Stats Prove San Francisco 'Niner Defense Is Lacking

San Francisco’s defense is ranked 21st overall, while its offense is ranked 12th, which doesn’t really tell you what’s wrong with the team this year.

Upon a closer look, however, the offense cannot be blamed for the defense’s woes, in my opinion.

Turnover statistics show that our defense is not opportunistic enough and its sack attack is feeble.

For a team with supposedly the most-experienced secondary in the league, we only have five interceptions in four games and Baltimore has five in three. Even though we’re in the upper echelon by being ranked sixth (tied), we trail teams that we should be ahead of.

Experience doesn’t mean you’re good.

In terms of fumbles, which casts a pall over the entire defense, we have a pitiful two fumble recoveries. That’s earned us a 15th rank. The frustrating part of fumbles is that we are ranked third in forced fumbles with six. The problem is that we are not aggressive and/or skilled enough once the ball is out.

Implausible.

With eight sacks, the 49ers appear to be in the middle of the statistics, but in reality San Francisco’s pass rush is abysmal and it is far behind the sack totals of elite teams.

In fact, only 14 of the NFL’s 32 teams have fewer sacks than the 49ers’ eight. That means 17 teams are ahead of us.

Pathetic.

In reality, the 49ers are in the cellar, significantly trailing the league-leading Philadelphia Eagles (17 sacks, four games), Pittsburg Steelers (15, four games) and Tennessee Titans (15, four games).

The proof of our poor pass rush is also illustrated by the stat that we have two less sacks in one more game than the lowly Miami Dolphins.

Depressing.

Another key stat pointing to the lackluster 49er defense is the 335.8 average yards per game it allows. Twenty-one defenses are statistically better at this point in the season.

Woeful.

In terms of which defense allows more offensive plays, the 49ers are in the cellar again because they have allowed 265, followed by only four other teams. Before you blame the offense for this stat by saying it does not stay on the field long enough, I have more stats for you.

Thirteen teams have run less offensive plays than San Francisco’s 231, including the first-place New York Giants (199), first-place Pittsburgh Steelers (227), the barely second-place San Diego Chargers (226) and the second-place Baltimore Ravens (208).

In four games, the 49ers have run 231 offensive plays for an average of 5.8 yards as compared to its opponents’ stats of 265 plays for a 5.1-yard average. That means the 49ers’ vaunted defense—especially its supposedly impressive secondary—is only on the field an average of 8.5 plays more than the opposing defense.

Big deal.

The only defeat that was completely lopsided in time of possession, if you are at T.O.P. fanatic, was the game against Arizona, in which the Cardinals had the ball nearly 15 minutes longer than the 49ers: 37.05 (Arizona); 22.55 (S.F.).

In the near defeat to Seattle, the excuse for the defense’s horrid play does not hold up if you are a T.O.P. aficionado: 30.12 (Seattle); 29.88 (S.F.). This does not include overtime.

Against Detroit, T.O.P. was 24.06 (Detroit) and 35.54 (S.F.), but if you think time of possession factored into that game, get real, because the Lions are one of the worst teams and most-mismanaged franchises in the NFL. T.O.P., in my view, could have been slanted the other way and the 49ers should still have won.

Against New Orleans, the difference was just over five minutes: 32.55 (Saints); 27.05. Sure, the two interceptions hurt us, but our secondary was burned beyond belief. It shares as much responsibility for that loss as does J.T. O’Sullivan.

Again, experience does not mean you are good.

Thus, I don’t think it can be argued that just because an offense is struggling, a team’s defense should sink to the bottom as the ’Niners have done—especially one that was supposed to be so good.

For a refresher, I’ll remind you that before the season began, Mike Singletary, a man whom I respect unconditionally, said this defensive unit could be one of the best to ever play in the NFL.

Keep dreaming.

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