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Two excellent defenses were embarrassed Sunday in the San Francisco 49ers’ thrilling win over the New Orleans Saints. Blame the offensive mastermind head coaches.

Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan put on a show in the game of the year. Let’s explore the most dazzling plays by both sides.

Cooking up a storm early

Payton clearly wanted to feature tight end Jared Cook, who scored touchdowns on the Saints’ first two possessions.

The first was a classic Cover-3 beater, helped by leverage from the formation. Payton loves putting Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara on the same side — the weak side opposite trips — because he can isolate them, use them in tandem or draw attention away from others.

This time, it was the latter. Cook, the inside slot of trips left, ran a deep over route to the right. Linebacker Fred Warner — responsible for this route in the 49ers’ Cover-3 — glanced at Cook but was wary of Thomas and Kamara to his left. Hesitating, he failed to get deep enough (an uncharacteristic mistake — Warner is normally fantastic in zone), and Drew Brees pounced. Cook broke one tackle and scored.

On Jared Cook’s first TD, Sean Payton had Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara together on the weak side to draw attention.

LB Fred Warner (weak hook-curl in Cover-3) glanced at Cook’s deep over but was late getting depth, allowing the throw right over him#Saints #49ers pic.twitter.com/s1kgGoDFWj

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

The next possession, Cook again scored up the seam from the inside slot of trips left, but on a different design. This time, Cook came in motion from right to left late, then twist-released with Thomas (outer slot left). Thomas ran the deep over, while Cook circled outside Thomas and up the left seam.

With Taysom Hill lined up outside left and running a fade versus the 49ers in Cover-4 to that side, there were only two deep defenders to match three vertical routes. Safety Jimmie Ward took Thomas, leaving Cook wide open.

Jared Cook’s second TD featured three verticals vs. two deep 49ers (Cover-4 to that side, with Cook arriving via late motion.

He and Michael Thomas twist release, Thomas draws S Ward’s attention. Hill’s fade outside holds CB Witherspoon. Cook’s seam is wide open#Saints #49ers pic.twitter.com/WqadQWWUHc

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

The concept likely also would have beaten Cover-3, whether to Thomas or Cook.

Because Brees’ throw was behind, Cook took a big hit and was concussed. His absence likely limited some of Payton’s plans.

Motion and lead action

Payton continued using presnap motion for an edge.

On New Orleans’ third score, tight end Josh Hill motioned from wide left to fullback in an I formation in front of Latavius Murray. That created a run-heavy look and also drew Hill’s man — safety Marcell Harris — inside.

But as Brees faked to Murray, Hill released to the flat. Coming downhill to defend the run, Harris was late reacting to Hill’s route. Payton also had Tre’Quan Smith’s route lightly rub Harris, ensuring a walk-in TD.

Josh Hill’s TD was simple but smart design from Sean Payton. Started split left, motioned to I formation FB. S Harris (in man coverage) follows, then bites hard on run action.

Harris late to flat, and WR Smith’s route adds a light rub to ensure Hill was wide open#Saints #49ers pic.twitter.com/KvefhfcABq

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Payton tried a similar play later, with Taysom Hill coming from the backfield. After Josh Hill’s motion away, Taysom Hill showed lead-blocking action but leaked out on a wheel. From a heavy formation, the Saints hoped to get man coverage (Thomas ran a rub route), but the 49ers played zone, averting a huge play.

The #Saints tried a “lead leak” concept (a #49ers favorite) with Taysom Hill, but got the wrong coverage.

Wanted man (Thomas on a rub route), but it’s zone, so nobody to rub, and Witherspoon picks up Hill. (If Thomas ran vertical to occupy CB, it works, but Saints expected man) pic.twitter.com/2vNRQmZ4sZ

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Building offense through Thomas

Payton came back to Thomas late, doing an excellent job of building calls off previous plays.

In the fourth quarter, Thomas ran the same route from the same spot as on Cook’s second score. The 49ers played man, and K’Waun Williams actually had great coverage, undercutting and leaping to shrink the window. But Brees’ throw was flawless, on Thomas’ hands with perfect touch for 49 yards.

Drew Brees with one of the best throws all year. Michael Thomas on a deep over, CB K’Waun Williams with terrific coverage in man. Undercuts and leaps high with hand closing window

But Brees’ throw is perfectly placed, with just enough touch. Wicked.#Saints #49ers pic.twitter.com/vDup70mejx

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Two plays later, Thomas lined up in nearly the same spot and showed another inside release. Having seen Thomas run crossers and over routes all game, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon overplayed inside despite having inside help from Harris. Thomas swatted Witherspoon inside with a swim move and broke out to the corner for a 21-yard score.

Two plays after Thomas’ 49-yarder, Sean Payton played off it for a 21-yard TD.

Thomas had been running crossers and overs all day. Looks like another one, and CB Witherspoon overplays inside despite help from S Harris. But Thomas shows inside stem, swims outside#Saints #49ers pic.twitter.com/dC8YO5DCe0

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Shanahan’s sleight of hand

Shanahan clearly wanted to toy with the eyes of Saints’ defenders. He used myriad backfield actions with various players, including play-action, jet action, jet-reverse action, orbit motion, star motion and sift action.

On their second possession, the 49ers ran tight end George Kittle in jet motion and tossed him a touch pass, gaining 2 yards. Ho hum. Shanahan probably hoped to gain more, but it was mostly a setup.

The next drive, Kittle showed the same motion, but Jimmy Garoppolo faked the jet handoff and rolled right. Normally, this would pair with three to four routes crossing from left to right at varying levels. But it was actually a throwback concept, with Emmanuel Sanders on a corner-post from right to left — the same concept as Kittle’s 61-yard touchdown against the Packers in Week 12.

Emmanuel Sanders’ 75-yard TD was same concept as George Kittle’s 61-yard TD vs. Packers: Throwback corner-post

Garoppolo rolls one way, route looks like corner to same side as boot. But after corner stem, receiver breaks to post#49ers #Saints #Seahawks love this concept, too pic.twitter.com/WFbYcj7iAd

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

The 49ers probably wanted a single-high coverage, but the Saints had two high safeties. No matter, as Sanders’ route easily shook Vonn Bell and gave him the angle to beat Marcus Williams. It would have been a walk-in, 75-yard touchdown, but Garoppolo — who had a tough job, rolling right and throwing deep left — threw well short. Still, the route turned Williams around, and his stumble made it a TD anyway.

Two possessions later, Shanahan used the same Kittle jet for a throwback tight end screen. It was well set up, but Garoppolo’s throw was high, preventing Kittle from getting upfield quickly.

Nobody builds plays off each other better than Kyle Shanahan.

Sanders’ 75-yard TD was one of three variations with Kittle in jet motion:
-2-yard pop pass
-75-yard throwback corner-post
-TE throwback screen (throw too high)

Not all have to work to get the payoff#49ers #Saints pic.twitter.com/dYDLqSqEER

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Sanders slings it

Three plays after his 75-yard TD reception, Sanders slung a 35-yarder of his own.

By trick-pass standards, it was pretty typical — Raheem Mostert released on a wheel while defenders keyed Sanders’ reverse motion — but Shanahan added a nice wrinkle by starting it with a jet handoff instead of a typical handoff or end around.

You see plenty of WR reverse passes, but not many that come off a jet handoff into the reverse. Nice wrinkle from Kyle Shanahan.#Saints‘ blitz nearly ruined it, but also left Cameron Jordan (in underneath zone) as the only one who could cover Mostert. Easy 35-yard TD#49ers pic.twitter.com/JOuXwqcrjn

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Kendrick Bourne’s route cleared out cornerback Eli Apple, and the run action sucked in underneath defenders. Even if defensive end Cameron Jordan recognized Mostert’s route, he had no chance to keep up.

Fun with the fullback

Shanahan dusted off an old play — the fullback option — to easily convert third-and-1 just before halftime.

Garoppolo handed to Juszczyk, who drew blitzing safety Bell and pitched to Mostert, who had a clear lane outside for 18 yards. Shanahan ensured that lane by sending Sanders in orbit motion from right to left presnap, drawing Apple away and leaving Bell alone outside.

Kyle Shanahan broke out the fullback option (with Kyle Juszczyk pitching to Raheem Mostert) at the perfect time, easily converting third-and-1.

Shanahan ran the same play in Week 3 of 2018 at Kansas City#49ers #Saints pic.twitter.com/m2GT8xM7Kb

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Juszczyk didn’t touch the ball much, but he did again on a classic Shanahan sequence in the third quarter.

After motioning Kittle away, the 49ers ran a typical split-zone run look with Juszczyk “sifting” across the formation behind the line. But instead of blocking, Juszczyk released to the flat as Garoppolo booted, producing an easy 15-yard catch.

Shanahan — who once called this same concept on three consecutive plays in the 2018 opener — called it again the next play, only with Kittle’s and Juszczyk’s roles flipped. Kittle came open for a 5-yard TD.

Perhaps Shanahan was simply one-upping Payton, who ran the same concept for a 12-yard Taysom Hill catch.

Sean Payton runs split-zone PA, leaks Taysom Hill out for 12 easy yards.

Kyle Shanahan: “Oh yeah? Fine, I’ll call the same play twice… in a row.”

15 yards, then a 5-yard TD on the same play, same motion (tweaked formation), with Juszczyk-Kittle swapping roles#Saints #49ers pic.twitter.com/076cyfnfZT

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

Kittle’s clincher

Kittle’s 39-yard sideline rampage — with Williams dangling from his facemask — was far more talent and willpower than scheme, but Shanahan helped him get open.

On fourth-and-2, Kittle motioned from right to a bunch left. Nickelback C.J. Gardner-Johnson followed, revealing man coverage, as expected in this down and distance.

With Sanders and Bourne twist-releasing from the bunch, Gardner-Johnson couldn’t be aggressive or press Kittle. The tight end likely had an option (inside or outside), and by breaking out, Bourne’s vertical stem became a slight rub.

George Kittle did almost all the work on the 39-yarder that clinched the win, but Kyle Shanahan’s design helped.

Motioned to bunch, forced C.J. Gardner-Johnson into off-man coverage. Vertical stem from Bourne created light rub.

Kittle has choice, wins outside#49ers #Saints pic.twitter.com/rB3gyvSECV

— David DeChant (@DavidDeChant) December 9, 2019

That was enough for the conversion, and Garoppolo’s throw was perfectly placed out front. Kittle, of course, did the rest, singlehandedly dragging the 49ers in position for the game-winning field goal.

–By David DeChant (@DavidDeChant), Field Level Media