San Francisco 49ers: 2017 defense has already made huge strides over last year

The San Francisco 49ers might be 0-2 to start 2017, but their defense is already showing signs of being leaps and bounds ahead of what was seen a year ago at this time.

Let’s rewind the San Francisco 49ers’ timeline back to the end of Week 2 in 2016.

The Niners were 1-1 coming off an opening Monday Night Football shutout over the Los Angeles Rams, only to see their apparent defensive fortitude evaporate before a Carolina Panthers offense the following week.

Two weeks into 2016, San Francisco’s defense under then-coordinator Jim O’Neil had already allowed 714 all-purpose yards and were beginning to show the signs of what would wind up being one of the worst defenses in franchise history.

San Francisco 49ers

All that’s changed now. At least signs are pointing to such.

Yes, the 2017 Niners boast a 0-2 record after falling to the Panthers and Seattle Seahawks in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.

Yet those losses certainly can’t be pinned on the defense, now minted by first-year coordinator Robert Saleh.

Unlike O’Neil, Saleh’s defenses are simple. Rather than making it a mental game, Saleh stresses natural reaction and physicality. There aren’t a lot of plays in his playbook.

It’s working.

Two weeks into the season, the Niners actually boast a top-10 defense — both in terms of points allowed (35) and yards given up (599). San Francisco ranks ninth in the NFL in both categories. And that run defense? The one that allowed more rushing touchdowns than anyone else in the league last year (25)?

Well, this same group hasn’t allowed a single ground score over two weeks. That’s notable improvement.

And while the 49ers still have a long way to go in this rebuild, at least there’s a foundation for the defense to be very good, very soon.

DeForest Buckner an Anchor for 49ers Defense

Scheme has a lot to do with San Francisco’s newly found defensive success. But it isn’t everything.

At its heart, defenses are usually as good as their players. True, teams with lesser talent can scheme up a defense that works. But if the talent isn’t there, those defenses will tend to struggle as time wears on. We see this in the contrast between San Francisco’s Week 1 efforts a year ago and what took place over the remainder of 2016.

One of the key reasons behind the Niners’ resurgent defense has been second-year defensive tackle DeForest Buckner — a player Seahawks defensive tackle Michael Bennett thought could be “a defensive player of the year.”

Through two games, Buckner owns an 88.4 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus, which ranks highest among all San Francisco defenders.

And his efforts in Week 2 versus Seattle were also worth noting:

If one believes the thought players make their biggest jumps at the pro level between their first and second seasons, Buckner is certainly living up to the expectation level the Niners had when they drafted him No. 7 overall last year.

Simply put, Buckner is becoming the anchor the 49ers so desperately needed not long ago.

49ers Yet to Fully Reap the Rewards of 2017 First-Round NFL Draft Picks

The Niners own a top-10 defense through two weeks this season, and that’s been accomplished without the full services of rookie linebacker Reuben Foster (ankle) and impact play from fellow rookie Solomon Thomas.

Foster surely made an impact before his Week 1 injury against the Panthers. One can only fathom what the outcome of Week 2 would have been had the former Alabama linebacker been on the field to guard against Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson’s numerous fourth-quarter scrambles.

Thomas, meanwhile, has had flashes of both good and bad — not uncommon for a rookie, who missed a sizable chunk of the team’s offseason programs.

To date, San Francisco’s first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft has a 42.9 overall PFF grade. But on the positive side, there are flashes of what Thomas has to offer.

Just check out how quickly Thomas converges on Seattle running back Chris Carson:

One might remember even Buckner struggled a bit early his rookie season, generally playing with a pad level too high and not engaging in effective moves at the point of attack. These are things Thomas is dealing with right now, but one should expect him to pick it up midway through the season.

More from Niner Noise

• 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
• Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
• DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet 
• 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
• 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar

Foster should return healthy within a few weeks. At least that’s the hope. And Thomas’ maturation is also likely to continue in a positive direction.

So even with how well San Francisco’s defense has performed over these first two games, there are plenty of signs this group gets even better this season.

Next: 49ers vs. Seahawks: Full Week 2 grades and analysis for San Francisco

And while the Niners have a long, long way to go before sniffing a playoff berth, one can be thankful the 49ers have made massive strides addressing their biggest weakness from a season ago.