[Mick]

Wilks has been scapegoated by a coach who can't win the Big One.

Wilks wasn't the sole reason they lost the game. Nor was he the main reason. However, he's not being scapegoated. The writing was on the wall for quite some time that he wasn't a fit with the team. Just listened to a guest talking head on KNBR who said that Wilks's departure wasn't a surprise and was a long time in the making. . . . 

---

A few thoughts based on the game and reading the thread: 

2. Wilks defense played well in the superbowl, but was atrocious on the final two drives. Mahomes may be the GOAT, and there is no shame in losing to him. But there is a lot of shame in giving a mile of cushion (without disguising the coverage) on 2nd and 14 and 3rd and 6 when they are definitely going for it on 4th down. The pre-snap look was so bad Kyle had to call a timeout to get into a different play, and he should have.  This is not nor should it be why wilks was fired. 

3. Wilks defense was a disappointment throughout the year. Depending on the measure you use, we went from a top 1-2 defense last year to a ~10th ranke defense this year, despite relatively good health and adding Hargrave. This matched the eye test. We had a lot of games where we struggled to stop the run and mid-range passing game, and it was only when our excellent offense built up big leads that our defense was able to turn it up once their offense became one dimensional. We very rarely disguised coverages or lined up in ways to show something other then our base look, except for the well publicized cover 0 blitzes he liked to run at the weirdest times, again with no attempt to disguise it. If you show a good QB like Stafford or Burrow exactly what you are running, he's going to have answers for it. 

Our D-line in particular underperformed, partially since we moved away from a lot of the wide-9 principles/stunts that had worked well for us, instead just lining up and playing straight up the vast majority of the time. 

If the 49er defense holds on 4th and 1 and the Niners win the Super Bowl, does Wilks get fired? Saleh's defense gave up 31 to KC four years ago, Wilks' defense gave up 19 in regulation.

[Mick]

Wilks has been scapegoated by a coach who can't win the Big One.

Wilks wasn't the sole reason they lost the game. Nor was he the main reason. However, he's not being scapegoated. The writing was on the wall for quite some time that he wasn't a fit with the team. Just listened to a guest talking head on KNBR who said that Wilks's departure wasn't a surprise and was a long time in the making. . . . 

---

A few thoughts based on the game and reading the thread: 

2. Wilks defense played well in the superbowl, but was atrocious on the final two drives. Mahomes may be the GOAT, and there is no shame in losing to him. But there is a lot of shame in giving a mile of cushion (without disguising the coverage) on 2nd and 14 and 3rd and 6 when they are definitely going for it on 4th down. The pre-snap look was so bad Kyle had to call a timeout to get into a different play, and he should have.  This is not nor should it be why wilks was fired. 

3. Wilks defense was a disappointment throughout the year. Depending on the measure you use, we went from a top 1-2 defense last year to a ~10th ranke defense this year, despite relatively good health and adding Hargrave. This matched the eye test. We had a lot of games where we struggled to stop the run and mid-range passing game, and it was only when our excellent offense built up big leads that our defense was able to turn it up once their offense became one dimensional. We very rarely disguised coverages or lined up in ways to show something other then our base look, except for the well publicized cover 0 blitzes he liked to run at the weirdest times, again with no attempt to disguise it. If you show a good QB like Stafford or Burrow exactly what you are running, he's going to have answers for it. 

Our D-line in particular underperformed, partially since we moved away from a lot of the wide-9 principles/stunts that had worked well for us, instead just lining up and playing straight up the vast majority of the time. 

If the 49er defense holds on 4th and 1 and the Niners win the Super Bowl, does Wilks get fired? Saleh's defense gave up 31 to KC four years ago, Wilks' defense gave up 19 in regulation.