Kyle Shanahan goes for the TD with 1 second left in the half, and 49ers get it in win over Rams
Going for it when you need just a yard or two has become commonplace in the NFL. The decision is a little more complicated when there's one second on the clock before halftime.
But San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn't seem that conflicted. It didn't seem like he hesitated to leave his offense on the field at the 1-yard line with just one play to go before halftime.
Fortune favors the bold. The 49ers converted, with Brock Purdy sneaking in for a touchdown as the first-half clock expired, making their head coach look smart and kickstarting a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams:
QB SNEAK WITH :01 TO GO! @brockpurdy13 | @49ers
📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/uAaShlfZ32— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023
The 49ers surprisingly trailed 17-10 at that point. The Los Angeles Rams played a very good half against a 49ers team that was excellent in Week 1. The 49ers blew out the Pittsburgh Steelers but then had trouble figuring out the Rams in the first half.
Maybe Shanahan thought his team needed a bit of a spark. It wasn't a massive gamble, given that the 49ers were at the 1-yard line, but Shanahan would've answered plenty of questions about the decision had it not worked. Still, the risk was worth the reward.