The 49ers didn’t leave Australia with a sack in Week 1, but the pressure they brought against Matthew Stafford was enough to make the Rams quarterback uncomfortable all game.
That kind of disruption could be waiting on the other side of a much friendlier matchup.
Miami comes to Levi’s Stadium in Week 2, and Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis already looks like the kind of passer San Francisco’s front can feast on. Willis was sacked five times in Miami’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, putting him among the league leaders in being taken down along with the Cleveland Browns’ Deshaun Watson and the New Orleans Saints’ Tyler Shough.
The Raiders had enough edge juice from Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye to create problems, but that defense still doesn’t exactly sit in elite territory. The 49ers, by comparison, are coming off a season in which they finished with a league-low 20 sacks, then opened this year with a zero-sack outing. This is the kind of chance they should be eager to pounce on.
Willis does bring one obvious complication: his legs. He ran for 39 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, and that mobility can stretch plays and turn broken pockets into big gains. But it can also get him in trouble if he keeps looking for something downfield too long while drifting behind the line.
That was part of the problem against Las Vegas, too. Brian Miller of Phin Fantaic noted the missed chances and the decision-making issues, writing:
There were also missed opportunities because of poor decisions. Sacks that shouldn't have happened because he held the ball too long.
Willis needs to develop better awareness, especially when he is outside of the pocket. If it's not there, it's o.k. to throw it away.
Next Gen Stats put Willis at an average of 3.21 seconds to throw in Week 1, which ranked fourth among quarterbacks. Add a shaky offensive line that’s still in the early stages of a major rebuild, and the ingredients are there for a long Sunday for Miami.
Nick Bosa should be in the middle of it. The veteran defensive end was busy creating pressure on Stafford in Week 1, and he’s the most obvious name to circle if San Francisco’s rush finally starts turning pressure into sacks.
But the interior push may matter just as much. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa was a major force rushing the passer in Week 1, and if he keeps collapsing the pocket, he could set up easier wins for Bosa and rookie edge rusher Romello Height off the edge.
In Other News...
49ers Offensive Line Faces Its First Real Test Against Miami
The 49ers offensive line is heading into its first real stress test of the season, with Miami bringing a defensive front that can still create problems even with some uncertainty around its personnel. The Dolphins were getting ready for Week 2 with Chop Robinson not practicing, while Zach Sieler was expected to play a key role up front, and San Franciscos coaches and players spent the buildup sorting through the early-season details that come with a matchup like this.
Klay Kubiak and Brock Purdy were among those offering their read on where the 49ers stand, and the injury picture added another small layer with Kaelon Black landing on the report with a minor issue. Elsewhere on the roster, KhaDarel Hodge spoke about the effort it takes to keep an NFL career alive, a reminder that even in a game framed by line play and pass rush, there are always deeper roster stories running alongside the main event. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Can Put Fred Warner Comparison To The Real Test
Jacob Rodriguez made an immediate impression in his NFL debut for Miami, finishing with a team-high 14 tackles while handling the defensive signal-calling duties in a loss to the Raiders. The rookie linebackers blend of range, coverage ability and leadership has already drawn comparisons to Fred Warner, which is notable enough on its own and even more so with the 49ers coming up next.
Week 2 now gives San Francisco a chance to see whether that early buzz holds up against a defense built around one of the leagues standard-bearers at the position. For the 49ers, it is also the kind of matchup that puts Warners own influence into sharper focus, since Rodriguez is being asked to do many of the same things while trying to prove he belongs in that conversation this early. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Defense May Have Finally Fixed A Problem Fans Know Too Well
The 49ers opened the season with the kind of defensive discipline that has too often eluded them in the past, and it stood out even more after watching the penalty-filled slog that passed for Thursday Night Football between the Lions and Bills. San Francisco was sharp in Week 1, committing only two penalties while playing a clean, controlled game on defense, a tone that fit with the early work of new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and a unit that looked far more organized from the start.
For a team that has spent plenty of time dealing with self-inflicted mistakes, that kind of detail matters just as much as splash plays. The contrast with Detroit's 10-penalty night only sharpened the point: the 49ers did not just defend well, they avoided the little breakdowns that can turn a strong outing into a frustrating one, and that is exactly the sort of improvement fans have been waiting to see hold up. [Read more 🡒]