. So we got to beat them this week one time and then that’ll allow us to move to next week,” Kyle Shanahan said.
Click here to watch Kyle Shanahan’s full Wednesday Presser
