During his first stint as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, Robert Saleh had a message for the defense. What do you call it when the offense throws an interception in its own territory? An opportunity.
There are still players on this defense from the first Saleh tour, most notably team captain and all-world linebacker Fred Warner, and it is clear that the new players, both the rookies and those acquired from other teams, have been instructed in that mantra of determination and have taken it to heart.
For most of the game this past weekend, the offense was not able to do much. In fact, in the first half, the 49ers possessed the ball for under nine minutes. Just let that sink in. The defense was on the field for over 21 of the opening 30 minutes. They must have been exhausted. And if that weren't bad enough, superstar Nick Bosa went down with an injury in the first quarter. (We learned today he has been tragically lost for the season.)
San Francisco brought in Bryce Huff to be a situational pass rusher, but when Bosa went down, he was forced to be an every-down defensive end. And he was more than up to the challenge. He had a sack, a tackle for loss, and generally set the edge well. Sam Okuayinonu is a good rotational player, but supposedly not really a starter. However, he played like one against the Cardinals, moving inside and outside, and he helped stuff the run beautifully.
In general, the defensive line has grown against the run this year, and even without Bosa for much of the game, this was their best performance so far. They held James Conner to 2.4 yards per carry, and if it weren't for one long run by Trey Benson, the D would have held the Cardinal running backs to 40 yards on 21 carries. That's a ridiculously outstanding performance.
But back to opportunities.
Because of the defense, the Niners were able to go into the locker room with a 6-3 lead. In the second half, the offense put together a strong drive, only to fail on 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line. The defense's attitude? This is not a time to be despondent; this is an opportunity. They slammed the door on Arizona, nearly got a safety, and forced a punt with the punter standing under the goalpost. The offense responded with a touchdown drive.
A few drives later, Mac Jones threw an interception, and Arizona took over at the 40, needing only 25 yards to get in field goal range and take the lead. But Robert Saleh called that an opportunity. And so did the defense, giving up a grand total of 5 yards, with Warner forcing a punt with beautiful coverage on Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride.
Then the offense gave up a safety, giving Arizona the lead and giving the Cardinals the ball. Arizona had 1st-and-10 with just over two minutes to go. One more first down would have allowed them to kneel out the win. It was a costly gift of an opportunity by the 49ers.
Kyler Murray, the only Cardinal who had been able to run for some yardage, got chased down by rookie Marques Sigle for only a yard. Warner stuffed the run for no gain on 2nd. And then rookie Upton Stout, victimized by a bogus holding call on a great play last week, came through with a brilliant pass defensed to force a punt and give the offense one more chance.
The offense had struggled all game, but the defense inspired them. With under two minutes to go, they put together the game-winning field-goal drive. In the end, it came down to the defense's confidence and determination. It came down to belief. It came down to the growing certainty that no matter what happens, it is an opportunity.