SANTA CLARA -– On the first play from scrimmage in their 47-7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, the 49ers sent six defenders into coverage against three players running pass routes.
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald found a patch of grass with no 49ers defenders nearby and Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer hit him for a 21-yard gain.
It’s a scene that was commonplace the past two games as the 49ers got blown out at Pittsburgh and Arizona. Ben Roethlisberger and Palmer carved apart the 49ers’ defense while achieving passer ratings in excess of 100.
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“That’s kind of the down side of the zone,” 49ers safety Eric Reid said. “You’re not close to people. We got to do a better job of breaking on the throw and a little better job of getting pressure on the quarterback just so the quarterback isn’t so comfortable.
“Aaron Rodgers is obviously dangerous if he’s comfortable in the pocket. That’s something we need to do this week.”
The 49ers on Sunday face the hottest quarterback in the league, and they have to clean up a lot of things in order to avoid another blowout loss on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers come to Levi’s Stadium.
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Very few of the big plays the 49ers allowed the past two weeks have come against man coverage. Instead, the problems have been collective.
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“It’s everybody working together,” 49ers defensive coordinator Eric Mangini said. “It’s a function of not just the back end and the holes in the zone and the spots where you’re weak, but it’s the front end, too, being able to generate enough pass rush whether you’re bringing four or five or three. It’s those two things working together.
“I don’t think it’s ever a function of one guy on any play other than if a guy falls down or something like that. It’s collectively us getting better as a whole group as opposed if we just fix this one thing.”