As if getting beat at home by a winless team isn't embarrassing enough, NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger says one defensive miscue — maybe the only significant one of the game — was particularly shameful because of the offensive play being called.
The San Francisco 49ers looked very good against the Arizona Cardinals on the first offensive possession of the game this past Sunday. The unit drove 74 yards in eight plays in an impressive drive to score the first touchdown.
Next, it was Arizona's turn.
Two rookies connected on the Cardinals' first offensive play of the game as quarterback Josh Rosen hit wide receiver Christian Kirk for a 75-yard score. For the most part, the 49ers defense looked solid for the remainder of the game, which is why Baldinger found the Cardinals' first scoring play particularly puzzling.
.@AZCardinals #JoshRosen to #ChristianKirk for 75 yards on first snap. The sin is the @49ers run this play every game and probably every day in practice. #49ers can't get beat by your own play! #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/Fz2mu78oOc
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 10, 2018
"The sad part about this play is this is a play that the 49ers run as well as anybody in football," Baldinger said via his Twitter post. "It's a post-dig route combination against Cover 3. Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, they make a living calling this play."
Baldinger goes on to explain that the 49ers have the play figured out. It's just the miscue by one player, safety Adrian Colbert, that allows the breakdown in coverage and the score.
"All Colbert's got to do here is just stay in the post," Baldinger continues. "Witherspoon's got him on the upfield shoulder. Just stay in the post. Why would you drive on this dig? Why? That's your play [...] The worst part about giving up this 75-yard touchdown play is the 49ers run this play every single game. They see it every day in practice. That's the sin."
"It was just an undisciplined play by me," Colbert told reporters after the game.
The second-year safety acknowledged that being beat by a play you are so familiar with is particularly frustrating. Colbert knows he has to find a balance between being aggressive and disciplined before other teams take advantage.
"That is just something that I need to work on," he continued. "As far as me being aggressive when I am playing in the post, a lot of teams are now going to try to scheme that up, and I have to be better."
Baldinger joined 95.7 The Game on Wednesday morning and shared some thoughts on the 49ers defense's play against the Cardinals. What he had to say corresponded with a post he shared on Tuesday night via Twitter.
.@49ers Defense played well after the 1st play. #DeforestBuckner is even a great player. The problem is you didn't make anything happen. Didn't jar the ball loose, didn't get your hands on any 🏈🏈 didn't take the ball away. The QB LOOKED like a rookie. #BaldysBreakdowns
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 10, 2018
"I just looked at them defensively last week, and they didn't play terrible defense," Baldinger said on the "Joe, Lo, and Dibs" show. "They gave up the ridiculous touchdown the first play of the game that they never seemed to recover from, but they never made anything happen. They didn't knock the ball loose. They didn't intercept the ball.
"The kid, Josh Rosen, looked like a rookie quarterback. They never affected him in the game. They never knocked the ball loose. They didn't get their hands on any footballs. They didn't make anything happen and so that's where it's got to start."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Baldinger below.
