SANTA CLARA — It wasn't just the Dallas Cowboys' offense who noticed the 49ers' linebacking corps putting on a clinic in the San Francisco's 42-10 win on "Sunday Night Football."
After the game, several San Francisco players shared their appreciation for the performances of linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw stifling the opposing offense. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in particular, is happy to not have to face his own teammates on the field.
“I saw a few plays where I’m just glad I’m not catching the ball in the middle of that defense,” Aiyuk said. “Those guys are playing great football, flying around every single game, and those are the two baddest linebackers in the league for sure.”
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Aiyuk has spent enough time on the practice field facing the linebacking pair to know what the Cowboys receivers went through during the course of the game.
In only 36 defensive snaps against the Cowboys, Warner notched eight total tackles -- five solo, one for a loss, a pass breakup, an interception, a forced fumble, and one quarterback hit and sack.
Greenlaw was on the field for the same amount of plays and finished the game with five solo tackles -- two for a loss, a pass breakup, and like his linebacking counterpart, a quarterback hit and sack.
49ers left tackle Trent Williams has been impressed with Warner and Greenlaw for some time but believes their Week 5 performance might have been their best to date.
San Francisco 49ers
“Best in the business,” Williams said. “Literally the best in the business. There’s no two linebackers that you would pick over those two. Day in, and day out, that’s the engine of the defense."
The All-Pro left tackle added that linebacker Oren Burks was also a key component for the group. Through 25 defensive snaps, the sixth-year vet racked up five tackles -- two solo, a pass breakup and his first career interception on Sunday night.
“We’ve got great pass rushers and great run stoppers, but the way those guys fly around, O.B. as well, they free up the defensive line to play free,” Williams said. “And then the safeties can play free too, because they know those guys get deep in their drops. They are punishing every check down, they run to the ball. They are the best in the business.”
Even Nick Bosa, who spends most of his time during a game facing away from the club’s linebackers, can feel their presence. After the game, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year was asked if there was anything Warner couldn’t do.
“No,” Bosa answered succinctly. “He’s the best in the world, and it’s not close.”