Two weeks into the season, the San Francisco 49ers’ rushing defense is barely scraping by at 17th in success rate and 12th in EPA per rush. This isn’t the dominant D-line anyone expects from the Niners, especially after seeing the Rams and Dolphins absolutely feast on the ground in stretches. All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner isn’t hiding from it either, laying out exactly what’s going on with his unit right now.
The Depth Chart Got Absolutely Zapped
A huge part of the problem? The injury bug absolutely hammered the Niners’ depth right before the season kicked off. Sam Okuayinonu, who was an underrated defender, broke his foot the day before Week 1. Then there’s Alfred Collins, who was supposed to build on his rookie campaign alongside CJ West. Collins had offseason surgery for a torn labrum, missed the first block of training camp, and then, right before the season, a torn patellar tendon cost him his entire year. These hits forced them into full-on scramble mode. Khalid Kareem went from the Falcons’ practice squad straight into a defensive-line contributor role, and Romello Height, who was supposed to be a designated pass rusher, is now playing every single down instead of just obvious passing situations.
Warner Points To A System In Flux
Warner got real about the early-season struggles against the run, admitting it’s a grind. “I think the run game right now, you’ve got to remember, it’s a new system. New things, techniques, schemes are being put into place. It’s a new group, guys kind of meshing together trying to figure out where does everybody fit,” he said. He knows it’s not good enough, adding, “I’m not sitting here saying I’m complacent with it at all. Selfishly, I want us to be dominant in all areas, especially in the run game.” He stressed the complementary nature of defense, understanding offenses want to create explosives and get the run game going to set up deep shots. Warner made it clear they are looking to get better in all areas, and quickly.
Not All Bad: The Drive Killers Are Still There
Despite the overall numbers, the Niners have shown flashes of that old dominance. They’ve allowed only three carries of 10+ yards through two games, which ties for the second-fewest in the NFL. Their 11 stuffs rank 14th, which is pretty average, but it looks better when you consider how strong their pass defense has been. Guys like Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Upton Stout have still managed to single-handedly wreck drives. The good news is some help is on the way. Mykel Williams is eligible to return from the PUP list in a couple of weeks, and his return means Kareem won’t have to play as much, Ogbo Okoronkwo’s snaps can be limited, and Keion White can be used exclusively inside, not to mention Height can go back to just obvious passing downs. With Mykel Williams’ return on the horizon, hopefully, things start to stabilize.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
Leave a Reply