Secondary is Niners X factor this year

Originally posted by Cutitoff:
I believe with added pass rush rotation we should be ok in secondary. No team can fill every area of need with pro bowl caliber players. Balke has team set up again with extra picks in next years draft . Niners have about as stacked a team as possible in today's market.

True, and the draft showed up where they thought their problem was and where they needed the most depth and work. Even though he's a bonehead at times, I still think Culliver is going to be a top corner in the league. And, I think this coaching staff will know exactly how to use Nnamdi the correct way.

E. Reid
M. Cooper
D. Morris
Whoever else...

We've seen busts come out of the early rounds and guys that were very good from the later rounds of a draft in every team throughout history. I'll wait (again) before I pass judgement. I have a good feeling about those 3... they have a lot of upside, great coaches to school them and a enough veterans with plenty of experience on this team to learn from. Still, it's just hope and optimism for now, but we will see if those rookies play a part in the secondary-improving.

IMO, even if the (let's just say) D-Line played banged up/bad like the end of last season, I still think the secondary will be an improvement from last year... maybe not a whole lot, but still an improvement and definitely not worse. However, the D-line is NOT going to be as bad as the end of last season, but much improved, which will make the secondary look that much better.

Niners D looks like it will be even better than 2011, ESPECIALLY the front seven...

The X factor, to my level of understanding was dependent on the D-line. The secondary usually fails when there is lil-no pressure.

our 2ndary will be better this year. Cully will be in year 3 after 2 very decent 1st 2 years sans his Super Bowl meltdown. Terrell Brown is OUR BEST CB and he is very good. Carlos Rodgers is slow but wise and Nnamdi still has a couple good years somewhere in their. As for Eric Reid, I like him a lot, i just hope he learns quickly, and as for whitner, I feel he gets chritisized why too much. Donte is a better in the box safety as a tempo setting hitter instead of being forced to ask him to cover WRs & tes. And the pass rush should be improved night & day with our draft & other youngens. We'll be fine so long as we can stay healthy.

I think our secondary is going to have a turn over every three or so years. It seems obvious that the philosophy is to have an excellent front 7 and depend on their pressure to shut down offenses. As long as we draft decent db's we can cycle them through and make adjustments based on needs. Right now theres to much money invested in our front seven to go about it any other way.

I hate that we gave up so many points after the game in New England but its a breath of fresh air not having to rally around our defense for a change. We put up some respectable numbers. I have a feeling our secondary will look anything but suspect with a healthy line. And if our draftees pan out we can, I don't know, rotate the line.

Can our newly acquired pass rushers defend the run though?

Originally posted by defenderDX:
Can our newly acquired pass rushers defend the run though?

They won't have to initially. Carradine and Lemonier will see the field mostly on passing downs. I don't expect to see much of Lemonier this year. Aldon and Ahmad should continue to be 3-down players. Playing d-line is more physically demanding, so Carradine could be counted on to spell J. Smith or McDonald from time to time. I don't expect him to see a large number of base defense snaps where he would have to be stout against the run.

Originally posted by SofaKing:

Originally posted by defenderDX:
Can our newly acquired pass rushers defend the run though?

They won't have to initially. Carradine and Lemonier will see the field mostly on passing downs. I don't expect to see much of Lemonier this year. Aldon and Ahmad should continue to be 3-down players. Playing d-line is more physically demanding, so Carradine could be counted on to spell J. Smith or McDonald from time to time. I don't expect him to see a large number of base defense snaps where he would have to be stout against the run.

We also added Dorsey in FA who excels at stopping the run.

Originally posted by AZ9erfan520:
I think our secondary is going to have a turn over every three or so years. It seems obvious that the philosophy is to have an excellent front 7 and depend on their pressure to shut down offenses. As long as we draft decent db's we can cycle them through and make adjustments based on needs. Right now theres to much money invested in our front seven to go about it any other way.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, with the current salary cap, you can have a great defensive line or a great secondary but you can't afford both long-term. Ultimately I think the defensive line is far more crucial to success, being able to control the run game, as well bring pressure on the quarterback is essential to winning championships.

I think Tampa Bay will learn that lesson this year, they went out and spent a fortune on their secondary, yet last year they were the third worst team in the NFL in sacks and their top pass rusher jumped ship and went to Seattle. They're going to see just how valuable a pass rush is when their all world secondary is regularly getting lit up because the QB has forever and a day to chill back in the pocket.


Last year's defensive issues literally can be traced to the moment that Justin Smith got injured against New England. Without his presence, along with an injured Aldon, the 49ers pass rush drastically worsened and we saw what the results were.....QB's like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco having fun in the pocket, taking their sweet time, making plays without having too worry about too much pressure up in their faces.



It's the DL and the LB's that will propel this defense to be championship level, that is where the money and the focus will go on this defense.

Great defensive line and less than great defensive backfield is the formula the Giants have been using for some time now and it works just fine. But, I think the DB's will be better than people think. I'm very intrigued by Morris because he's got just amazing quickness and speed - he looks to me like he could be the answer to Austin and Harvin. That's what I'm hoping.

Our Secondary was good last year for the first 14 games. Then injuries destroyed our passruch and our secondary got beat up. We added depth and new blood in the Pass Rush with the thought the secondary will once again flourish with the aid of a pass rush.

I think the X factor is the defensive line more so than the secondary. If they bring the heat, and I believe they will, the DBs will succeed. I'm expecting them to be better than they were in 2011. The talent is certainly there.

Big year from Nnamdi me thinks...

Ya'll act like Harbaugh ad Ballke are stupid.

Enjoy this Superbowl........