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The San Francisco 49ers will look to string together consecutive wins this Monday against the Carolina Panthers for the first time since Weeks 2 and 3.
Brock Purdy and Ricky Pearsall returned in Week 11, and the offense, at near full strength, finished Week 11 second in success rate and third in EPA per play.
The defense was 16th in EPA per play and 22nd in success rate. Honestly, average is plenty good for that depleted unit. The next three games should allow the defense to build some confidence and regress closer to the mean.
The pass rush is what it is. You can see why the team went out and traded for Bryce Huff. He was brought in to complement Nick Bosa. However, losing a former Defensive Player of the Year throws a wrench in your pass rush plans—another shocker.
The plan was sound, and you could see how the rookies were each supposed to fit into this defense. Alfred Collins and CJ West were relied on more against the Cardinals, and they were stout against the run. Speaking of, Upton Stout had his weekly explosive play allowed in the passing game, but he was once again a menace against the run. The box score hasn’t been kind to the rookie class, but they are progressing in the right way and gaining valuable experience along the way.
If there were ever a time to be down a linebacker, it’s against the Panthers, Browns, and Titans—first Fred Warner, now Tatum Bethune. As you’d expect, Curtis Robinson looked like a player who hadn’t played much. Robert Saleh will need to figure out a way to protect the middle of the field even more without Warner.
With all of that said, how confident are you in the 49ers moving forward? Does this team have what it takes to get hot, go on a run, and enter the playoffs as the team nobody wants to play? Or will the defense continue to show its true colors?
