Everything is bigger in Vegas. And grosser. And squishier, apparently.
Super Bowl week kicked off with a quite literal splash in Las Vegas, as a storm ran straight from Southern California into the desert, delaying flights and dampening fields. There was information on a soggy field and much more from the 49ers.
Field woes, so it goes
The first bit of news to come out of Las Vegas Monday morning was about that practice field. According to multiple reports , verified by the 49ers, the team’s field, at UNLV’s Fertitta Football Complex was far softer than the team preferred.
That field was grass which was sodded on top of the facility’s turf last week. According to reports, the NFL traditionally executes that sort of work in December, but began handling it last week in this case.
San Francisco was designated the facility as their practice location because they are viewed as the away team in the Super Bowl (it alternates between conferences each year). Kansas City was given the Raiders’ facility and, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, declined to change its schedule to accommodate the 49ers' issue.
The league has stated that the field is not a health and safety issue, but one of preference by the 49ers.
Despite all that, the 49ers confirmed Monday night that they would remain at the UNLV facility. They did not seem enthused about the situation, but shrugged off the issue.
“We’re not going to completely change our schedule and do something crazy,” Shanahan said. ‘We’ll deal with what we’ve got, and we’re good.”
That was the tenor: the 49ers aren't stoked, but they'll persevere.
“It’s not the best, but we’re not tripping,” Ward said. “It is what it is. We’re still going to go out there and get our work in. I’ve played on better, it’s a little soft. It’s not terrible though. It is what it is. We’re not playing on that grass, we’re playing on this grass, so we’re good.”
The encouraging thing for the 49ers is that Tuesday is expected to be the last day of poor weather in Las Vegas. Things should dry up Wednesday, when the team will have its first practice of the week.
Chase Young’s effort
It is exceedingly rare that you get a full-fledged criticism and admission from just about everyone in an organization that a team had plays lacking effort. The 49ers made no attempt to hide their displeasure with a handful of plays that were devoid of effort in the Divisional Round and NFC Championship games.
Steve Wilks said it was "embarrassing" when asked generally about the plays lacking effort.
But that acute criticism, as well as Young acknowledging it Monday — saying, "I can't have that" — provide a cause for optimism. The 49ers have clearly been blunt in their assessment of that effort.
Young, who is heading into free agency, will have every reason to want to put out some elite tape in the Super Bowl. Given that the Chiefs will likely slide most double teams and chips (which they rarely employ) to Nick Bosa, Young will have a great opportunity against a subpar tackle in Donovan Smith.
Assistant defensive line coach Darry Tapp provided a direct, but encouraging assessment of Young when I asked him about how to maximize his impact.
Tapp said Young is acutely aware of what he put on film, and said that earnestness is the best path in getting buy-in from himn.
“The thing about Chase as with a lot of players, they want to know that you’re really into them as a person," Tapp told me. "And when he has the respect of you as a person, then he’s more willing to listen to things you have to say.
"He’s very aware that that was not one of his best plays. Like you said, he did turn it on in the second half, but everything that’s stuck in everybody’s mind about that play, and rightfully so. He’s a huge talent. A force out there that has endless ability.
"So, he understands that going forward, he can’t let any of that stuff show up on film, because that’s how people are going to always put him in a corner of who he is. He understands that’s not who he is. It was a bad play, a bad situation. He wasn’t him.
"He understands that and I’m excited to see how prideful he is with his performance and everything he’s going to bring to this game."
At that point, Tapp started grinning like he was picturing Young in a three-point stance.
For anyone who's viewed 49ers practice, they've seen Tapp do the same. He often gets in a stance and compete with players in get-off drills. Getting hands-on in drills with your players is as good a way as exists to encourage buy-in from someone new to the system.
The joint effort between Tapp and Kris Kocurek — who launches effort-injecting expletives — is incredible to watch. When Tapp spoke about Young playing in the Super Bowl, that energy translated to his expression.
"He understands the standard’s high," Tapp said. "He’s got the rest of his boys on the D-line with him. He’s ready to go attack this game. I’m excited.”
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