SANTA CLARA — Steve Wilks rejects the premise that his journey from coaches box to the sideline was the impetus for a defensive recovery for the 49ers.
The 49ers’ defensive coordinator coached from the field for the first time with the 49ers, and the result was a 34-3 win over Jacksonville during which they gave up the fewest points since Pittsburgh scored seven points in the regular-season opener.
The 49ers sacked Trevor Lawrence five times and surrendered 221 yards, their second-lowest total of the season other than giving up 197 against Dallas in Week 5. That was the last game the 49ers won before snapping a three-game losing streak.
Wilks will be back on the sideline Sunday when the 49ers (6-3) host Tampa Bay (4-5) at Levi’s Stadium.
Having downplayed the change in advance, Wilks did so again in the aftermath.
“Believe me, that wasn’t nowhere near the reason why,” Wilks said Thursday. “We’ve got good players and me being down on the sideline had nothing to do with it.”
Instead, Wilks credited a rejuvenation of sorts after the bye week together with animus accumulated through seeing the 49ers’ record fall from 5-0 to 5-3.
“When we came back that Monday they were fresh with their legs,” Wilks said. “The attitude was completely different. We played to our standard.”
Wilks said he enjoyed the face time with his defenders.
“I enjoyed the interaction with the players,” Wilks said. “I think, in that regard, it was good to be able to look in their eyes and communicate and create some clarity in my thoughts moving on to the next series.”
Middle linebacker Fred Warner, getting his information directly from Wilks instead of having it relayed through linebackers coach Johnny Holland, said “I think coach Wilks called a perfect game. We made Trevor Lawrence’s life hard all game long and we could feel that and when we’re playing hard that’s what it looks like.”
In making the change to the sideline, Shanahan said it originated out of a conversation the two had after the third straight loss. Critics thought the move made the 49ers look unnecessarily desperate.
General manager John Lynch said during his weekly spot with KNBR that it was Shanahan’s call to have him operate on the field like predecessors DeMeco Ryans and Robert Saleh.
“It just felt right. I think it’s a process you have to go through,” Lynch said. “When you bring someone like Steve Wilks in there’s going to be an indoctrination period. It went smooth right way, we hit a little speed bump and I think it’s courageous for Kyle to make a call like that and say, `We’re going to flip the script and my instinct says he should be down there.’ It’s what our players are accustomed to.”
SCREEN GAME: About the only quibble with the 49ers defense against Jacksonville was defending screen passes, and here comes Tampa Bay, which counted among its touchdowns against Tennessee a 23-yard screen from Baker Mayfield to Rachaad White.
“On some screens you’re going to be looking down the barrel,” Mayfield told the Tampa media. “You want them in close enough so they can’t retrace their steps and chase the back from behind. It’s knowing where you’re answers are, knowing where the voids in the defense are when they do bring a certain guy.”
Mayfield has high regard for the 49ers’ linebacking duo of Warner an Dre Greenlaw.
“They’re recognition of plays is a huge difference,” Mayfield said. “You have to be on time.”
On the drive where Jacksonville got its only points, there were screens of 15 and 17 yards to Christian Kirk and 13 and 17 to D’Ernest Johnson.
“There’s no magical call with screens. It’s all about effort,” Wilks said. “I say all the time, you’ve got to whoop that man in front of you.”
Baker dishes it to Rachaad White and he does the rest for a 43-yard TD!
📺: #TENvsTB on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kECSNGc6Bj pic.twitter.com/yxJ9NGW7lh— NFL (@NFL) November 12, 2023
VERRETT TO RETURN?: The 49ers had cornerback Jason Verrett in for a tryout and hope to sign him to the practice squad next week.
Verrett tore his left Achilles’ last November just as he was about to be activated following a turn right ACL in the 2021 season opener. He’s had ACL surgeries on each knee and both Achilles’ repaired.
There was also a turn labrum in 2014. Verrett played 13 games for the 49ers and was nearly back to his Pro Bowl form of 2015.
Verrett was released this week from the Houston practice squad and the 49ers liked what they saw in a subsequent workout. The 49ers also worked out Verrett before he signed with Houston, and Shanahan said about seven players showed up to watch it.
“J.V. has been one of the most respected guys we’ve had in the building, just the way he carries himself,” Shanahan said.
INJURY REPORT: Aaron Banks (toe) and Nick Zakelj (biceps) were ruled out. Listed as questionable are three players who had their practice window opened this week from injured reserve — linebacker Robert Beal (hamstring), cornerback Darryl Luter (knee) and cornerback Samuel Womack (knee).
All three are healthy enough to play, Shanahan said, but it remains to be seen whether a roster spot will open up if the current roster remains healthy. Wide receiver Danny Gray (shoulder) also is good to go but without a spot on the roster.
With only one practice remaining before a Thanksgiving evening game in Seattle, it’s conceivable their window could close without being activated and they’d remain on injured reserve for the season. Beal was named one of the 49ers’ practice squad players of the week.
Tackle Colton McKivitz (ankle, knee) and linebacker Demetrius Flanigan-Fowles (ankle) were not on the injury report and are good to go.