(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The only way of winning in today’s NFL without an elite quarterback or passing game is by having an even better defense, and not even that might be enough.
That’s been the case with the San Francisco 49ers for years, and that situation may repeat itself again in 2023.
As reported by the NFL, the Niners had the best defense in the league last season, ranking first in points per game allowed (16.3), total yards per game allowed (300.6), rushing first downs allowed per game (4.5), rushes of 10+ yards (23), rushes of 20+ yards (2), and red zone touchdowns (21).
Can the @49ers defense hold on to every top spot in 2023? pic.twitter.com/XPqj7vnQKg
— NFL (@NFL) July 7, 2023
Needless to say, living up to those same standards won’t be an easy task, but they definitely have the personnel to at least give it a go.
Then again, the Niners lost a key piece of that defense when they lost DeMeco Ryans.
Ryans proved to be one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, and he outgrew that spot by earning a chance to become a head coach.
Not having a defensive architect of that caliber could set them back a little, and there’s always a period of adjustment when a defense has to get settled into something different.
Still, they will continue to have one of the best pass rushers in the league anchoring that defense in Nick Bosa, and they have a strong case for having the most stacked and deepest defensive unit on Earth.
Will that finally translate into another Super Bowl trip and win after more than 20 years?
We’ll have to wait and see.
The post Graphic Shows How The 49ers’ Defense Dominated Last Season appeared first on The Cold Wire.