In the first installment of “49ers 101”, we went over the stretch zone play and why it’s such an effective run play. Today, we go over the play-action pass that’s built off that stretch zone play. It feels like defenses fall for it every time — a simple, yet effective play. Like Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams, less is more. You don’t need to run 37 different plays to be successful. It’s all about window dressing, something that San Francisco 49ers head coach and play-caller Kyle Shanahan excels at.

Playing to your personnel

In 2018, the 49ers led the NFL in snaps out of 21 personnel—which is two running backs and one tight end—using that personnel 424 times.