The San Francisco 49ers are heading into Week 16 with a glaring issue that’s become too big to ignore - missed tackles. And if they don’t get it cleaned up fast, they could be in serious trouble when they face the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football.
Let’s call it what it is: the Niners’ tackling has been inconsistent all season, and now they’re staring down a matchup with one of the most punishing runners in the league. That’s not exactly the formula you want when Jonathan Taylor is lining up in the backfield.
The Colts Are Leaning on the Ground Game - and for Good Reason
Indianapolis lost quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending injury two weeks ago. In a bold and somewhat nostalgic move, they pulled 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement to take the reins.
But make no mistake - this isn’t going to be the Philip Rivers air show of old. Head coach Shane Steichen knows what he has in Rivers, and he’s not going to ask the veteran to carry the offense on his back.
Instead, the Colts are going to do what they’ve done best all season: run the ball with Jonathan Taylor.
Taylor is having a monster year. He leads the league with 1,443 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns on the ground, and is averaging 103.8 yards per game.
Those numbers aren’t just impressive - they’re putting him firmly in the Offensive Player of the Year conversation. And when you pair that kind of production with a defense that’s struggling to wrap up, you’ve got a serious mismatch brewing.
A Troubling Trend for the 49ers
Tackling has been a sore spot for San Francisco all year, and the numbers tell the story. Here’s a breakdown of the 49ers’ missed tackles by game:
- vs Seahawks: 3
- at Saints: 12
- vs Cardinals: 11
- vs Jaguars: 7
- at Rams: 4
- at Buccaneers: 6
- vs Falcons: 7
- at Texans: 10
- at Giants: 12
- vs Rams: 8
- at Cardinals: 10
- vs Panthers: 8
- at Browns: 15
- vs Titans: 11
That’s a rollercoaster of inconsistency, and lately, it’s been trending in the wrong direction. The defense looked like it was starting to settle in earlier in the season, but then the injuries started piling up.
Rookie edge rusher Mykel Williams went down with a season-ending ACL tear. Then came Fred Warner’s broken ankle - a massive blow to the heart of the defense.
Add in a multi-week absence from linebacker Tatum Bethune, and the 49ers have lost three key pieces of their run-stopping unit. And it’s showing.
Tony Pollard Exposed the Cracks - Now It’s Taylor’s Turn
Last week, the Titans' Tony Pollard gashed the 49ers for 104 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries. That performance wasn’t just a bad day - it was a warning sign.
And now, here comes Jonathan Taylor, who’s already forced 24 missed tackles this season. He’s just one shy of breaking his personal best from 2021 - the same season he earned first-team All-Pro honors.
Taylor runs with power, vision, and a knack for making defenders pay for poor technique. If San Francisco doesn’t clean things up, this could get out of hand quickly.
Time for a Gut Check
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and his staff have their work cut out for them. Monday night isn’t just another game - it’s a prime-time stage against a playoff-hunting Colts team that knows exactly how to exploit San Francisco’s biggest weakness.
The silver lining? The Titans game may have been the wake-up call this defense needed.
If there’s ever a time to tighten up the fundamentals - wrap up, take the right angles, finish plays - it’s now. Because Jonathan Taylor isn’t going to give you a second chance.
The 49ers still have the talent to turn things around. But if the tackling doesn’t improve, Taylor and the Colts could run right through San Francisco’s postseason hopes.