When the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense takes the field tomorrow against the San Francisco 49ers’ defense, they will be in for quite the test.
San Francisco ranked first in the league in total defense last season, giving up the least amount of yards and points to opposing offenses. Getting their star player in DE Nick Bosa back right before kickoff only strengthens their defensive front, making things more difficult for Pittsburgh’s offense as they look to attack this stout defense and put points on the board.
However, Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis spoke about the upcoming matchup between Pittsburgh and San Francisco for SportsGrid Saturday, speaking about one key statistic that Pittsburgh should look to exploit Sunday against San Francisco and their vaunted defense.
“One key area where I think that they could have some success attacking this 9ers defense is a little of what we saw this preseason: some explosive passing,” Sharp said on video from his Twitter page. “The 49ers are the #1 pass defense when passes are thrown within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage, but their efficiency last year dropped all the way to 31 when teams threw the ball 15+ yards down the field.”
According to Sharp, the 49ers had -0.10 EPA/attempt on passes that travelled less than 15 yards downfield, ranking the best in football. On passes beyond 15 yards downfield? That number rose to +0.71 EPA/attempt, ranking second-to-last in the league.
When you look at the construction of San Francisco’s defense, you can understand why the stark differences in the two distances. The 49ers boast a talented linebacker corps with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw both being great athletes that can cover the middle of the field and can run with backs, tight ends, and slot receivers in coverage. They also have CB Deommodore Lenoir who plays his best ball with the ball in-front of him as a physical tackler as well as a quick defender that can click and close on passes downhill in a hurry. They also have S Talanoa Hufanga who does a great job undercutting routes and playing with the ball in-front of him rather than behind him.
The 49ers do have CB Charvarius Ward who can cover bigger receivers down the field, but he shouldn’t be considered a lock-down cornerback in today’s game. When you look at the skill sets as well as the scheme that San Francisco runs on defense, it’s easy to see why they are so good at playing the pass in-front of them within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Pittsburgh needs to test San Francisco deep down the field in this one to put more stress on their defensive backs and avoid throwing around their linebackers often throughout the game given their coverage prowess. They have showcased the ability to do this during the preseason, hooking up with WRs George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Calvin Austin III, and TE Pat Freiermuth for gains 25+ yards down the field. The pass protection will need to be on point to keep guys like Bosa and DL Javon Hargrave from getting home to QB Kenny Pickett, but this stout defense can be tested down the field based on last year’s numbers and their current personnel. Should Pittsburgh be able to keep Pickett clean in the pocket, look for them to continue to attack down the field like they have this preseason, opening things up as they try to exploit one of the few weaknesses San Francisco has on the defensive side of the football to create some splash Sunday.
