ESPN’s Trent Dilfer joined Rod Brooks and Matt Kolsky on KNBR 680 Tuesday breaking down all things NFL and the San Francisco 49ers.
While a lot has been made of GM Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly shortcomings in 2016, Dilfer would like to see more effort and preparation from inside the locker room, starting this week against the New England Patriots.
“The players have to be willing when practice is over, and the whistle blows, to say you know what, we need to stay out here another 20-30 minutes and walk through some of these things that have been introduced to us this week,” Dilfer said. “We need to spend a little more time in the film room and not just get back to our video games.
“That’s a next step for a team that’s in development. Those players have to police themselves and say we’re not good enough to show up on Sunday and beat you mano e mano. So we’re going to take it upon ourselves to work extra long to get prepared to do something we haven’t done to this point.”
It will be up to Kelly to devise a completely different game plan going against Bill Belichick, and Dilfer suggests the only way the 49ers can beat New England is with their offense. The 49ers rank 29th on offense (30th in passing, 7th in rushing).
“Chip’s offense is fast. It’s kind of standard formations a lot,” Dilfer said. “You can run the same plays and concepts you’ve invested in, but it has to look different before the ball is snapped. So bunch formations, moving pieces around. Changing personnel groupings. Having some trickeration in your your backfield, misdirection. Little things like that will give you a tactical edge.
“The Patriots are vulnerable with their safety play. So if you can get receivers and tight ends on their safeties, there are chances for big plays.”