Should the 49ers do more? Not necessarily, but that's more than likely how they're feeling right now. That’s the mentality NBC Sports Bay Area’s Takeo Spikes says, when it comes to the 5-8 team.
“Offensively, a five-yard pass catch is not just going to be a five-yard pass catch -- 'I have to exert more effort to break the tackle and take it to the house, and we need points on every possession,' ” Spikes said on the latest "Behind The Mask" podcast. "Now, is that the right type of mindset that you need to have? Absolutely not. Because when you do more, or more than what's asked of you, that's what bad things typically happen."
The 49ers currently have slim playoff chances. Not impossible, but it does require them to win their final three games of the regular season. While Spikes believes that the 49ers perhaps are doing too much on one part of the game, that might not be the same scenario for the other side of the ball.
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Over and over again athletes will say they don’t want to complicate their approach with their performance. Doing too much, more than what is asked of you is oftentimes when things go wrong. So the defensive approach would be different.
Perhaps doing more could work in the 49ers’ interest.
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Rather than simply tackling a guy, try to strip the ball out and return it for a touchdown.
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“Every tackle opportunity, that’s a turnover opportunity," Spikes said. "So I’m more so focused on taking the ball away versus getting the guy down."
Spikes said it’s easy. The 49ers have to be thinking, "You have to do more."
We’ll see if the advice will work in the 49ers’ favor as the regular season winds down. But a more aggressive approach from the defensive side could get them back in the playoff hunt.