Niners Nation
There were enough standout performances by the San Francisco 49ers that deserve attention. There were also plenty of head-scratching ones, as well as some I don’t know’s that should be discussed. In today’s Winners and Losers edition, we’ll go through them all.
You couldn’t help but notice the complex schemes Saleh showed in the first quarter and a half against the Broncos. Once it got to third down, Saleh made sure to let Bo Nix know that nothing would come easy. Here’s the second third down of the game:
The 49ers ended up rushing four players, while Nix’s happy feet caused him to get rid of the ball on a two-yard dump-off after fearing he’d see pressure.
On a red zone play, Saleh ran a simulated pressure that confused Nix. But it was the safety in the end zone where Saleh deserved to be on a pedestal. How about a 6-man pressure off the edge? Going from Nick Sorensen to Robert Saleh is like going from a sirloin to a filet.
The backups gave Denver’s starters all they could handle, so you’ll see plenty of defensive linemen on this list. I thought Kalai Davis did a great job fighting over blocks and playing through the whistle. He recorded three run stops and also had a sack. If the 49ers can get that kind of production from Davis in 19 snaps during the regular season, look out.
Winters is quickly becoming one of my favorite defenders to watch. On the safety play, he was the linebacker blitzing off the edge. However, it’s what Winters does in the passing game that catches my eye. His coverage prowess is impressive. He knows where to be at all times and which wideout to account for.
My bold prediction is that Winters notches an interception within the first month of the season. It’ll happen not just because of Winters’ athleticism, but because he’s in the right spot at the right time more often than not.
West got the start over second-round pick Alfred Collins. We know Collins missed a ton of time during the offseason, but you can’t ignore when a Day 3 pick gets the nod over a top 50 pick. It’s not as if West went out there and had four sacks. He had a pressure and went against multiple double teams against one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in his first preseason game. I can’t ignore him starting, which is worthy of a “win” here.
The 49ers’ defense has a chance to take a significant leap forward this season, thanks to the injection of athletes all over. Pinnock is not one of them. He missed a tackle at the line of scrimmage. Pinnock only played 11 snaps, but when you’re responsible for giving up a first down in two series, you deserve to be on this list.
I believe we’re...
