San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 takeaways from Week 12 loss to Seahawks
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: A Healthy Front Seven Is a Good Thing
For the first time since Week 1, the 49ers actually had a relatively full bill of health within their front seven on defense.
Perhaps the only major scare was seeing linebacker Reuben Foster getting his ankle taped up during the game, but he managed to finish out just fine. And the Niners enjoyed returns from previously injured defensive linemen Tank Carradine and Solomon Thomas.
A weak Seattle offensive line provided the opportunity for San Francisco’s pass-rushers to get some chances against Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson’s pocket evasiveness was the only reason he wasn’t sacked, but the Niners did manage a good deal of pressure and had six quarterback hits.
It wasn’t enough, but San Francisco isn’t the only team in the league to have experienced Wilson’s escaping ability. Although one could wonder why defensive coordinator Robert Saleh called so many three-man rushes.
Against the run, though, the Niners held their own. Seattle’s leading rusher, running back Eddie Lacy, managed just 46 yards on 17 attempts — an average of 2.7 yards per carry.
San Francisco has still given up a ton of yards on the ground — 1,425, which is third most in the NFL. But its 3.9 yards-per-attempt average is 10th best in the league.
If this group can stay healthy down the stretch, the Niners defense may stand something of a chance and force opponents to be one dimensional.