San Francisco 49ers coach gives huge vote of confidence to player who committed key Super Bowl error
The San Francisco 49ers might have been preparing for the 2024 season as the reigning Super Bowl champions if not for a loss of focus at the most critical moment from right guard Spencer Burford. But the 49ers are a long way from giving up on Burford as they attempt to try climb the mountain […]
The San Francisco 49ers might have been preparing for the 2024 season as the reigning Super Bowl champions if not for a loss of focus at the most critical moment from right guard Spencer Burford.
But the 49ers are a long way from giving up on Burford as they attempt to try climb the mountain again after suffering yet more heartbreak at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs in February.
Burford conceded after Super Bowl 58 that he "played on instinct" after his protection error prevented the 49ers from scoring a touchdown on the first overtime possession. On third down from the Kansas City nine-yard line, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk came wide open in the endzone, but quick pressure from Chris Jones forced Brock Purdy to heave a prayer to Jauan Jennings, with the pass falling incomplete.
Jones was unblocked as Burford, instead of picking up the All-Pro defensive tackle, slid to his left to help against blitzing linebacker Nick Bolton. The 49ers settled for a field goal, and Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs subsequently drove down the field for a game-winning touchdown.
Burford was only in the lineup as Jon Felicano, who won the starting right guard job from him in the second half of the regular season, had left the game through injury. That high-profile mistake and the 49ers' decision to take guard Dominick Puni in the third round of this year's draft would appear to put Burford's long-term future with the team in a vulnerable position.
But offensive line coach/run game coordinator Chris Foerster clearly still believes in Burford's ability.
Asked about what he's looking for in a potential right guard position battle between Feliciano, Burford and versatile rookie Puni, Foerster replied:
"Spencer came to me when we didn’t put him back in the lineup [last season], he goes, ‘coach, am I playing?’ I said, ‘no, but it’s two or three plays. It’s just two, it’s not many.’
"Everybody else is grading here and you’re just, those two or three plays a game and you just don’t know when they’re going to show up and how they’re going to show up. And so those two or three plays are just like, ‘gosh, we just got to get those two or three plays better.’ We’re just looking for that consistency.
"Maybe it comes from Spencer this year. Obviously, he’s the most talented of the players. I think he’s as talented or more than Puni. Puni will push that from that. And Jon’s just a guy that is a veteran, good player that knows how to get it done. Very savvy, good vet player. But these talented guys, when they figure it out and that’s what you keep hoping. So maybe it comes from Spence, maybe it comes from Puni, maybe it comes from somebody else. I don’t know where it comes from. But we’re hoping we can get just a little more consistent play out of that position."
Burford should get a big boost in confidence from Foerster referring to him as the most talented player at that position, and there is statistical evidence to back up his position coach's assessment of the 2022 fourth-round pick and his issues.
Per Sports Info Solutions, Burford had a blown block rate of 3.7 percent on pass blocking snaps. That was the 11th-highest among right guards with at least 200 snaps. On run plays, however, he had a blown block rate of just 2.2 percent, only slightly worse than Feliciano (1.9%), who played 451 snaps to Burford's 790.
Run blocking is where Burford has done his best work. In SIS's 'points earned' metric, which looks at Expected Points Added and gives an individual value to every player on every scrimmage play, Burford ranked eighth among right guards (min. 200 snaps) on run plays with 14.75, 2.69 points above average.
By contrast, on pass blocking plays, he earned just 8.64, 1.72 points below the average.
Those numbers encapsulate the problem with Burford. Despite some inconsistencies as a run blocker, he brings tremendous upside in that area of the game. In the pass game, though, he proved to be a hindrance to the 49ers' hopes.
Yet there were still signs of promise in his pass blocking, his performance in a Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars one of his best of the season. It was the only game of the season in which he did not allow a single pressure.
Now entering year three and likely with the most painful moment of his career still fresh in his mind, Burford desperately needs to find the consistency that has so far restricted him from reaching his potential.
The talent, as Forester articulated, is there. But with new competition for the place he appeared to have locked down at the start of last season, time is running out for Burford to fully harness it with this team.
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