49ers' defense pulled off two feats not achieved since days of Jim Harbaugh in win over Cowboys
Few areas of the San Francisco 49ers' 2024 roster have performed up to the standard most will have expected so far this campaign. However, San Francisco's pass defense has played at a very high level even as the team has stuttered to a 4-4 record at the bye. The 49ers rank second in the NFL […]
Few areas of the San Francisco 49ers' 2024 roster have performed up to the standard most will have expected so far this campaign. However, San Francisco's pass defense has played at a very high level even as the team has stuttered to a 4-4 record at the bye.
The 49ers rank second in the NFL in DVOA, which measures per play value, on pass defense, per FTN Fantasy.
One reason for San Francisco's success defending the pass is the defense's proclivity for creating turnovers.
San Francisco got back to. 500 with a Sunday Night Football win over the Dallas Cowboys in part powered by two interceptions of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
The 49ers now have 10 interceptions on the season, accounting for a total of 15 turnovers that is tied for the second-most in the league.
Perhaps a better reflection of how good this defense has been at turning the ball over comes from the fact it achieved two feats the 49ers hadn't pulled off since Jim Harbaugh was the head coach.
The picks by Ji'Ayir Brown and Deommodore Lenoir against the Cowboys made it the third successive game with at least two interceptions by the 49ers, San Francisco having also recorded two versus the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs. It is the first time the Niners have had such a three-game streak since the 2014 season.
Arguably even more impressive, the 49ers now have at least one interception in each of their last five games, the first time they have achieved that feat since they had eight successive games with a pick in the 2013 season.
The 2013 season ended with the 49ers losing in the NFC Championship Game, while they didn't even make the playoffs in 2014, Harbaugh's final season as the head coach.
San Francisco will want to avoid both those outcomes as the 49ers target that elusive sixth Super Bowl title, but the mere reality that their defense is doing things it hasn't done in over a decade should give the Niners confidence that group can help the team find form down the stretch.
