49ers DC Gets Honest On Humbling Loss To Raiders

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The San Francisco 49ers took the field for their first preseason game of the new year on Sunday, and they got humiliated.

They lost to their former Bay Area rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, 34-7, and much attention was focused on Trey Lance, who started at quarterback and was sacked four times while looking indecisive at times.

But their defense was just as much of a problem, if not an even bigger problem.

That’s the way new 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks saw it, and per David Lombardi of The Athletic, he went off on his players for their poor performance.

“It definitely wasn’t the standard of how we play defense regardless of who was in there,” 49ers’ defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said of the preseason opener against the Raiders

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 15, 2023

San Francisco allowed backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell to complete 15 of 18 passes, and they managed just one sack.

Defense has usually been San Francisco’s calling card over the last few years, and it has gotten them to three NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl over the last four seasons.

Last season, they finished first in both points allowed and total yards allowed.

Granted, the Niners generally didn’t play their regulars on Sunday, but their defensive performance was still inexcusable.

Some feel their defense can become even better than it was last season, as they have added defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who had 11 sacks last season for the Philadelphia Eagles.

But their Super Bowl hopes will largely depend on the play at the quarterback position.

Brock Purdy, the last player chosen in last year’s draft, is expected to be the starter, and he must duplicate his excellent play down the stretch of 2022 for the 49ers to have a real shot at winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

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