Fangio: “I don’t see our pass rush as being an issue right now.”

SANTA CLARA — Here’s what Vic Fangio said Tuesday about the 49ers pass rush.

 

The sack numbers are down, but yet you guys rank, I think, second in the league in passing defense. How do you view how things are happening up front as far as the pressure on the quarterback?

“Well, I think you answered your own question there when you said we were ranked second in pass defense. And pass rush is a part of pass defense. So, although we don’t have the sack numbers, which a lot of people want to sink their teeth into, fantasy players want to sink their teeth into sacks. That’s not the only measure of good pass rush. And right now to this point, I haven’t seen pass rush as being a weakness for us.”

 

Was that a case for Sunday against the Giants?

“Yes. Now we didn’t have a good rush on one of the passes they completed for good yardage. But, that’s going to happen some. But, I don’t see our pass rush as being an issue right now.”

 

Are offenses playing differently? Are offenses playing your pass rush differently causing you to adjust more this season?

“At times they’ll be chipping us, keeping extra guys in, or throwing it quicker. I think it’s on their mind. And again, I think that plays into the pass defense, which is what we’re all concerned about here, being pretty good because when they do that, they limit themselves also a little bit.”

 

As fantasy folks, they like to argue the point but will say, but they only got one hit on Giants QB Eli Manning.

“Well, that’s not a correct stat.”

 

No?

“No.”

 

OK. What was it? What was the headcount?

“I don’t know exactly. But, I can remember at least three.”

 

But overall, you were even-pleased with the pass rush against the Giants? Is that what you’re saying?

“Overall, yes. There were some plays where it wasn’t what we’d like it to be. But, again like I say, that’s going to happen some every game, even if you have a game where you’re getting a bunch of sacks. And they only threw the ball 28 times last week. And it sounds like that’s a low number these days.”

 

Is that needed to be able to get turnovers though, or the takeaways I should say?

“To a degree it does. Obviously I think if you were to do a study, more turnovers happen on passing plays. Obviously the interceptions can only happen on a passing play. The sack-fumble can only happen on a passing play. Receivers catching the ball, getting stripped can happen. There are more turnovers that do happen on a passing play, no question about that.”

You talked about some of the different things the linemen are doing, as far as the chipping or whatever. Are teams trying to get the ball out quicker against you this year, too?

“Yeah, that’s what I had said earlier. The ball’s coming out pretty quick at times, not all the time, but at times, it is coming out fairly quick.”

 

Do you agree or disagree with Fangio? Is the 49ers’ pass rush an issue?

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