Achieving victory over the New England Patriots was a much-needed one for the San Francisco 49ers. It allowed them to get their season back on track and potentially kick-start some momentum. However, the 49ers still have a lot to clean up to get themselves back into their true playoff-contending one. It starts with their defense. There is one area where the 49ers need to improve on defense.
One Weakness on Defense the 49ers Need to Strengthen
The area where the 49ers’ defense needs to improve is defending plays featuring motion. The 49ers have allowed the second-most yards per pass attempt on plays featuring motion this season (9.9), per Next Gen Stats. They have allowed a 53.4 percent success rate on such plays, which is the fourth-highest in the NFL. The Patriots offense has averaged 3.9 yards per pass play on such plays that feature pre-snap motion this season, which is fourth-fewest in the NFL. Those plays were effective against the 49ers despite the Patriots having a mediocre offense.
If the Patriots were able to find relative success there, then the 49ers have to make immediate corrections. Motions are a staple in the majority of NFL offenses. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan plays a significant factor in why motion plays are standard in the league. You would think that the 49ers’ defense would be adept at stopping or limiting the damage on those plays, considering who their head coach is.
This a weakness that the Arizona Cardinals will be circling in their preparation for the 49ers in Week 5. They will use it to get their best players open like wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride open. It can even be used creatively to get their lesser talents, like wide receiver Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch, open. The 49ers have the defensive talent to take on the Cardinals head-up, but motion can place them in an exposed position.
How to Improve it
So, how do the 49ers improve that weakness? It starts with the communication. What makes plays featuring motion so tricky for defensive players is that it changes assignments. For example, the tight end could motion out wide, and suddenly, a linebacker goes from defending him to a running back. The 49ers have to communicate better about who they are going to defend. It doesn’t matter if it is zone or man-to-man coverage. There is confusion going on with them, and it must get squared away. The player execution is failing.
Another way the 49ers can defend motion plays better is by simplifying things. Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen could be making it too complex for the 49ers’ defense to handle. Doing so can add to or be the direct cause of the confusion and bungling of communication. It could also mean that the players are losing focus. That is one thing that cannot be done against the Cardinals, especially with Kyler Murray as the quarterback.
The 49ers already have to take Murray’s mobility into account and the quarterback keepers/fakes to reel the defense in. If the Cardinals are smart, then they will look to use motion to add more to the 49ers’ plate to defend. Sorensen has to either simplify things to make the assignments clear or the players have to wake up. Failure to do so will put the 49ers at risk of losing to the Cardinals.
Main Image: Sergio Estrada – USA Today Sports
