49ers DC Steve Wilks: Defense’s Play Was ‘Unacceptable’ vs. Lions in NFC Title Game

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIFebruary 3, 2024

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San Francisco defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said his unit’s play was “unacceptable” during a 34-31 win over the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game.

“Collectively as a team, I can tell you as a defense it’s unacceptable,” Wilks said Friday, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

“We talked about that. I wish I could tell these guys on play four, on play 27, this is what’s going to happen. You don’t know. So, we’ve got to make sure that we play every down as if it’s going to be the difference in the ball game. And you could see on those particular plays, it wasn’t to our standard. Those guys understand and know that and quite honestly it was embarrassing.”

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan added that there were two or three plays that were “not our culture.” The team’s run defense was particularly porous in the first half, most notably on Jameson Williams’ 42-yard touchdown and Jahymr Gibbs’ 15-yard TD.

The 49ers ultimately allowed 182 yards and three scores on the ground versus the Lions, one week after Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones gashed San Francisco for 108 yards on 18 carries.

Defending the run won’t get much easier against Kansas City, which sports one of the toughest runners in football in Isiah Pacheco, who has run for 254 yards and three scores in the playoffs. The 49ers will also have to keep an eye out for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his scrambling abilities (389 yards).

Of course, defending the pass will be tough enough against a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion in Mahomes. Playing as they did against the Lions in the first half simply won’t cut it against the Chiefs, and it’s clear the 49ers know this.

Correcting the matter starts with effort, and that’s something general manager John Lynch spoke about as well.

“Effort is a non-negotiable,” Lynch said. “Those things have been addressed. You’ve got one game. I really would be shocked if we saw that again.”

The 49ers hope to keep those issues in the rearview mirror as they look ahead to the Super Bowl, which will go down Sunday, Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.