The 49ers featured an excellent defense during their run to Super Bowl LIV. They were the NFL’s best pass defense, allowing just 169.2 yards per game while sacking the quarterback on 8.5 percent of opposing pass attempts.
They were stacked up front and savvy in the secondary, with tackling machines at both three-down linebacker spots.
The 49ers allowed just 19.3 points per game, a great number when the offense was averaging nearly 30.
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That defense remains largely intact heading into the 2020 season, with plenty of reasons to believe they can repeat last year’s excellence. They have garnered league-wide respect, however, that defensive coordinator Robert Saleh would rather they put deep in the back of their mind.
Saleh wants his defense to be forward-thinking, to avoid dwelling on the past. Overconfidence can lead to underwhelming performance. The 49ers want none of that as they try to reach a second straight Super Bowl and win it this time.
“You have to ignore the stats, ignore the noise and all the things people perceive you as and think about the things you can do to get a little bit better every single day,” Saleh said during the 49ers State of the Franchise event, conducted virtually and broadcast on 49ers.com. “… If we’re ignoring what we did last season and focusing on the days ahead, we’re going to build off that continuity we have and be a better defense.”
The 49ers should return 10 of 11 defensive starters, with mainstays throughout the depth chart. That has eased the team’s load during a virtual offseason program with no on-field work. Players have been working out individually or in small groups during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and Saleh has been able to work on some advanced schematics with so many already familiar with his system.
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“A lot of the guys who have been in the system a long time, so there’s a lot of understanding,” Saleh said. “We can speak in our language and guys just understand what we’re getting at. In that regard, being able to get to the football field will be easier because they know the drills we want to be able to execute. When they have been training this offseason, they have shown recall of what we have been doing as a team.”
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Saleh, as all good coaches are, was cautious about giving his guys too much praise. His overall message to 49ers fans in the State of the Franchise event and his players is that motivation and improvement must remain high.
“The three most dangerous words in the NFL are, ‘I’ve got it.’ You should never assume that you have it,” Saleh said. “The challenge is to have humility, focus on getting better each day and take the knowledge that you’ve gained and try to find a way to apply it, so we can try to get back to where we were.”
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That heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs should keep the 49ers hungry, even in the summer while preparing for the regular season. He doesn’t want them taking the practice field overconfident.
“When you approach training camp with that mindset, you're going to get punched in the mouth,” Saleh said. “If you approach as if you’re starting over and working to improve from Day 1, it could be a tremendous benefit. It all depends on the mindset.”