Position grades, analysis from 49ers NFC West-clinching victory over Seahawks

49ers defensive grades

The 49ers defense started out strong, but it fizzled down the stretch and was a few inches away from giving up the NFC West crown.

Defensive Line: B-

The 49ers defensive line had a ferocious start to the game, especially against the run. They bottled up the Seahawks from the point of attack, most notably when they stopped running back Marshawn Lynch on 4th-and-1. Deforest Buckner also had a sack on Russell Wilson, the only sack by the defensive front:

The biggest key was that the Niners defensive ends would not allow Wilson to beat them off the edge, a la quarterback Lamar Jackson back versus the Baltimore Ravens earlier this year. That sacrificed run defense and pass rush as the game progressed, and the war of attrition left the Niners linemen gassed.

That said, the Niners did so well in the first half, there’s almost no way you could fail them here. Defensive end Nick Bosa had himself a terrific showing, tracking down Wilson on numerous occasions. Arik Armstead forced a holding penalty that took away a touchdown. The line did just enough, and for that, they pass.

Linebackers: B

The play of the game was obviously Dre Greenlaw stopping Hollister dead in his tracks on 4th-and-goal, but the 49ers linebackers played relatively well the entire game. Fred Warner took away Wilson’s primary option on Buckner’s sack and had decent coverage throughout.

The real issue was when the Niners linebackers would become spies on Wilson. They would get caught in no-man’s land, as Robert Morrison acutely pointed out on the Niner Noise game thread. Wilson feasted on these opportunities, helping give the Seahawks offensive life. Apart from that, it was a good showing from a position group that has adequately masked the loss of Kwon Alexander.

Secondary: Sherman A, Everyone Else C

Richard Sherman was a blanket on his side of the field, and even when he got stung making a tackle, he managed to push through and return to the game down the stretch. Wilson, for a brief moment, experienced what other quarterbacks had during the reign of the “Legion of Boom” — a third of the field effectively gone.

Ahkello Witherspoon, on the other hand, was benched after yet another tough performance. Witherspoon was playing lights out when the season started, but a foot injury took away all that momentum, and recently, he had been getting torched by opposing teams. Emmanuel Moseley was also picked on, but he, aided by Wilson miscues, came out relatively unscathed.

K’Waun Williams had himself a rough game against wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who diced him up for 51 yards on six receptions, two of which were critical third-down conversions. Williams also had a pass-interference call on him (doesn’t matter if it was a good call or not) that extended a Seattle scoring drive.

The safeties played without much incident, which is a welcome improvement from the performance against the New Orleans Saints, put on by Marcell Harris. Harris has played better as the year has went on, but make no mistake, it is Jaquiski Tartt‘s starting position