Consistency from the 49ers Pass Rush
Would you believe it? The 49ers have a total of nine sacks over two preseason games. And this is coming from a defense that ranked No. 29 in the league last year with just 28 quarterback takedowns.
OK, so this is still preseason football. And Niners pass-rushers are often going up against second- and third-string units.
Still, it’s a good thing to see players like linebacker Marcus Rush and EDGE Tank Carradine imposing their will when given the opportunity. Just ask Pro Football Focus’ Jeff Deeney:
It's preseason and mostly vs. backups but the top two pass rush grades among all 3-4 OLBs belong to Marcus Rush and Tank Carradine. #49ers
— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) August 21, 2016
Green Bay had one of the better pass-blocking offensive lines in the league last year — No. 5, per PFF — so the 49ers pass rush has an opportunity to show whether or not these early numbers are an anomaly or a sign of things to come.
It’s important too. San Francisco will be without top pass-rusher Aaron Lynch (suspension) for the first four games of 2016.
Next: Will a Wide Receiver Please Stand Up?