Three San Francisco 49ers All-Pro players have been out for at least half the season: NaVarro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith. Another All-Pro player, Ahmad Brooks, has had a sub-par season and just last week ended up pulling himself from the game arguing with coaches.
You would think that a defense facing these injuries and turmoil would be reeling. Losing two All-Pro linebackers for the season due to injuries (Bowman, Willis) would be tough for any team to take, but never having their All-Pro linebacking corps play together at any point in the season would be a recipe for disaster.
Not if you’re Vic Fangio’s San Francisco 49ers defense. Through the 12th week of the NFL season the 49ers have shown a resiliency to injuries and the drama surrounding them. The defense is ranked second in the NFL in yards allowed with just 300.1 yards a game. There was confidence in the Niners’ defense, but it wasn’t looked at as top five.
Back in September the outlook on the defense left something to be desired. Glenn Dorsey had torn his bicep in training camp, hurting the defensive line rotation. The 297-pound nose tackle had thrived in the middle after moving both cities and positions, coming over from Kansas City and switching from defensive end. Dorsey stood strong in the middle with 41 tackles and two sacks.
Navarro Bowman suffered a brutal knee injury in January, tearing both his MCL and ACL during the NFC championship and making him doubtful to appear in most of the season. Bowman had been arguably the best linebacker in football, leading the NFL with 317 tackles the last three seasons.
Bowman’s fellow linebacker, Aldon Smith, was suspended nine games for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substance Abuse and the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. The loss of San Francisco’s best pass rusher seemed damning, as Smith was sacking quarterbacks at a breakneck pace.
Tramaine Brock, expected to be a big part of the secondary, has battled various injuries since training camp and has only appeared in three games.
In week seven, Patrick Willis injured his toe and hasn’t played since. The all-pro linebacker was placed on injured reserve this week after the team determined he was going to undergo season-ending surgery.
Without Willis, the Niners’ D has been “bend but don’t break”. Despite an increase in rushing yardage without Willis (79.8 ypg with Willis vs. 108.6 without) they have been stout. In the five games without him, the 49ers’ strength has been getting the offense off the field forcing 11 turnovers and holding opposing offenses to a 37.4% on third down.
Deprived of their leaders, the San Francisco defense has stepped up.
Rookie linebackers Chris Borland and Aaron Lynch are a big part of the strong defense and have shined in their time this season. Borland, a third round pick from Wisconsin was looked at as undersized but with great football instincts. The 5’11″ linebacker has become a tackling machine in San Fran’s 3-4 scheme, leading the team with 71 total tackles in just five starts. Borland has also shown weekly improvement in the passing game, capped off with two interceptions against Eli Manning last week. While Borland has been strong inside, it has been fifth round pick Lynch on the outside that has helped the pass rush. The monstrous 6’5″ 21-year-old has been great with four sacks on the year and 24 hurries. His size on the outside has helped to make up for the loss of Aldon Smith.
Antoine Bethea and Perrish Cox have played great in the defensive backfield, although the whole secondary has played well this season. Bethea, a free agent acquisition from Indianapolis, has 61 tackles and three interceptions in what is looking another Pro Bowl season. Cox, who played in the nickel last year and only recorded two tackles total, has shown astounding growth this year starting in Tramaine Brock’s spot. Cox has 37 solo tackles this year and is tied for third in the NFL with four picks. It will be interesting to see who the nickel back becomes when Brock returns from injury, but based on Cox’s play it won’t be him.
Washington had the misfortune of playing the 49ers at home this past weekend; the Redskins were trounced offensively, recording just 213 yards total. Robert Griffin III had one of the worst games of his career, throwing for a paltry 106 yards and constantly getting hit. The return of Aldon Smith contributed to the domination of the Washington offensive line, as the 49ers repeatedly buried Griffin and sacked him five times. Smith fought through double and triple teams, and the attention the ‘Skins offensive line had to pay to him gave the rest of the pass rush in one-on-one match ups.
The pass rush rotation of Ahmad Brooks, Lynch, and Smith on the outside should terrify opposing offensive tackles, while the continued excellence of Justin Smith and the defensive tackles take care of the inside.
With the return of Tramaine Brock in the cards and Ray McDonald playing well after being cleared of domestic violence charges, the San Francisco 49ers defense is on the uptick.
This past weekend showed just how good this defense can be; despite losing amazing players to injuries, the team remains committed to excellence. Niners’ fans should be concerned about their offense, because this defense is hitting its stride at the right time.
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