Programming note: Watch Matt Maiocco’s full interview with Kyle Shanahan on “49ers Game Plan,” airing at 10:30 p.m. PT Friday on NBC Sports Bay Area after “Giants Postgame Live”<\/p>\n
SANTA CLARA \u2014 Tight end Jake Tonges<\/a> made his first career reception on a late-game drive that would end with him being the hero.<\/p>\n But his first catch as a pro provided 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan with material to have some fun at Tonges\u2019 expense.<\/p>\n When Shanahan stood in front of the team Monday to review the 49ers\u2019 17-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks<\/a> in Week 1, he pointed out that Tonges finally caught a pass in his 21st NFL game.<\/p>\n But he also pointed out how Tonges completely busted his assignment on a play that provided the 49ers with a 2-yard gain.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a middle screen put in for (George) Kittle that we thought was going to be a hell of a play,\u201d Shanahan said on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “49ers Game Plan.” \u201cWe repped it with Kittle all week, and then he got hurt. I didn’t know if I could call it.\u201d<\/p>\n Shanahan said during the course of the game, he kept bringing it up to 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury. He asked if Tonges would be able to execute the play despite not running it in practice all week. Fleury assured Shanahan that Tonges was ready for the middle screen.<\/p>\n So on the play following Brock Purdy\u2019s 45-yard pass to Ricky Pearsall<\/a>, Shanahan decided to try it. But Tonges got the main elements of his assignment completely wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cHe didn’t run to the middle on the middle screen,\u201d Shanahan said of Tonges. \u201cHe just backed straight up, totally busted the route. But it was his first NFL catch. I really believe if he would have done right, he would have gotten about 20 (yards).<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if you are going to mess up a middle screen, you would think you would still at least run to the middle, but he didn’t. So I messed with him with a lot of sarcasm.\u201d<\/p>\n Everybody found good humor in the situation because Tonges ended up rescuing the 49ers.<\/p>\n He made a remarkable go-ahead 4-yard touchdown catch in which he ripped Purdy\u2019s pass out of the hands of Seattle defensive back Riq Woolen.<\/p>\n \u201cHe made an unbelievable catch,” Shanahan said. “I think the only person in the building that thought he was open was Brock.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he was wrong when he threw it. But he proved he was right, because Jake stepped in front of him (Woolen), ripped that ball out and really got a win for us. So it was a hell of a job by him.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Tonges\u2019 three receptions on the 49ers\u2019 game-winning drives bring his career totals to only three catches for 15 yards, Shanahan rates his hands as Tonges\u2019 best attribute.<\/p>\n Woolen waited for the ball to come to him. Tonges attacked it and made the game-winning play, which came on a third-and-3 play from the Seattle 4 with 1:34 remaining.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to attack the ball and catch it,\u201d Shanahan said. \u201cIt\u2019s much easier to sit there and absorb it. But if you can go through it, it’s much easier to get it, much easier to drop it, too. Jake has the hands to do that, and it was cool to see that he had confidence to do that because that was a big-time play, and it didn’t have to make me go for it on fourth down.\u201d<\/p>\n Tonges should have plenty more opportunities over the next month or longer with Kittle on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Kittle must sit out at least the next four games.<\/p>\n The 49ers figure to deploy a combination of Tonges and Luke Farrell<\/a> to replace Kittle. Farrell is the blocking specialist, while Tonges is considered the better option in the passing game.<\/p>\n