Our Defense

[EDGECRUSHER]

Almost every single week it is atrocious and it's problems are masked because Tua is the MVP. However, when Tua just has an "okay" game like he did yesterday it becomes a problem for the defense.

So, did we all of a sudden become trash from last year until this season or are the injuries just too much to overcome now? Seems like a mixture of both because while Byron Jones has taken the knee for the whole season, his undrafted replacement is doing an excellent job. Xavien hasn't played well this year due to early season injuries and I guess just bad play. Ogbah sucked before he went out for the year. What is the answer to fix this for 2023?

Not giving up on this season at all as it has been very enjoyable and a massive improvement and we can still win a playoff game, but if Tua isn't near flawless, we're in trouble.

[Dave Gray]

One - we're just not as good.  Say what you will about Flores (and I do), but he was good at coaching defense.
Two - we're injured as hell.  We've lost so many critical players.
Three - because we're going to score a lot of point more than the past and teams know it, they're coming at us with more aggressive play-calling.

[CF DolFan]

i just posted this in defense of them in the ati-fins section but it works here too. Miami had 4 turnovers and lost time of possession 40 minutes to 19. 40 freaking minutes to 19? That's huge. The freaking defense kept it close until in the 4th quarter when we had the chance to go ahead.  They did a pretty decent job for a team who has lost 4 defensive backs.

[Dolfanalyst]

That game was a great illustration of the primary benefit of great defense -- the 49ers'.

If you limit the opposing team's scoring, you can win with a 3rd-string QB.

In fact if you limit the opposing team's scoring to zero, you can't possibly lose, and you can win the game with a score by your own defense -- your offense need do almost nothing other than prevent a similar score by the opposing defense.

[Spider-Dan]

i just posted this in defense of them in the ati-fins section but it works here too. Miami had 4 turnovers and lost time of possession 40 minutes to 19.

The criticism of the defense is entirely before the last 2 turnovers, at which point the game was already over.  MIA was losing the turnover battle 2-1 at that point.

40 freaking minutes to 19? That's huge.

The defense has direct agency on the other team's time of possession, especially when the turnover margin is close.
If you can actually get a three-and-out, you'll help limit the other team's time of possession!

They did a pretty decent job for a team who has lost 4 defensive backs.

The offense was without both tackles, but you aren't giving them the same slack.

[CF DolFan]

The offense was without both tackles, but you aren't giving them the same slack.

I completely disagree with you on those accounts but as far as the tackle situation goes we have been playing with this right tackle pretty much all year and he has done fine. The left tackle, while important, got a lot of help from the TE, fullback and even RB so it played pretty well overall.  We missed open receivers which has nothing to do with LT play and receivers dripped passes until the end of the third quarter. Nope that didn't have anything to do with LT either.  Didn't they show a stat they had like 24 plays on our side of the field to our 4 plays late in the 3rd quarter? In fact ... did we ever convert a 3rd down? I'm not sure that we did. Outside of a few plays our offense sucked butt yesterday. With all your stats you boast from Tua he still finished with a 79 QBR for the game. I love Tua but he sucked for most of yesterday. Even Russel Wilson beat that QBR by over 20 points ... haha.

[Dave Gray]

The left tackle, while important, got a lot of help from the TE, fullback and even RB

Eh.....not so sure about that.

Yes, we put resources towards that and took away offensive weapons to stay and block, but those clip blocks were pretty shitty on the day.

[Spider-Dan]

I mean, if Nick Bosa had went out on the first series and been replaced with a 7th-rounder, and that 7th-rounder had went on to terrorize Tua the whole game, I would be criticizing the offense more.

The defense simply didn't get stops, even in the first half.  Talk of how many plays MIA spent on their side of the field seems silly when the Dolphins scored TDs on two huge chunk plays.

[dolphins4life]

It's hard for me comment on this stuff because of years of watching Brady's defenses play like you turned the Madden levels up to maximum on every player.

Like yesterday.

Twice making stops where getting a first down would have all but sealed the game.

[CF DolFan]

Eh.....not so sure about that.

Yes, we put resources towards that and took away offensive weapons to stay and block, but those clip blocks were pretty shitty on the day.

Tua wasn't pressured for a while in this game and when he did it was because of his lack of getting rid of the ball.  In fact .. even though he started getting harrassed later on it wasn't every play.

[Spider-Dan]

I mean, if you're saying that Tua played poorly against one of the top defenses in the league, no one disagrees with you?
But the SF offense, even with Jimmy, is hardly a juggernaut.  Yet against the Dolphins defense - even with a 7th rounder at the wheel! - they looked unstoppable.  They marched up and down the field almost at will.

It's also worth mentioning that what we now consider a "bad day" from Tua is when he throws for the most yards and/or TDs against that defense of any QB not named Patrick Mahomes.

[EDGECRUSHER]

It's also worth mentioning that what we now consider a "bad day" from Tua is when he throws for the most yards and/or TDs against that defense of any QB not named Patrick Mahomes.

Exactly. He wasn't his MVP self, but if the defense played like it should against a 7th round rookie, we win that game. He wasn't the reason we lost, he was just off.

[CF DolFan]

Tua's bad day isn't based on a stat line but is based on what he didn't do. It's based on the open receivers he missed and the indicisions in the pocket. He and coach aren't shying away from it so it's funny that fans seem to be ... but I guess that few people take us fans seriously.  

[Spider-Dan]

Tua's bad day isn't based on a stat line but is based on what he didn't do.

No one is saying that he had a good day.  But he was playing with a makeshift line against one of the top defenses in the league.  It's surprising that he might have been rattled - I personally don't buy it, and think Tua just had a few off quarters - but it's possible.

In contrast, the defense got carved up by a 7th-round rookie.  If it were Jimmy G back there, fine; he's made a Super Bowl and has a history of solid play.  But a 7th-round rookie who wasn't even taking any first-team snaps in practice?  If the defense can't rattle him, who are they going to stop... Zach Wilson?  (The answer to that is also no.)

[Dave Gray]

^ Neither Tua, nor the D were particularly good.

But you can't really use "makeshift line" argument to protect Tua if you don't recognize that our defense is also makeshift.  We have been hobbled all year.

We could've won this game with Tua's normal play.
We could've won this game by the defense stepping up against a backup QB.

We did neither.  It is what it is.