The overview of the notable actions of the 2023 season continues. On today's program, the 49ers defense and its boss, Fred Warner.
Week 5: 49ers – Cowboys (42-10), interception by Fred Warner
The framework
The 49ers are one of the best defenses in the NFL. In 2023, this statement has been more or less respected. The Californian franchise has especially mistreated aerial attacks. It's also the only team that finished with more interceptions, 22 (1e tied), than touchdowns cashed, 20.
The climax of this aerial dominance arrived in the fifth week of the regular season. The 49ers hosted the Dallas Cowboys. The defeat was bitter for the Texans, but above all a path of the cross for the future 2e in the MVP vote, quarterback Dak Prescott.
There is still a quarter to play at the time of our action. The score of 35-10 is anecdotal. The game that follows is an allegory of the encounter.
Fred Warner ruler of middle earth
Last season, San Francisco's defense was led by Steve Wilks. Under his leadership, the patterns have changed drastically. The 49ers started playing with two safety in depth (47.1% of the time) instead of their Cover 3 usual. To get a little more into the figures they operated in quarter coverage at 18.9% and in zone defense 66.4% of snaps.
Spoiler, after just one season, Steve Wilks was relieved of his duties. Kyle Shanahan did not like the coordinator's too timid defense. The 18% blitz (3e lowest % NFL) support the head coach's decision.
Yet the 49ers made it all the way to the Super Bowl. They were also the 3e best defense in points conceded this season (298). It is the individualities and automatisms of this group that have brought them this far, with Fred Warner (#54, red) at the forefront. Below, he obstructs a Cowboys play with Talanoa Hufanga (#29, red) on a Cover 4″ lock » (variant with one or two cornerbacks exterior man-to-man on all deep vertical lines) yet predictable.
Steve Wilks' swan song
The sequence that interests us is a perfect painting of all the potential of this defense and ultimately of what was also wasted.
The Cowboys offense appears in exactly the same alignment as in the previous game. The 49ers defense offers something much more aggressive.
Training dime (with 5 defensive backs), Wilks asks his linebackers to get closer to the line of engagement of the ball. Dak Prescott (#4, white) therefore reads a possible blitz with 6 players. THE nickelbackwho defends the receiver in the slotplays in press (near the commitment line), Deomodore Lenoir (#2, red) too. The rest of defensive backs play in off coverage (far from the line of engagement), with the safety very deep in their camp.
But as soon as the ball is engaged, Talanoa Hufanga (#29, red) goes down on the tight end man to man. Tashaun Gipson (#31, red) refocuses in deep field. And above all Fred Warner, moves back directly to defend the potentially open midfield area.
Dak Prescott analyzes this under pressure from six men and throws on his only “viable” option, Michael Gallup (#13, white). Lenoir had left space on the outside on the previous play, he defended the counterfoot perfectly. The ball ends up in the hands of its captain.
Double stunt
This action is a success thanks to the element of surprise on the engagement line. If we have 6 dangerous players before the throw-in, the numerical superiority comes from nickelback. It is the latter who comes in blitz with Dre Greenlaw (#57, red) on his opposite side.
Steve Wilks added to this a double stunt. A stunt is a loop behind a teammate's back from a player next to him. The 49ers execute this move perfectly from both ends of the defensive line. The pressure generated causes Dak Prescott to rush and therefore also the interception.
