Editor’s note: Former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia, now an NBC Sports Bay Area analyst, will share his thoughts on the team each week throughout the season. This week, he discusses how the 49ers’ defense can build on a promising performance against Green Bay and the Los Angeles Rams over the next two weeks.
There were plenty of encouraging signs for the 49ers’ defense after a rough first play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
These next two games are when the defense has to take a major step forward against elite QBs like Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff and their high-powered offenses.
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The young defense did a solid job against the Cardinals. They held a really good runner, David Johnson, to less than 60 yards. They made things difficult on rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, forcing inaccuracies with good coverage and holding the Arizona offense to just 10 first downs in the game. The defense played well enough for the 49ers to win the game. They lost it on the offensive side of the ball with five turnovers.
Rosen’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Christian Kirk was the kind of play a defense gives up when a player drops his assignment and tries to make a play and be the hero. That may have worked in college but more often than not, in the NFL, it will get you burned.
On that play, second-year free safety Adrian Colbert should have never come out of the middle of the field. It was a situation where the Cardinals ran a deep cross with Larry Fitzgerald. Colbert’s teammates had Fitzgerald smothered. For some reason, Colbert took the bait and jumped the route. His job was to protect the deep middle and help Ahkello Witherspoon on the post route. These are things that happen when you have young players, on a struggling defense, trying to force the issue with a big play instead of being disciplined in their role.
A play like this can be a learning experience for Colbert and everybody else on the defense as they prepare to face Rodgers and Goff in the next two weeks. Those QBs are going to make you pay when you leave your assignment. It all comes down to communication and understanding your role in running the defensive scheme.
San Francisco 49ers
The scheme that defensive coordinator Robert Saleh implemented with the 49ers was perfected by the Seattle Seahawks and the Legion of Boom. The reason why the Seahawk defense was so good was that they had really talented individuals who understood their roles within the team and scheme. They were accountable and disciplined and didn’t try to handle someone else’s job or position.
Richard Sherman is here to help the young players understand how they are supposed to play this defense. If everyone handles their position accordingly, we will see this young defense improve.
One thing that will help everyone improve on defense, outside of discipline and responsibility, is a pass rush. Whether it’s the front four or manufacturing pressure with linebacker and secondary blitzes, the 49ers need to create discomfort in the pocket for opposing quarterbacks. At times, they get it from DeForest Buckner, but it’s not consistent enough. You can’t always rely on a fifth or sixth rusher to get pressure. The front four has to step up.
Solomon Thomas was taken No. 3 in the 2017 draft. I have not seen anything yet out of him that excites me and shows some dominant characteristics.
No matter who's in your secondary – you can have four All-Pro defensive backs – if you don’t get pressure on the quarterback, guys like Rodgers and Goff are going to shred the D. They have good enough receivers, good enough schemes, they understand their concepts, and they’re going to find the open receiver.
When you play a three-deep zone with a single safety in the middle, the quarterbacks are able to simplify their game to best matchups and working away from safety rotation. We know that they’re going to go after Witherspoon. He is going to be challenged every week. If the 49ers can’t get pressure and force the ball out quickly, or make adjustments in scheme to help their young DBs, the struggle will continue.
The 49ers played well enough against a young quarterback last week, but that was his first NFL start. It will be interesting to see how they respond playing against the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams over the next two weeks. These are teams that can score points. They have quarterbacks who are going to take advantage of defensive mistakes.
This is where the 49ers have to grow and get much more sound. As much as there is going to be the temptation to take a chance to risk your position or location on the field, Rodgers and Goff will make you pay for it.
It comes down to discipline. Discipline is involved in tackling. Discipline is involved in penalties. Discipline is involved in mental errors. Discipline and cleaning up the mental breakdowns has to be the focus in order for this young team to continue to grow and improve.