Super Bowl Recap: 49ers Defense vs the Chiefs Offense

Many people think you have to come up with crazy schemes to defeat the Chiefs. The 49ers did a very good job in Super Bowl 54 for the first 3 1/2 quarters

 In the Super Bowl, the 49ers played the Chiefs very tough and did an excellent job in their game plan. They dominated the first 3 1/2 quarters of the  game and were up 20-10 with 8 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. The Chiefs made a late run and in the end, Mahomes pulled some magic and gave them the narrow victory. Mahomes finished 26/42 for 286 yards with 2 interceptions and was sacked 4 times.

The game plan was very simple but effective and really was comprised of 3 components. They played certain coverages to 2x2, 3x1 and they had a very solid 3rd down package. 

1. The 49ers played primarily zone on early downs vs 2x2 sets. They really didn't deviate from that too much. They were consistent in playing solid zone with some match up principles and some cover 3 variations but didn't go away from that too often. This helped with some Chiefs motion concepts condensed sets and was mostly effective 

The only other thing they did was go  man free with 5 man pressures on 3 occasions. This was a nice change up but they didn't do it too much.

2. The 49ers played mostly combo coverage vs 3x1. They locked on the weakside with the cb. Depending on where the rb was aligned they either went zone with the weak lb or had him cover the rb. They played zone to the 3x1 side. 

3. On 3rd down and 3-9 they were all in some type of man free concept. You saw 2 man lurk and some traditional man free with 5 man pressures. On 3rd and 10 plus they played zone.

Here are some examples:

You can see the 1st 3x1 variation with 3x1 and the back strong:

Here's an example of 3x1 with the back to the weak side. mike will carry #3 vertical and the drop safety will play off #2. The 49ers play match principles so its tough to figure out exactly what they are doing.

Here's another variation with 1/4, 1/4 half when the Chiefs go empty but still locking the single side.

Safety does a nice job reading #3

On 3rd down they either brought 5 man pressure and played man free or played 2 man robber(lurk) concepts with one of the safeties.

Here is a 3rd and 3 where they bring 5 man pressure and play man free. Mahomes reads man to man and works to the TE/RB side which is the primary read vs man coverage. 49ers play it well and get off the field

The last concept they played was 2 man lurk which is a variation of man free. They got a big pick off it with 12 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Safety does a great job breaking hard and forcing the bad throw. Nice Job                    

The turning point of the game was a 3rd and 15 and the 49ers play their cover 3 with the free safety playing the crosser weak. The Chiefs protect it well and Hill runs a double move vs cover 3. The cb has to hang on #1 who is running a skinny post curl concept. No chance for the free safety on this. I never saw a qb make more plays on 3rd and long than Mahomes! 

Hill gets open for the 44 yard gain. CB jumps the deep post by #1 and the free safety has no shot. He had time to throw this. This route swung the momentum but you get an idea of how the 49ers played the Chiefs. 

49ers run game analysis-Toss Play variations

 I wanted to take a closer look at the 49ers schemes and run game.

The one play that intrigues me is their toss play. They get great mileage out of this play and ran it 6 times for 47 yards against the rams. Under center and in the gun. 

They seem to love to run it to the 3 technique side but can run it either way and against different looks and fronts. The Rams do a great job scheming things up in their run games and creating great angles at the point of attack. 

Here they run the play against the Rams which are in a 6-1 look with a shade. The interesting thing is how the 49ers block back on the backside and run a zone scheme to the front side. 

fan the backside

In the next diagram the Rams are in a bear front but play it with the 4i to both sides. The Rams spark the DE to the tight end side and the right guard handles it and they get 9 yards. 

Rams spark as the toss is developing

Here are a few  clips of the plays below.

VS PATRIOTS 

Here they run Toss against the patriots for 15 yards out of 21 personnel.

They get a great block by the left side, great crack by the wr.

Fullback does a great job on the safety and the guard reaches the 4i.

A nice run lane is created with good angles on the perimeter.

They get the nice cracks on the perimeter with 

In the clips below these 2 slides you will see some great cut backs by their running backs vs the rams. Watch the 49ers back and his shoulders in conjunction with the offensive lineman like traditional wide zone. 

great execution with nice running lanes.

2nd clip vs rams look at the gap created by the tackle fan blocking on the olb. Great job by the back staying in phase with his rg , rt and te. Again, they block back to create that cutback lane on the backside.

Clips to go with the above.

GUN TOSS VS RAMS

They also run the toss out of different actions and motions.

Vs the Rams they ran it with Kittle in the backfield and motioned him as a lead blocker. 

They create angles for the tight end below and time things up perfectly

Here they run it out of t back 21 wit h the motion creating a great angle. 

49ers vs Patriots

49ers 12 personnel

Patriots 3-4 defense with 21 playing the backside lb roll

They double the edge with the wing and tight end get good combo blocks up front, and the tackle gets a good lateral movement on the dt which allows the running back to cut it back for a 5 yard gain. 

video below

12 personnel 

Get the edge doubled and the guard gets to the linebacker.

1st and goal on the 7

49ers in 21 personnel and they run toss to the twins side.

They get a great block from the fullback and do a nice job on the perimeter with their 2 wr blocking on the 2nd level.

video below

21 personnel. They lead with the fullback on the olb.

2 clips of the 2 toss plays above.

There you have some of the different ways the 49ers run toss both under center and out of gun. Look at some of the variations on how they cut off the backside. I hope you enjoyed this presentation.

The 49ers 3rd down Defense weeks 14-17 under Robert Saleh

 The 49ers have struggled with injuries all year. That being said, they still are 3rd in the NFL in opponent 3rd down conversion rate.  This is due to the great defense run by soon to be NFL head coach Robert Saleh. His teams play hard and they always play fundamentally sound football.

Statistically, they are 3rd in the NFL overall as teams are 35% efficient against them  on the year and 25% in weeks 14-16.

They have done it with sound schemes and mixing up coverages. But their most success has come from their man schemes and pressures. 

Here is opponents 3rd down conversion rates the last 3 weeks:

Opponent       The Cards        Cowboys      Wash.         Hawks                               

3rd and 1-2      2/3 8 yards.      2/3 4 yds       2/2 16 yds    3/3 8yds

3rd and 3           1/1 5yd                         0         0/1              0/1       

3rd and 4-6     1/4  41 yds      1/4 9 yds sa     1/314 yds.    1/2 6yds 

3rd 7-9                  0/4           2/4  60 yds.       0/5 sack       0/3 6 yds sack

3rd 10+               0/4              1/4 34 yds      0/3 10 yds     0/2

The Cardinals were 4/16 for 25% efficiency. The 49ers were really effective on 3rd and 4-6 or more, holding the cards to 1/12 and 1 was a big completion. Thats 8% efficiency and great from a defensive standpoint. 

They also adapt very well. They ran more man free schemes against the Cowboys but went more zone against the Cards to keep an eye on Murray and his scrambling ability. 

They really excel on the 3rd and  4 +  where they are very impressive. In the last 4 games teams are 7 of 42 vs them . 17% efficiency rate.  That is very good.  

COVERAGE BREAKDOWN OVER THE 4 GAMES

3RD AND 1-3 .    ZONE 2X , MAN FREE 7X.         77% man 22% zone

3RD AND 4-6.    2 MAN 1X,   C-3 3X. MAN FREE 4 MAN RUSH 2X , 

MAN FREE 5MAN RUSH 3X. C-2 1X 1/4 1/2 1X ,      zone. 55% man 45% zone 

3RD AND 7-9.   MAN FREE 8X,   2 MAN 2X,      COVER 2 1X, COMBO 3X, 1/4 HALF 3X, c-3 1x

  man concepts 55%. zone 27%. combo 18%

3RD AND 10 +.    1/4,1/4 HALF 7X, MAN FREE 5 MAN Rush 4X , fire zone  1X, COVER 2 1X

Zone 61%. man free 30%. fire zone 9% 

RED ZONE.     3 BRACKET - 2        COVER 0. 5X , COVER 1 1X. red zone man 75% zone 25 %

Here are a few examples of why as the 49ers have several def lineman out. But, that is not an excuse. They like to bring pressure from there 3-2 odd package as well as some 4 man load front. They  often bring 5 are aggressive and play aggressive man to man. They love playing man free and running games and stunts out of their 3 man dime front as well as their load front..  

Seahawks

The 49ers ran some good man /free pressures vs the Seahawks and got after it on 3rd down

3rd and 12 vs the Seahawks.

They bring good pressure again with the appearance they are sending 6 and playing man free/MATCHUP PRINCIPLES AND JUMPING ROUTES. Most teams would sit and 4, they bring the pressure.  5 man pressure with blitz engage principles.

ON 3rd and 7 vs the Seahawks they run a similar pressure.

Again, it's 3x 1. They bring 6 and play combo with the drop de and safety. Looks like match man principles. 

on 3rd and 4 on the goal line they go cover 0 and they get good pressure and force the quick throw. Incomplete.

3rd and 7 they go man free with an exotic pressure where the de covers #2 in coverage. He does a really good job walling and playing combo  as the Safety takes the flat route by #3.

Below is a 3rd and 4 vs the Cowboys in which they get the sack.

In the Cowboy game they run another 5 man game out of the load front.

Here's a nice clip of the 2 blitzes above. 

On 3rd and 4 they go man free out of bear front, send the mike and drop the 2 de to be rat defenders. The one lb has the back if he releases. More man free concepts from the 49ers.

Here's a nice design vs the Cardinals in which they get a free rusher. 3rd and 10 vs the cardinals.

They show out of an odd front which forces the right guard to stay home and they rush  4 over 3 to the side of the back. In theory one of the blitzers has the back. But once the back engages the other blitzes is free.

Another 3rd and 10 and the 49ers bring pressure against the Cardinals. Good design with man free coverage. The 49ers get a 3x1 set with a te backside and the back strong to the 3x1 side. They scheme it up nicely as the cb comes clean and the coverage is great downfield.

These are just some of the things the 49ers do on defense. They are well coached and Saleh will be a great head coach. The defensive staff does a great job and should be commended for their hard work and how hard they play on a weekly basis.