Kyle Shanahan is a spread covering machine in the playoffs
Kyle Shanahan is in his sixth season as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. It’s his third playoff appearance and he performed well under the bright lights. The 49ers are 6-2 in the playoffs under Shanahan and have one Super Bowl appearance. Not only are his teams winning, but they are covering the spreads for NFL bettors.
When deciding where to put your hard-earned money, coaching is important. It is probably the second most influential position on the football field behind quarterback. Shanahan has proven to be one of the best coaches in the league and it’s no surprise that he consistently exceeds market expectations.
Shanahan is perfect in playoff games other than the Super Bowl
Overall, Kyle Shanahan is 7-1 ATS in his postseason coaching career. His only non-coverage came in Super Bowl LIV, where his 49ers lost by 11 points as a 1.5-point underdog to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In playoff games other than the Super Bowl, Shanahan is 6-1 and a perfect 7-0 ATS. Here’s a look at his playoff performance:
2020 Divisional Round: 27-10 win over Minnesota as 7-point favorite
2020 Conference Championship: 37-20 win over Green Bay as 7.5-point favorite
Super Bowl 2020: 31-20 loss to Kansas City as 1.5 point underdog
2022 Wild-Card Round: 23-17 win over Dallas as 3-point underdog
2022 Divisional Round: 13-10 win over Green Bay as 5.5 point underdogs
2022 Conference Championship: 20-17 loss to Los Angeles as 3.5-point underdog
2023 Wild-Card Round: 41-23 win over Seattle as favorite with 9.5 points
2023 Divisional Round: 19-12 win over Dallas as favorite by 3.5 points
Shanahan’s 7-1 ATS mark is tied with Doug Pederson for the best postseason record among coaches with at least three games coached. The 49ers have played five consecutive playoff games, which is the longest active streak. Overall, Kyle Shanahan is 19-10 against the spread as an underdog on the road, including a 12-3 record since 2019.
The 49ers have won 12 straight games and gone 10-2 against the spread during that streak. Since taking over, Brock Purdy is 6-1 ATS as a starter. He was a betting favorite in all seven games.
The story continues
49ers a dog this weekend
For the first time in his young NFL career, Brock Purdy enters a game as an underdog. San Francisco is a 2.5-point road underdog in Philadelphia against the Eagles on Sunday.
Overall, this will be the first game since Oct. 23 where the 49ers are an underdog. In that game, San Francisco was a 1-point underdog against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 49ers lost to the Chiefs by a score of 31-14. It was the last time San Francisco lost a game.
Philadelphia enters the game with a dominating performance last weekend, beating the New York Giants by a score of 38-7, easily covering as a 7.5-point home favorite. Nick Sirianni is 1-1 ATS in the playoffs. His Eagles lost 31-15 as a 7-point underdog to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.
There isn’t much that separates these teams, and that’s reflected in the betting odds. Will Kyle Shanahan potentially provide the 49ers with the edge they need? He’s definitely been playoff money so far.
Kyle Shanahan has been money in his coaching career in the NFL playoffs. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)