SANTA CLARA – Coach Chip Kelly admitted his defense was worn down.
The 49ers have defended an NFL-high 914 plays from scrimmage through the first 13 games of the season.
On Sunday, while the 49ers’ offense was on the field for just 57 plays, the defense lined up for 84 snaps against the New York Jets in the 49ers’ demoralizing 23-17 overtime loss at Levi’s Stadium.
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In the fourth quarter and overtime, the Jets dominated the game against a bedraggled 49ers defense that was a step slow and did not seem to have the strength to finish off tackles.
Six defensive players, including lineman DeForest Buckner, were on the field for all 84 snaps. And Kelly said the fatigue he witnessed contributed to his decision to go for it on a fourth-and-2 situation from the Jets’ 37 on the first possession of overtime. Carlos Hyde was stopped for no gain, and the Jets took over and easily marched 63 yards on six plays for the game-winning touchdown.
“I was a little concerned about putting our defense back out on the field in that situation,” Kelly said. “Obviously in the overtime rules, you kick a field goal there’s an opportunity for the other team to go back out there and match it. S we could take a little bit of pressure off of them by converting offensively.
“We didn’t take any pressure off our defense in the second half because of the three-and-outs. We weren’t helping our defense at all on the offensive side of the ball.”
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have run 101 fewer offensive plays than what their defense has defended this season. The 49ers’ defense has been on the field for seven minutes more than their offense per game.
Despite missing one game earlier this season, Buckner has played the most snaps of any interior defensive lineman in the NFL. The rookie from Oregon has lined up for 823 plays. Miami’s Ndamukong Suh is second at 785 snaps on the season. Moreover, Buckner also played eight snaps on special teams on Sunday.
Here’s a look at the complete playing time of every 49ers player on offensive, defensive and special teams:
Offense
57 -- QB Colin Kaepernick, RT Trent Brown, RG Joshua Garnett, LT Zane Beadles, LG/C Marcus Martin
49 -- WR Quinton Patton
47 -- LG Andrew Tiller
44 -- TE Garrett Celek
40 -- WR Jeremy Kerley
30 -- RB Carlos Hyde, WR Torrey Smith
27 -- RB Shaun Draughn
25 -- WR Chris Harper
17 -- TE Vance McDonald
13 -- TE Blake Bell
10 -- C Daniel Kilgore
8 -- WR Rod Streater
2 -- WR Aaron Burbridge
Defense
84 -- S Jaquiski Tartt, LB Nick Bellore, DL DeForest Buckner, CB Jimmie Ward, CB Tramaine Brock, S Antoine Bethea
73 -- LB Ahmad Brooks
61 -- LB Gerald Hodges
47 -- LB Eli Harold
46 -- CB Rashard Robinson
44 -- DL Chris Jones
43 -- DL Glenn Dorsey
39 -- DL Ronald Blair
24 -- LB Aaron Lynch
16 -- LB Michael Wilhoite
11 -- DL Mike Purcell
7 -- DB Dontae Johnson
6 -- CB Keith Reaser
2 -- DL Tony Jerod-Eddie
1 -- DB JaCorey Shepherd
Special teams
25 -- Wilhoite, Johnson
22 -- Bell
20 -- Burbridge
19 -- Vinnie Sunseri
16 -- Marcus Ball, Draughn
15 -- Streater
13 -- Tartt, Purcell
12 -- Celek
11 -- Bradley Pinion, Kyle Nelson
10 -- Bellore, Reaser, Shepherd
9 -- Phil Dawson, Robinson
8 -- Buckner
7 -- Kerley
5 -- John Theus, DuJuan Harris, Brown, Garnett, Beadles, Tiller, Jerod-Eddie
4 -- Ward
3 -- Brooks, Jones, Blair
1 -- Patton
Did not play
QB Blaine Gabbert
Not active
QB Christian Ponder
RB Mike Davis
CB Marcus Cromartie
LB Tank Carradine
T Joe Staley
TE Je’Ron Hamm
DL Quinton Dial