SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- In the aftermath of their NFC Championship win against the Detroit Lions, the San Francisco 49ers first felt a sense of relief followed by joy and then, after watching the tape, at least a little bit of disappointment.
For all of coach Kyle Shanahan's tenure since taking over in 2017, the Niners have prided themselves on playing at full speed all the time. But, on multiple plays in the 34-31 win against the Detroit Lions, Shanahan and his staff spotted issues with effort. It was a jarring sight.
"Collectively as a team, I can tell you as a defense it's unacceptable," defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said.