One of the most memorable elements of this year’s Super Bowl between the 49ers and the Chiefs was the last-minute winner by Patrick Mahomes. However, we would have been robbed of this stunner if Kyle Shanahan had decided to not play the ball first in OT.
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His decision to let Mahomes, one of the finest big-game players chase the score ruined the 49ers’ chances. Naturally, fans have been upset with the HC ever since but 49ers CB Charvarius Ward has a different take over it.
The San Francisco 49ers and the KC Chiefs were the first teams in Super Bowl history to play under the new OT rules by the NFL. The new rules allow both teams an equal chance at kicking the ball via toss. Hence losing the game despite winning the toss, and picking the wrong decision sounds bad for Kyle Shanahan. However, Charvarius Ward believes it was the right decision by his coach considering he had to manage the defence’s workload.
Appearing on the ‘Up & Adams Show’ with Kay Adams, the CB argued that since the defense was tired after a grueling back and forth over four quarters, Coach Shanahn felt that it would have been better to set a target over the tired KC Chiefs defenders’ legs. On paper, the strategy was quite sound. Coach Andy Reid would have also done the same if he were to win the toss. Thus Ward argued that people are accusing the HC needlessly, saying,
“But you gotta think about it though, like at the end of the fourth quarter, the defense was on the field for a very long time, so if we would have went right back out there, it probably could have been like the same result, you know what I mean? So I mean hindsight is always 20/20.”
However, would Ward and his boys be ready to go out if they didn’t have to play the ball first? “I would have been ready if we had to go out there,” said the 49ers player. Nevertheless, he didn’t see any merit in discussing what-ifs as it won’t change the results. “But we lost, they won. That’s all,” said Ward.
All said, Ward was clearly not pleased with his team’s close defeat this season. Hence he laid out his plans for the coming season to be the Champions.
“You Got To Change Something” – Charvarius Ward Wants Kyle Shanahan And Boys To Introspect And Improve
It’s no secret that Kyle Shanahan has one of the worst playoff records for an elite coach currently. Having lost 3 out of his 4 playoff matches, the 49ers coach can certainly do better. So can the San Francisco-based team after their agonizingly painful Super Bowl loss this year.
Ward was one of the standout players for the 49ers last season and believes that the setback has only made him and his teammates hungrier. However, he also admitted that the team is nowhere near perfect.
The 49 appear to be losing because of little mistakes here and there. Hence, Ward wants his team to identify their mistakes and work on them actively. The CB also admitted that he and his team don’t know where they are lagging, but are hopeful of identifying it soon as getting better is the only way to win the Super Bowl.
“It make you a little hungrier because obviously you got to change something because you didn’t win the Super Bowl. You can’t go in there and be the like the exact same team and do the exact same stuff and expect to win a Super Bowl the next year, so I think the losses make you stronger. They make you go harder, they challenge you to be better at something. Maybe we don’t know what we got to be better at yet but obviously we got to go in there and work and figure it out to you know to go to the throne, be the Champions.”
It’s heartening to see Ward be so optimistic about the 49ers’ chances for the Super Bowl this year. Although the competition has risen considerably, having a positive outlook is the stepping stone to having a shot at the Super Bowl. Here’s wishing the 49ers all the very best and we hope that they end the year on a positive note.
