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Grading the 49ers' Defense at the Midway Point of the Season

The 49ers' defense has been smothering teams in every game this season. Now that they are at the midway point of their season, what kind of a grade have they earned?
Maverick Pallack|
Grading the 49ers' Defense at the Midway Point of the Season
Grading the 49ers' Defense at the Midway Point of the Season

After years of being a punching bag, the 49ers’ defense, and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, have found the right personnel to become one of the NFL’s most feared and complicated. The defensive line, specifically rookie Nick Bosa (seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 13 QB hits), has deservedly garnered most of the spotlight. Bosa has quickly become an elite defender. 

Whether in the pass or the run, he has taken over and disrupted the opposing offense’s game plan. In the week eight win over Carolina, Bosa feasted on the lackluster offensive line, recording three sacks, three QB hits and an interception. Outside of Bosa’s (86.9) Pro Football Focus rating, the 49ers have another four linemen who grade above a 75.0.

Defensive linemen DeForest Buckner (78.8), Dee Ford (86.4), Arik Armstead (88.8) and Ronald Blair III (77.4) have all made their presence known on opposing offenses and nose tackle D.J. Jones is fresh off an 85.0 performance in Arizona. Together, these six linemen’s success in attacking the quarterback has taken the pressure off the secondary and linebackers to be perfect.

In 2018, the 49ers totaled two interceptions (Jaquiski Tartt and Antone Exum each had one). At the midway point of 2019, the 49ers have 10 interceptions. The success of the defensive backs can be attributed to a couple factors, but none more important than the pass rush. In years past, the 49ers allowed quarterbacks unlimited time to find the right target, empowering them to pick apart the less than stellar backfield.

Now, quarterbacks almost always have a 49er in their face, which in turn has allowed Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams and the other cornerbacks to take advantage. The defensive backs no longer have to cover their man for an insane length of time. They’re able to relax a little more in coverage, play their tricks and bait the quarterback. It should come as no surprise that they have forced five times as many interceptions in half as many games.

Given how well the defense has played this season, there should be no worry of possible letdowns. But, just like the offense was forced to endure in previous weeks, the defense will now have to overcome a costly injury. Linebacker Kwon Alexander (eighth best pass-coverage grade among linebackers according to Pro Football Focus) is out for the season with a torn pectoral, and the 49ers will have to find a way to surmount this obstacle.

Whether it be Tartt moving from safety to linebacker on specific plays or reserves Dre Greenlaw, Azeez Al-Shaair, Elijah Lee and Mark Nzeocha assuming Alexander’s responsibilities, the 49ers will quickly need to fill the void left by their most important defender. As long as Alexander’s partner in the middle, Fred Warner, is on the field, the defense should still be aggressive. 

Warner is fast for a linebacker and he is able to run down running backs, while also being able to cover tight ends. Although the loss of Alexander is a pivotal one, the 49ers have the ability to overcome it with their volatile pass rush and turnover-happy defensive backfield. At the midway point of the season, the 49ers' defense has been nothing short of elite. The grade is as follows.

Final Grade: A+

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Maverick Pallack
MAVERICK PALLACK

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