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The San Francisco 49ers have won two consecutive games thanks partly to some impressive halftime adjustments by the defense. At 5-4, the
Niners remain in the NFC playoff picture.
The 49ers defense allowed 14 first-half points to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. It allowed 16 first-half points to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. The defense shut out both teams in the second half of each game.
Brian Baldinger joined 95.7 The Game on Tuesday morning and was asked which defense is currently playing the best in the NFC.
"I like the 49ers," Baldinger said on
The Morning Roast. "Two shutouts in a row in the second half of games. I mean, you're coming out of the tunnel with the mindset that they're just not scoring, they're not going to move the ball, we're getting off the field on third downs. It's just the mindset right now, so they're closing games out."
49ers defenders credit defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans for the team's ability to turn in dominant second-half efforts in recent weeks.
"He has a lot of poise coming into the locker room," safety
Talanoa Hufanga said after Sunday's 22-16 win. "A lot of defensive coordinators, if you're trailing, if you're up, they're really tight and upbeat. He's the guy that comes in there, and he has a big smile on his face. We could be down 30, big smile.
"He's a guy that just understands that we can go out there, and we can change the game on defense any way possible. So, the poise that he holds in the locker room, it just brings all these guys together and just builds our confidence up so we can go out there and make plays."
The 49ers defense currently ranks No. 1 in total yards allowed, No. 3 in points allowed, No. 1 in rushing yards allowed, and No. 4 in passing yards allowed.
"They (Chargers) had 56 yards on 19 plays in the second half," Baldinger said. "So, really, what you see from DeMeco, though, is, for the second week in a row now, in the third quarter, on key third downs, you see heavy blitzes. He's just not fooling around. It's not a gamble. He's just going to affect the quarterback, and he did to [Chargers QB Justin] Herbert.
Fred Warner came free and chased him to the left. He's got nothing to the left. He's just throwing the ball to the ground.
"He's dialed it up a little bit. It's not a big blitzing team. They don't have to be. But there [are] times when you want to get there fast, and you want to affect the quarterback. ... They got off the field on third downs, and they were just forcing punts. That's two weeks in a row that they've done that, and you can see that trend continuing if you've got to really shut things down while your offense kind of plays catch-up a little bit."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Baldinger below.
NFL Media's Adam Rank has thrown his hat into the mock draft ring. However, there's a slight twist. Rather than projecting what NFL teams will do in Round 1, he's sharing what he believes they should do in Round 1. For the San Francisco 49ers at No. 31 overall, Rank suggests general manager John Lynch should focus on upgrading the offensive line. Specifically, he recommends finding a replacement for Colton McKivitz at right tackle.
Rank proposes that the 49ers use their first-round pick on former Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton.
"Last season, Colton McKivitz gave up nine sacks -- tied for fourth-most in the NFL, per PFF," Rank
ESPN analyst Matt Miller watches the San Francisco 49ers differently than other teams. As a 49ers fan, he feels more invested in the team's successes and failures than most analysts.
With the draft nearing, Miller made it clear which direction he believes head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch should take with their first pick. In his ESPN mock draft, a seven-round doozy, the analyst had the 49ers selecting former Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
Miller recently joined the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle" podcast, sharing why he adamantly hopes the team addresses the offensive line at the end of the month.
"So I
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
