The San Francisco 49ers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-17 on Friday, but the Niners’ first-team defense is still a work in progress. We break down the film of the Chiefs’ first drive against the 49ers’ starting defense.
The San Francisco 49ers, under head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, have a new defensive scheme in 2017. In their first preseason game, the 49ers defense showed flashes, as well as potential areas of improvement; the first drive of the game had a bit of both.
The 49ers started the 2017 NFL preseason with a touchback on their opening kickoff. The Kansas City Chiefs — winners of the 2016 AFC West — came out firing on first down.
The Chiefs line up in 21 personnel with their tight end in the slot. The 49ers are playing Cover 3 Press behind a 4-3 under front:
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid calls a deep pass play to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who makes up for his short stature with his blazing speed.
Hill — the “Z Receiver” on this play — is off the line of scrimmage, across from the 49ers’ top cornerback Rashard Robinson:
Hill takes advantage of the extra distance between the two players with a quick move to the outside.
Even with his long arms, Robinson misses the receiver, and quickly attempts to recover:
Robinson can run, but very few can fly like Hill, who has a step on the cornerback:
The 49ers’ stunt is ineffective, as Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith sees his open receiver, and heaves the ball down the field:
The 49ers’ single-high safety defense leaves Robinson with little protection over the top, as Hill catches the ball near the sideline:
Robinson’s combination of speed and hustle eventually forces the receiver out of bounds, but the Chiefs have a long reception for a first down:
1st-and-10 at SF 43
The Chiefs are in 12 personnel, and are lined up in one of their common unbalanced formations. The 49ers have switched to their version of the 4-3 over front — with SAM linebacker Ahmad Brooks on the line of scrimmage — in front of a traditional Cover-3.
Andy Reid dials up a screen to Tyreek Hill, which is handled well by the 49ers defense — particularly by the highlighted defenders:
As Hill steps back for the screen, the Chiefs’ second tight end gets around Brooks, so Rashard Robinson flies up and throws his body at the blocker. Hill drops the ball — which has yet to be declared incomplete or a fumble — as Brooks fights through his block toward the receiver.
Meanwhile, Reuben Foster makes a beeline for the ball, which is laying on the ground near Hill:
Hill wants little to do with the ball on the ground, as Brooks pushes him away from the play:
Foster tries to pick the ball up on the run, but instead pushes it toward LEO Arik Armstead, who grabs the ball and heads downfield:
Armstead is soon tackled — and the pass is eventually determined to be incomplete — but this is a great example of the defense’s teamwork and attacking philosophy:
2nd-and-10 at SF 43
The Chiefs are in 21 personnel, in an unbalanced bunch formation. The 49ers’ defensive ends switch roles, with Tank Carradine lined up in a wide-9 technique against the Chiefs left tackle:
Smith throws the quick screen to fullback Anthony Sherman, who has two blockers in front of him.
However, Carradine and linebacker NaVorro Bowman read the play and come in pursuit:
Carradine reaches the fullback first, and Bowman assists with the tackle after a short gain:
3rd-and-7 at SF 40
On their first third down of the game, the Chiefs use 11 personnel for the first time.
The 49ers are in their nickel defense, with Ahmad Brooks and LEO Elvis Dumervil on the outside of the line, and Arik Armstead and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on the inside:
Dumervil is in his preferred two-point stance, and is in a very wide 9-technique.
The 49ers’ inside linemen are also wider than a traditional “9339” front:
At the snap, Brooks, Armstead and Dumervil make moves inside toward the quarterback, but Buckner is caught off-balance and is pushed to the outside:
Buckner continues with his outside route to the quarterback, which leaves Smith with a wide lane up the middle; but between Smith and the line to gain, strong safety Eric Reid is policing the middle of the field:
However, Reid leaves the center of the field to pursue receiver Albert Wilson who is loosely followed by cornerback K’Waun Williams, but is nowhere near the first-down marker.
For good measure, Reid then runs the receiver over for a 15-yard penalty:
Smith sees the open field vacated by Reid, and darts upfield for a first down.
Reid’s penalty is tacked on to the end of the play, and the Chiefs have their first shot in the red zone:
1st-and-10 at SF 15
The Chiefs line up with 21 personnel in an I-Formation, and the 49ers are back in their 4-3 under look in front of Cover 3 Press:
Ahmad Brooks, who is lined up across from Demetrius Harris, presses the tight end as he tries to fight his way down the field.
Brooks continues to press Harris, before redirecting him toward NaVorro Bowman.
Luckily for the 49ers, Smith doesn’t see Hill — who Robinson again missed with his initial press — streaking toward the end zone:
Instead, in true Alex Smith fashion, the quarterback dumps the ball off to running back Spencer Ware, as Brooks heads to the flat to defend:
Brooks grabs Ware and spins him out of bounds — but doesn’t toss him to the ground; perhaps the 33-year-old veteran matured a bit this offseason:
2nd-and-6 at SF 11
The Chiefs are in 12 personnel with twins on the wide side of the field, and two tight ends on the opposite side.
The 49ers are playing man defense from a 4-3 over variation front, with Reuben Foster on the line of scrimmage. Robert Saleh smartly elects to have Rashard Robinson follow his receiver, and moves Eric Reid to the short side of the field:
Foster is manned up on Harris, and Brooks blitzes along with the four down linemen.
However, DeForest Buckner and nose tackle Earl Mitchell attempt to attack the same A-gap:
The two tackles collide, but cause some confusion on the offensive line:
Meanwhile, Foster presses his man as the tight end tries to work his way toward the end zone:
Buckner and Mitchell create a pile of lineman on the ground, which gives defensive end Tank Carradine an opportunity to attack the quarterback:
Smith pumps to his left, but sees Carradine closing in, so he needs to get rid of the ball quickly:
Smith runs out of time, so he releases the pass to the end zone toward his well-covered tight end:
Foster jumps for the pass and gets both hands on the ball, but can’t complete the interception.
Similar to his performances in recent practices, Foster shows he has a nose for the ball, and will likely have his share of interception opportunities throughout the season:
3rd-and-6 at SF 11
On their second third down of the drive, the Chiefs are again in 11 personnel, in a trips formation.
The 49ers are in their nickel defense, playing Cover 2. Robert Saleh’s prior teams often switched to Cover 2 looks as opposing offenses neared the end zone:
Alex Smith sees nothing downfield, so he dumps the ball off to Spencer Ware.
Rashard Robinson, who is responsible for the flat, comes up in an attempt to make the tackle:
Ware is well behind the first-down marker, so he would have to catch the ball and put a quick move on Robinson to have a chance of moving the sticks:
Fortunately for Ware, Robinson flies up to make the play, and is off-balance when he reaches the running back:
Robinson lowers his head for the knockout blow, and Ware simply sidesteps the corner and heads upfield:
Eventually, Ware is properly wrapped up by Reuben Foster before he’s able to reach the end zone:
1st-and-2 at SF 2
Alex Smith isn’t under center, but the Chiefs look to run the ball. The 49ers match the Chiefs’ personnel, but have their larger linemen in the game:
As the ball is snapped, the Chiefs line gets the initial push.
Surprisingly, TE Harris has Tank Carradine controlled, and Earl Mitchell is manhandled away from the hole, allowing the Chiefs’ tackle to head to the second level.
Seeing the gaping hole in the line, Smith hands the ball off to Spencer Ware. Rashard Robinson is the only defender who can possibly fill the gap:
With both linebackers controlled by the two linemen, Ware takes the ball toward the end zone:
Robinson hasn’t moved, and Carradine is still locked up by Harris. Ware sees daylight on the other side of the line:
Ware is untouched across the goal line and the Chiefs have their first score of the preseason:
As expected, the San Francisco 49ers’ first defensive drive of the preseason was far from perfect, but the team showed positive characteristics that bode well for the future. The 49ers nearly caused two turnovers, and with better discipline and fundamentals, would have stopped the Chiefs on each of their third-down attempts.
Next: 49ers vs. Chiefs: The good, bad and ugly
Just like Saleh recently preached, the Niners played with violence. In the future, hopefully the violence will be accompanied by corresponding discipline. It will likely be a rocky road for the first-year defense, but hopefully the 49ers’ defense will see more ups than downs in 2017.