49ers game grades: Rush defense, ground attack stellar in impressive win vs. Jets
49ers Defensive Grades
The Niners had a couple of drives where the Jets seemed to move the ball with ease, but beyond those outliers, they played an aggressive and assertive brand of defense like their defenses of old.
Defensive Line
The defensive line spent the first quarter struggling to get any pressure, and all talk of a retooled defensive line felt shallow. But football is played for four quarters, and the D-line began to turn on the pressure, making Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers uncomfortable.
Beyond the pass game, though, the D-line dominated the line of scrimmage, winning with ease as they held the Jets to 68 rushing yards on 18 carries, a paltry 3.7 average yards per carry.
San Francisco controlled the rushing lanes unlike any game last year, and that might be the biggest positive the 49ers can take away for future weeks.
Grade: 9/10
Season Grade: 9/10
Linebackers
Fred Warner had himself another phenomenal game. He controlled the middle of the field, filled run lanes, and even forced a fumble. But the performance of his compatriots at linebacker had more of a mixed bag. Both De'Vondre Campbell and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles had moments where they exploded up the field and blew up plays, but both also had moments of weak coverage.
Flannigan-Fowles ended up with an interception off a great play by Deommodore Lenoir.
With Dre Greenlaw still rehabbing his torn Achilles and Dee Winters dealing with an ankle injury, the 49ers' linebacking corps is piecing itself together in the early part of the season.
But they put together a solid performance.
Grade: 8/10
Season Grade: 8/10
Secondary
The defensive backfield played a clean game, but the Jets never truly threatened them down the field. The couple of deep shots taken against the defense did not go well, with a touchdown to Allen Lazard and a couple completions to Garrett Wilson.
Overall, the Niners' strategy of keeping everything in front of them worked out quite well, but it left the secondary without much to handle.
Maybe playing against the Minnesota Vikings and star wide receiver Justin Jefferson in Week 2 will change that.