Robert Saleh isn’t one to make excuses - but he’s also not afraid to call it like he sees it. And heading into Week 15, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator acknowledged something that’s been pretty clear to anyone watching closely: this team needed a break.
“We were a little tired,” Saleh admitted, reflecting on the Niners' performance in Cleveland before their Week 14 bye. And tired might be putting it lightly.
The 49ers missed 15 tackles in that game - a number that jumps off the stat sheet, especially for a unit that prides itself on physicality and discipline. Saleh pointed to the late-season bye as a major factor, noting the correlation between fatigue and missed tackles.
And he’s not wrong - 13 straight weeks of high-level football will wear on even the most battle-tested rosters.
Now, with the bye week in the rearview and some much-needed rest under their belts, the 49ers are looking to recharge and refocus as they enter the final stretch of the regular season. At 9-4, San Francisco is very much in the thick of the NFC playoff race.
They currently hold the third spot in the NFC West, sitting above the Cardinals but still chasing the Seahawks and Rams. In the broader NFC picture, they’re slotted at sixth - ahead of the Bears and Lions, but trailing Seattle and Tampa Bay.
Saleh, now in his second stint with the Niners after returning to the Bay Area in January, knows what it takes to guide a defense through the grind of a playoff push. His first run with San Francisco from 2017 to 2020 helped lay the foundation for the team’s current defensive identity. And even with injuries testing the depth of his unit this season, the 49ers have remained one of the most competitive teams in the conference - a testament to both the coaching and the culture.
The timing of this reset couldn’t be better. With the postseason picture tightening and every game carrying more weight, the 49ers will look to come out of the bye with fresh legs and sharper execution - especially on the defensive side of the ball.
The tackling issues in Cleveland were uncharacteristic, but they also served as a wake-up call. Saleh expects a bounce-back in that department, and if history is any indicator, this group is capable of responding with the kind of physical, fast, and fundamentally sound football that’s become their trademark.
Next up: a home matchup against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 14 at 4:25 p.m. ET. It’s the kind of game that could set the tone for the final stretch - and with playoff positioning on the line, expect the Niners to come out with renewed energy and a point to prove.