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How 49ers’ message of desperation, urgency fueled big win vs. Bears originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — Desperate times oftentimes call for desperate measures. However, that wasn’t quite the case for the 49ers this week.
Yes, the times indeed are desperate. No, drastic measures were not taken in the week leading up to the 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
The only difference between this week and any other week leading up to a game for San Francisco was the team meeting that took place on Saturday night. Not the meeting itself, but who spoke.
Coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the team, which is usual on the night before the game, but his ‘rah-rah’ speech, or lack thereof, as he often likes to emphasize, wasn’t the only message being delivered. The 49ers coach, with his team’s season hanging in the brink after three consecutive losses — two of which by way of ugly blowouts — asked numerous veteran players to address their teammates and speak candidly about where the team was headed and where they wanted to go.
“Every time you get in a meeting as a coach, you want to figure out something that’s going to affect the players,” Shanahan shared after the game. “And when I say ‘affect’ them, make them practice better or play better, there’s very rarely some special words that changes how guys play. But we did talk about the importance of this, where we were at. Regardless of the result, I wanted to make sure we came out today and showed grit. We wanted to fight.”
Among the players who spoke were quarterback Brock Purdy, linebacker Fred Warner, tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and, maybe to some people’s surprise, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir.
Most of those players have one thing in common: A large, white “C” on their jerseys. Lenoir is the only one who does not. His message resonated just as equally, if not louder.
“Demo got up and talked, and Demo’s not really a — while he looks loud while he’s on the football…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-message-desperation-urgency-fueled-032443224.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-12-09 05:52:00
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