The San Francisco 49ers have recorded just five sacks through four games this season, ranking near the bottom of the NFL. Only the Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans have fewer. The 49ers' 11.6% pressure rate is second-worst in the league, with only the Panthers (7%) trailing.
This isn't the result the 49ers envisioned when they revamped the defensive front during the offseason.
The situation has become even more challenging with pass-rushing star Nick Bosa sidelined for the season with an ACL injury. During Sunday's 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco generated just five total pressures and no sacks in their first game without Bosa anchoring the edge. Bryce Huff led the team with two pressures.
During a Monday morning conference call, head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the team's struggles to pressure Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
"We didn't blitz a ton in the game," Shanahan said. "When we did, there was pressure, and he got rid of it. I would love to have gotten more on him, but I thought they (the Jaguars) did a good job of getting rid of it quick. And when they didn't, I thought we had four-man rushes where they were chipping and had double teams, so it depended a little bit more on coverage that way."
Shanahan added, "Always want to get more pass rush, but it wasn't a huge concern (for the Jaguars) in that game."
Through four games, the 49ers' defense has earned a 70.6 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 16th in the NFL. That mark could drop significantly if defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can't generate more pressure without Bosa in the lineup.
The Jaguars were always going to be a tough test, boasting a 70.3 team pass-blocking grade—the third-best in the NFL. In Week 6, the 49ers will host the Atlanta Falcons, who hold the second-highest team pass-blocking grade at 70.4.
Between those matchups, San Francisco will face the Los Angeles Rams, whose combined 38.3 pass-blocking grade ranks 31st in the league, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who rank 24th with a 50.7 grade.