49ers: 5 stats San Francisco needs to improve in 2018

5 stats the San Francisco 49ers need to improve in 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

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HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 10: Tom Savage #3 of the Houston Texans is hit by Elvis Dumervil #58 of the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Sacks

Sacking the quarterback isn’t always everything, as even generating pressure can be effective.

But any casual football fan can tell you sacks carry much more weight in this league than mere pressures. And the 49ers sure hurt there in 2017.

San Francisco’s 30 sacks last season tied for 26th most in the NFL. The team’s leading sack specialist, veteran EDGE Elvis Dumervil, accounted for 6.5. No other player on the Niners defense had more than three.

Overall, the 49ers’ defensive front finished 2017 with Football Outsiders‘ 29th-ranked adjusted sack rate (5.0 percent).

That’s not particularly good.

Chief among the issues was the lack of production from EDGE Aaron Lynch, who doesn’t figure to be in the team’s plans after last season. Additionally, first-round draftee Solomon Thomas struggled with getting off the edge in the pass rush, finishing 2017 with Pro Football Focus‘ fourth-worst pass-rush productivity rating (6.4) among qualifiers.

Thomas is a better interior defender, which puts the need for a quality every-down EDGE to assume the role this season.