[Javabean]

If you want to read an article critical of Saleh, here you go.

So what was the 49ers’ plan? It won’t take long to explain, actually. On first down and second-and-short (under 7 yards to go), the 49ers essentially played two coverages: Quarters and Cover 3. And it wasn’t difficult to figure out when they’d play which coverage. When Mahomes was in shotgun, they played Quarters; when he went under center, they played Cover 3.

Every time.

We’re talking a 100% tendency for the entire game.

...

When the Chiefs lined up in a two-by-two shotgun formation, the 49ers played Quarters 93% of the time. On third-and-3+, they played Cover 1 man (sometimes with a safety lurking over the middle, sometimes with an extra pass rusher) 80% of the time. On third-and-extra-long (more than 10 yards to go) Saleh would call Cover 3 Buzz, which is sorta, kinda similar to “Solo” coverage in that you have the backside safety looking to take the No. 3 receiver if he goes vertical…

...

The Chiefs faced third-and-extra-long three times outside of the red zone. The 49ers called Cover 3 Buzz every single time. Converting on third-and-long is difficult, but it gets a lot easier when the offense knows what coverage it’s getting, as San Francisco would find out later in the game.

With all of these easily diagnosed tendencies, Saleh might as well have been calling plays into Patrick Mahomes’ headset.