The gap between the San Francisco 49ers and the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks is not a crack in the sidewalk. It’s a canyon. It’s massive. It’s undeniable. And if you watched the last two months of the NFL this season, it should be terrifying. And yet, this chasm might be the best thing to ever happen to Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. Because for years, the 49ers have operated on a cloud of idealism; on the premise that they were, in fact, the smartest guys in the NFL room. Santa Clara was a place where culture could overcome speed deficits, where scheme could mask a lack of physicality, and where the Gold Standard meant you could run it back with the same guys...
