SF 49ers: 5 Dolphins weaknesses Kyle Shanahan must expose
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: SF 49ers must run and throw at Dolphins’ Jerome Baker
There are a number of defensive weaknesses Miami has to exploit in this contest. So if Kyle Shanahan is looking at matchups and taking advantage of those where possible, much like he did with New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez in Week 3, going after Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker would be a smart move.
Baker, who primarily plays on the inside weak side of the Dolphins 3-4 formation, this would typically mean some misdirection plays, slants and crossing routes within 10 yards of the formation.
Why would this be a good idea? Just check out Baker’s Pro Football Focus grades so far this season:
- Run defense: 50.0
- Pass coverage: 33.3
The Dolphins’ run defense isn’t particularly great, of course, but Baker is a massive liability in coverage and can be exposed by the way of some of those misdirections and bootlegs.
Those are the kind of plays where Shanahan’s offense thrives, and getting Baker moving in the wrong direction would be key in exploiting some of those matchups the SF 49ers need to win.