Kyle Shanahan Admits 49ers Started Studying Packers Film During First Half Blowout Over Cowboys

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Thanks to earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan just had to wait out Super Wild Card Weekend to find out their opponent for the Divisional Round. They didn't have to wait long since the Green Bay Packers blew out the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon.

According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco didn't expect Dallas to come back from down three touchdowns. He says the team started preparing for Green Bay in the middle of the second quarter.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says he started preparing for his team to play the Packers during the second quarter of Green Bay's win over the Dallas Cowboys.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says he started preparing for his team to play the Packers during the second quarter of Green Bay's win over the Dallas Cowboys. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

"We had mixed in earlier in the week ... started really focusing on them halfway through the second quarter," Shanahan remarked, with a smirk.

He admitted that the late first-half Cowboys touchdown caused a slight pause, but they quickly moved right back to all-out strategizing for Green Bay.

" scored at the end of the second quarter, so I kinda did both at halftime. Third quarter I was set on one team," he said.

Green Bay Packers early blowout over the Cowboys gave Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers a nice jump on their preparation

If Dallas had won, Shanahan and the 49ers would have had to wait to learn their opponent. In fact, Shanahan mentions doing some prep on each team during the week.

That's a lot of teams to prepare to play against. They could have seen any team seeded fourth or lower. Thanks to Detroit's victory, if the Cowboys advanced, it would have meant San Francisco needed the result of Monday night's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles.

As it is, though, they got a great jump on their preparations for the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Jordan Love.

The two teams meet on Saturday, giving the 49ers a sizable rest advantage. The Packers must play on a slightly shortened week, while the majority of San Francisco's starters haven't played since Week 17.

That might actually work out in Green Bay's favor. San Francisco wouldn't be the first team to look rusty coming off, essentially, a three-week break.

Expect them to have a plan to combat that come Saturday night.

After all, they've had plenty of time to come up with it.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.