San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan likes what he's seen from defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, particularly the aggressive approach Morris has brought to the defense this season. That should come as no surprise. The two have been close friends for years. But it doesn't change the fact that Morris is doing what Shanahan hoped he would.
The 49ers have received plenty of attention for their offensive production during their 4-0 start, but the defense deserves its share of the credit. Morris has introduced more variety to the unit, giving opposing offenses more to prepare for while allowing San Francisco's defenders to play more aggressively.
Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco on Friday, Shanahan explained how Morris' approach differs from what the team ran under former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. For years, the 49ers relied heavily on four-man defensive fronts. That approach generally allowed the defense to rush four defenders and drop seven into coverage, emphasizing keeping plays in front of them and limiting big gains. It was a "bend, but don't break" approach.
Morris has added more wrinkles, including five-man fronts and different coverage looks. According to Shanahan, those adjustments have helped create more opportunities for the defense to attack.
"Raheem's had to be so much more aggressive with how he coaches these guys," Shanahan said. "To me, it's really worked for him because they've been so much more aggressive in coverage. Now we can blitz more."
When defenders are more comfortable playing aggressively in coverage, it gives the defensive coordinator more freedom to send additional pressure. Rather than relying primarily on the four-man rush, Morris can force opposing quarterbacks to account for pressure coming from different places.
Shanahan also acknowledged that the changes aren't necessarily about one defensive philosophy being better than another. Saleh had success with his approach, and the 49ers won plenty of games playing that way. But after running a similar system for so long, incorporating different looks can give the defense another advantage.
"It's also what you get used to," Shanahan added. "It doesn't make one right and one wrong. There are pluses and minuses to both, but when you play a certain way for so long you get used to playing that way."
The early returns have been encouraging for San Francisco. Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw give Morris an experienced linebacker tandem capable of making plays, while the more varied fronts and coverages can make life difficult for opposing offenses trying to identify what the defense will do before the snap.
The 49ers' defense doesn't have to abandon everything that worked under Saleh to benefit from Morris' ideas. Instead, the new defensive coordinator is giving the unit additional ways to attack, and Shanahan believes that increased aggression has already made a difference.
With the 49ers preparing for a road matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, the defense will face another opportunity to show that its early-season success is no fluke. For San Francisco to improve to 5-0, the defense will have to do its part. And considering how talented the Seahawks' defense is, this could be one of those games where the defense carries the team to victory.
Watch Maiocco's full interview with Shanahan below:
More info on: Dre Greenlaw, Fred Warner
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