49ers defensive star made Jets QB Aaron Rodgers play with one hand tied behind his back in Week 1
The San Francisco 49ers emphatically succeeded in putting all the pressure on Aaron Rodgers in their Monday Night Football opener with the New York Jets. San Francisco achieved its priority task early on in the 49ers' comfortable 32-19 win over the Jets in primetime, taking away the run game to eventually turn New York into […]
The San Francisco 49ers emphatically succeeded in putting all the pressure on Aaron Rodgers in their Monday Night Football opener with the New York Jets.
San Francisco achieved its priority task early on in the 49ers' comfortable 32-19 win over the Jets in primetime, taking away the run game to eventually turn New York into a team that had to throw the ball to have any chance to keeping pace.
Operating a one-dimensional offense, Rodgers, playing his first game since tearing his Achilles in Week 1 last season, was ill-equipped to help the Jets keep up with the 49ers, who scored on eight straight possessions after punting on their first.
And the restrictions placed on the Jets were exacerbated by Rodgers literally having half the field taken away from him when he dropped back to pass.
That was illustrated by Rodgers' passing chart from Week 1, which features only three passes outside of the right hashmarks.
His other 18 attempts went to the left, and there is a very simple reason why, the presence of Charvarius Ward at left cornerback for the 49ers.
Ward has developed into a true lockdown corner for San Francisco, one who can take away some of the best receivers in the game and one who even his former teammate Patrick Mahomes elected not to test in Super Bowl 58.
The Jets did eventually attempt to attack Ward, doing so five times per Pro Football Focus. However, they found little success, with Ward giving up just two catches for 14 yards, those receptions both coming in the fourth quarter when Tyrod Taylor was at quarterback for New York.
Per PFF, Ward played 45 of his 51 defensive snaps at left corner, making it clear why Rodgers very rarely threw to his right.
Because of Ward's prowess in coverage and the 49ers' success in stopping the run, Rodgers was left attacking just one side of the field without the aid of the ground game and against a fearsome defensive front.
Given the coverage ability of Deommodore Lenoir and Isaac Yiadom, trying to move the ball while almost exclusively throwing to his left was always going to be a tall order for Rodgers. Lenoir moved between outside corner and the slot while Yiadom played 39 snaps at right corner.
It is a testament to Ward and the respect he now commands that Rodgers and the Jets felt compelled to employ such a passing strategy in avoiding a corner who last season had a league-high 23 pass breakups and five interceptions.
They won't be the last team to essentially decide against throwing to Ward's side of the field this season. The 49ers are overflowing with superstar weapons on both sides of the ball, but Ward's ability to take half the field away is from opposing quarterbacks is tremendously valuable and worthy of far more attention than it has received.
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