The San Francisco 49ers defense makes things a lot easier for the Niners offense. The defense played dominant football on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings in the first of two NFC Divisional playoff games this weekend.
The Minnesota offense managed just seven first downs in the game for 147 total yards. The 49ers defense held the Vikings running game to 21 measly yards.
The players on defense don't focus too much on what the offense is doing. The unit is just trying to do its job. It's a mentality learned from veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, who knows a thing or two about winning big football games.
"I think Sherm has really gotten us to not even worry about what the offense is doing," rookie defensive end Nick Bosa said after the game, "just worry about our assignments and our job. Just to keep playing. We just want to get the ball to the offense."
While the defense might not be focused on what the offense is doing in any given game, the opposite isn't true. Tight end George Kittle can't help but be in awe of the defense from the sidelines.
"Our defense? They're pretty good, right? Holy cow," Kittle told reporters. "I mean, it's such a blast just to watch them, how they work together. Doesn't matter highs, lows, they ride with them. Sherman does a great job of keeping them even-keeled, and then you kind of just let them off the leash. You've got Bosa, Dee Ford. We had guys rushing the passer from all angles. It's kind of tough to be a quarterback, I guess."
The 49ers defense got a boost for the playoffs with the return of pass rusher Dee Ford, linebacker Kwon Alexander, and safety Jaquiski Tartt. Ford missed five of the 49ers' final six regular-season games with a hamstring injury. Tartt was inactive for the team's final three games due to a rib injury. Alexander was on injured reserve after suffering a torn pectoral muscle on October 31, 2019, an injury that was thought to require about six months off.
What was it like for Kittle, a fan of his defensive teammates, to see those three playmakers back on the football field? What kind of energy did their return bring to the team for its first playoff game in six years and first-ever at Levi's Stadium?
"Definitely fired up," Kittle responded. "Like I said, watching those guys play football together, just our defense as a whole, it's so fun to watch, especially when they're completely loaded in there, they're deep. Just fun to watch them go out and attack. They're so violent, they're so physical, and they play every single snap together. It's so fun to watch from the sidelines."
Kittle knows the offense isn't always perfect. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception. Kittle had a rare drop. But there is a lot of confidence in the defense's ability to negate those mistakes.
"I think our defense did a fantastic job," Kittle said. "We put them in a couple of bad situations early. I think they handled it well. They held them to a field goal, and they got a stop on another one. So if our defense keeps playing like that, all we have to do is not turn the ball over, and we'll win games."