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The San Francisco 49ers rank 28th in the NFL in red zone touchdown efficiency, finding the end zone on just 48.6 percent of their trips inside the 20. Only Green’s Packers Bay, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants have less success. rate.

However, the 49ers have shown improvement recently, converting 61.5% of their red zone trips into touchdowns over the last three games, suggesting a positive trend. However, one Hall of Fame quarterback would like to see that percentage increase even more.

Steve Young stressed the importance of improving red zone efficiency when asked what the 49ers need to address in the second half of the season to improve their playoff prospects.

“It’s the red zone, the red zone efficiency and the touchdowns,” Young said Wednesday on Bay Area radio station KNBR. “And think about it, it’s not always true, but with every basket you get closer to losing. And the second half of the season, every time we line up for a basket, think about it, we are we’re getting closer to defeat. We need seven. And in big games, that’s obviously what makes the difference.

Young also wants to know more about Brock Purdy. He urges the 49ers quarterback to use his legs more in critical moments, improvising to make big plays and keeping defenses on their toes. Doing it in the red zone, in particular, could be a game-changer. Purdy owns an 86.4 grade from Pro Football Focus this season, which ranks fourth among all quarterbacks.

“It’s red zone, red zone, red zone,” Young reiterated.

The 49ers hope to return to the form that made them so dangerous in the red zone last season when they scored touchdowns on a league-high 68 percent of their drives. The team is optimistic that the running back Christian McCaffreyThe return of the European Union will provide the spark necessary to regain this efficiency.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the 49ers at Raymond James Stadium this weekend.

You can listen to Young’s full interview below.