Eagles

Kyle Shanahan Has Never Scored More than 15 Points Against a Vic Fangio Defense

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jan 8th, 2026 · 9:59 AM EST

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If you’re a little iffy about Sunday’s game and looking for something to feel good about, make it this:

Kyle Shanahan has gone up against Vic Fangio's defense only four times. The last time was 2018. Shanahan’s offenses scored 11, 6, 15 & 9 points. His QBs were John Beck, Robert Griffin, Jimmy Garoppolo and Nick Mullens. Shanahan tried to hire Fangio in 2017, but Bears blocked it.

— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 6, 2026

It’s been a long time since they’ve squared off. That 2018 game was a lost season for the Niners, and they hosted Chicago in Week 16 and mustered three field goals against the Mitch Trubisky team that wound up losing to the Eagles in the playoffs (double doink game). Fangio’s Bears had Khalil Mack and prime Roquan Smith and more than a handful of studs. They allowed 241 passing yards but just 47 on the ground to Jeff Wilson and Matt Breida.

The other three games were:

• 2017: Niners 15, Bears 14
• 2013: Niners 27, Redskins 6
• 2011: Niners 19, Redskins 11

None of these games were instant classics, but in 2017 San Francisco kicked five field goals to beat the Bears in Chicago. Fangio’s defense allowed 3.2 YPC on the ground and a lot of passing yards, but no touchdowns.

For the other two games, Fangio was San Francisco’s defensive coordinator, and Shanahan was Washington offensive coordinator under his dad, Mike Shanahan.

In 2013, the Niners squashed sophomore RGIII in Washington, allowing just 190 total yards and a pair of 2nd quarter field goals. They sacked Griffin six times and held him to 118 passing yards.

The 2011 game was also played in Washington and the story was similar. John Beck threw the ball 47 times for 254 yards but Washington couldn’t do anything on the ground. Just 41 yards on 10 carries for Roy Helu. This was the Niners team that went 13-3 and lost to the Giants in overtime of the NFC Championship Game. Fangio had guys like Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, Dashon Goldson and Aldon and Justin Smith. Carlos Rogers was a Pro Bowler that year.

So no, Shanahan hasn’t had a lot of success against Fangio, but he’s also had some less-than-stellar quarterbacks to work with and two of these four matchups took place more than 10 years ago.

One of our Facebook commenters pointed out the similarities between Donovan McNabb’s pre-T.O. Eagles and Shanahan’s Niners, noting that both are passing teams without explosive receivers. That’s pretty accurate. In this case, Christian McCaffrey is Brian Westbrook, then the rest of the receivers are James Thrash and Todd Pinkson types. You have to be ready to tackle in space and meet high-level YAC guys on short tosses. It’s West Coast in spirit with motion and misdirection. That’s why defensive discipline will be the most important thing on Sunday.