'I Got No Problem Being Scrappy'; 49ers Receivers Take Pride In Downfield Blocks
SANTA CLARA (CBS SF) -- The San Francisco 49ers may have only passed eight times in their NFC Championship victory over the Green Bay Packers, but don't think that meant the team's corp of talented receivers were merely spectators.
As a group, San Francisco's receivers take pride in being equally dangerous catching the ball or locking up opposing defensive backs with devastating blocks to free up running back Raheem Mostert or each other.
"I ain't got no problem going out there and being scrappy with the defense and blocking for the running back," Deebo Samuel said. "They do it for us when we have a pass thrown down."
On the second 49ers touchdown drive, Samuel tossed a block on Green Bay safety Darnell Savage at the 6-yard-line to allow Mostert to scamper untouched into the end zone for the score.
On Mostert's 18-yard scoring dash to make it 27-0, again Samuel got a key downfield block -- this one on Green Bay Kevin King at the GB 9 yard-line.
Samuel's running mate -- Emanuel Sanders -- also takes plenty of pride in his blocking ability.
"I told myself, if I'm not going to get the ball, I might as well go out here and be a bully," he said of his championship game play. "I kind of turned into a bully, I started to enjoy blocking."
San Francisco's gifted tight end George Kittle is of a similar mindset. After being a primary receiver for the 49ers offense for much of the season, San Francisco has leaned on Kittle's ability to deliver devastating blocks on the edge in the playoffs.
In the team's NFC Divisional playoff victory over Minnesota, San Francisco ran the ball a stunning 47 times for 186 yards. Of those plays, 26 running plays were outside the left tackle or right tackle with Kittle leading the way.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan appreciates his star tight end's unique skill set -- punishing blocker, dangerous pass receiver and tough to tackle.
"Kittle, everyone knows what he's done in the pass game, but he has never once in three years came up to me during a game and said 'Hey I need this route or Hey we've got to do this,'" Shanahan said. "He's never once came up to me about a pass play, but he comes up to me about every seven plays about what kind of run play we need to do, who we need to allow him to hit, things like that. It makes it very fun to call plays for him."
Shanahan also makes it a point to constantly remind his receivers how important they are to the 49ers running attack.
"I think it's just holding people accountable from the beginning," he said. "Then you just set a standard as it is and every time you watch tape you point it out. Some people don't point it out very much and don't think you can get that out of wideouts, but that's what we do from the first play that we're with someone until the last play."
"I mean, you never don't grade a receiver for blocking. They're as big of a part of it as anyone on the field and the more you point that out I think the more they enjoy it," he added. "I think guys don't always get that pointed out all the time and once they realize how big of a deal that it is for them I think guys take pride in it."
"And you can be a real physical guy or you don't always have to be the most physical guy just to know how to do your job and how to be square on people and get to the right guy. I think those guys learn the more that they do that, the more big plays that they can get in the passing game."
