It’s no secret that the 49ers are extremely thin on the defensive line, and the pressure numbers from their Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals reflect that.
Per Pro Football Focus, the 49ers managed only 12 pressures of Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, getting home on two as Ogbo Okoronkwo and Keion White recorded sacks.
It was always likely to be tough sledding for the 49ers’ front from a pass-rushing perspective without Nick Bosa and rookie Romello Height, and with impressive rookie defensive
tackle Gracen Halton leaving the game with cramps in the second half.
But, speaking in his Monday conference call, head coach Kyle Shanahan explained why he was more than satisfied with the performance of the Niners’ young and depleted D-Line.
Said Shanahan:
“By no means was it perfect, but I was real proud of how they played. They really competed their asses off. They were running to the ball, working real hard. I thought they did a good job throughout the game. I think they all kind of died out a little bit as the game went, just getting those plays up into the 80s and then losing Gracen to the cramps and stuff, which just took the numbers down some. But, we were able to change up our fronts throughout the game. We asked a lot of them and considering the circumstances for them, I thought it was a real successful game for them.”
With Raheem Morris as the defensive coordinator, the 49ers have become more multiple up front. Morris frequently mixes in five-man fronts, and he presented the Cardinals with several different looks last Sunday, with his deployment of Fred Warner as an extra rusher proving successful in speeding up Brissett’s clock.
While playing in a variety of different fronts, Osa Odighizuwa (82%), White (69%), Khalid Kareem (62%) and Okoronkwo (55%) all featured on over 50 percent of the defensive snaps.
That is a huge mental and physical strain to put on a thin group and, in those circumstances, a return of two sacks and only 90 yards surrendered Jeremiyah Love on the ground represents a solid day from the 49er D-Line.
It is not an effort Shanahan will want that group to have to put in regularly, and help is on the way with Height returning to practice following surgery on his broken hand, Matthew Judon being signed to the practice squad and Mykel Williams seeing his practice window opened after starting the year on the PUP list.
Reinforcements are on the way ahead of more exacting challenges for the 49ers against the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks in the next two weeks. However, those who held the fort on the defensive side of the trenches against Arizona can afford to hold their heads high.
