Kyle Shanahan undoubtedly is one of the best -- if not the very best -- play-callers in the NFL.
That's not hyperbole. You can simply look at the production of the offenses he has been in charge of, compare it to any other coach over the last decade-plus and you'll find he has few -- if any -- peers.
That's just in general, across all downs, games and seasons. However, when it comes to the first play of a drive, he has no equal.
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His record of success is so ridiculous, it should produce a chuckle out of anyone who comes across it. Not only has he led four of the top six first-play offenses over the last four seasons, but he also has dominated on first down since he began his coaching career.
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In his capacity as either offensive coordinator or head coach -- the two positions he has held since 2008 -- Shanahan's first-down offense has ranked among the best six in the league nine times and only fallen outside the top 10 twice. He clearly has gotten the most of his personnel, considering the likes of Rex Grossman, C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens have been under center for three of those top 10 seasons and two of the top five.
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The only two times Shanahan's first-down offense didn't rank among the top 10 in the NFL in terms of yards per play were when Robert Griffin III was coming off a torn ACL, LCL and meniscus, and when Johnny Manziel was backing up Brian Hoyer.
That says far more about the quarterbacks than it does the play-caller.
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Success on first down is key for obvious reasons. By putting yourself in advantageous down-and-distance on later downs, it opens up the playbook and keeps the defense guessing. When you're good on first down, you don't often end up in 3rd-and-long.
The 49ers have plenty of talent on offense, but Shanahan at the helm makes it greater than the sum of its parts. As long as he's calling the plays, San Francisco should have a tremendous chance at being one of the best teams in the league on that side of the ball.