49ers Film Review: How San Francisco’s defense made history

Posted By on November 29, 2022

The 49ers defense shut out the Saints on Sunday. In doing so they became the first team since at least 1970 to not allow any second half points four games in a row.

In this week’s film review we’ll look at how they pulled this off.

First Quarter

First and Ten, Saints 40

DeMeco Ryans dials up a blitz for Talanoa Hufanga. Although Hufanga is unable to make the tackle in the backfield on Alvin Kamara, this ruins the timing of the play. Fred Warner comes across and knocks the ball out of Kamara’s arms with a “Peanut Punch” and Samson Ebukam comes away with the recovery.

Third Quarter

Second and Three, 49ers 23

New Orleans tries to run off tackle to the left. Rookie defensive end Drake Jackson does a terrific job of getting on the heels of the offensive lineman and running down Taysom Hill for a loss of two.

Third and Five, 49ers 25

DeMeco Ryans dials up a six-man blitz. Fred Warner comes free right up the middle forcing Andy Dalton to get rid of the ball before he is ready.

Spencer Womack gets a good shot on the receiver at the line of scrimmage and has tight coverage as the ball falls incomplete.

A false start on fourth down forced New Orleans to try a field goal and Will Lutz pulled it wide left.

Fourth Quarter

First and Goal, 49ers 6

New Orleans tries to run Alvin Kamara off tackle to the right side. Nick Bosa does a terrific job of setting the edge and Hassan Ridgeway gets down the line to make the stop for no gain.

Second and Goal, 49ers 6

San Francisco’s coverage forces Andy Dalton to throw the checkdown to Alvin Kamara. Dre Greenlaw gets to the running back and although he can’t bring Kamara down, Talanoa Hufanga comes up and gets his helmet on the ball to force a fumble.

As the ball bounces around Hassan Ridgeway knocks away a Saints player the Dre Greenlaw comes away with the recovery at the one.

First and Goal, Saints 4

Andy Dalton fakes the handoff to Alvin Kamara and looks to the middle of the field. Charles Omenihu gets pressure, forcing Dalton out to his right. He throws incomplete to Jarvis Landry who was covered well by Charvarius Ward.

Dalton had Kamara open for a walk-in touchdown had he looked his way. Dre Greenlaw had been knocked off the coverage by the inside route from the wide receiver.

Second and Goal, Saints 4

The 49ers bracket the inside receivers and Nick Bosa breaks through, pressuring Andy Dalton leading to an inaccurate checkdown throw to Mark Ingram.

Third and Goal, Saints 4

New Orleans runs a play the 49ers have seen from their own offense dozens of times.

Jimmie Ward and Deommodore Lenoir take away the in breaking routes on the outside. The tight coverage forces Dalton to try and hit Taysom Hill on the corner route, but Tashaun Gipson has tight coverage, and the ball falls incomplete.

Fourth and Goal, Saints 4

Nick Bosa blows around the left tackle and drops Andy Dalton for the sack. This sack gives Bosa 11.5 on the season.

This article has 9 Comments

  1. Interestingly, after all the speculation that Bosa was offside on the last play, this clip from above shows the edge of the ball from beneath the right guard’s shoulder. It seems clear to me that that ball moves before Bosa jumps. Everyone else is a fraction behind!

  3. Jack
    Looking ahead to the game this Sunday: 9ers VS Miami
    * With Miami LT Armstead out and RT, Austin Jackson, questionable, I look for Ebukam and Bosa to put constant pressure on QB Tua Tagovailoa! Bosa could get 2-3 sacks and Ebukam 1 maybe 2?
    * To add to Miami QB Tagovailoa problems his favorite target, WR Tyreek, is questionable as is RB Raheem Mostert.
    After bad mouthing the 9ers, KS and JG, RB Jeff Wilson will have to carry the load for the fins….AGAINST THE BEST RUN D IN THE NFL….Good luck and welcome back to Levi’s Mr Wilson!

  4. Niner’s defense should remember that Wilson is prone to fumbling from time to time. Get that ball out! I have not made my mind up about Tua. He has been effective this year but not so much in earlier years. We shall see. I am worried that CMC is out. He did not look good Sunday and may not be fully functional this Sunday. He is prone to injury as we know.

    1. The biggest difference in Tua from last year, to this year, is his confidence.
      A. It’s well known that former Miami HC, Brian Flores, was not a big believer in Tua.
      B. Flores did a poor job of putting Tua in a position to succeed, by designing plays that didn’t played to his strength.
      C. McDaniel put together a video of 700 successful Tua plays that showed what he was good at. He then spent time with Tua explain WHY these plays played to his strength. (rebuilt his confidence).
      D). With the added confidence, a system that takes advantage of his skills and better talent around him, Tua no longer has to concern himself with whether folks in the organization believe in him.
      * Tua’s added CONFIDENCE is a mental state that will evaporate with a steady diet of Bosa, Ebukam and the 9ers defense putting him on his backside.
      NOTE: 9ers 2022 defense ranking, VS the Miami defense.
      https://www.nfl.com/stats/team-stats/defense/rushing/2022/reg/all

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