49ers position grades, analysis from sloppy Week 7 loss vs. Colts

49ers Defensive Line: D

Nick Bosa’s near sack was a quality play, yes, but San Francisco’s defensive line came up short despite knowing full well Indianapolis was going to run the ball.

And then some, particularly with Carson Wentz frequently looking like the weather wasn’t affecting his play style.

Interior runs were again a problem against this unit, and it’s pretty clear the 49ers were missing one of their better run-stuffing defensive linemen, Javon Kinlaw, who was out with a knee injury. In the wake of the Niners’ 2020 trade of Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts, subsequently using that pick on Kinlaw, it isn’t looking as if San Francisco is getting the better end of the deal.

In the battle of the trenches, at least on this side of the ball, the 49ers clearly came up on the short end of the bargain. Not only did Indianapolis average 4.5 yards per rush, it also came up big enough on third downs, going 6-of-14 on these tries where the pass rush was expected to make a massive difference.

Just one sack, and that came from reserve defensive tackle Kentavius Street.