How Pff Graded 49ers After Losing Fred Warner To Injury Against Buccaneers

How PFF graded 49ers after losing Fred Warner to injury against Buccaneers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is no bigger element of the 49ers’ 30-19 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday than Fred Warner’s season-ending ankle injury, and San Francisco’s PFF grades might indicate how the defense will fare without the All-Pro on the field.

Warner was injured on the eighth defensive play of the game, prompting Tatum Bethune and Dee Winters to line up in the box together for the remainder of the contest. The linebacking pair did their best to adjust quickly, considering their lack of time together on the field.

Bethune led the team with eight tackles (according to PFF) — five solo — while Winters registered five solo tackles and one missed. In coverage, Winters allowed three catches on four targets for 22 yards, while Bethune allowed completions on two targets for 53 yards.

LB Tatum Bethune — 61.3

The linebacker received his highest marks for leading the team in tackles (83.0), but his 41.9 coverage grade lowered his average.

LB Dee Winters — 38.9

Winters had a more challenging day, registering five solo tackles but he missed one, resulting in a run-defense grade of 35.9.

The 49ers again were unable to get much pressure on Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in the absence of Nick Bosa. Mykel Williams registered the first sack of his NFL career, which was the only takedown of Mayfield in the entire game.

Quarterback pressures:

Mykel Williams: One sack, one hurry

Trevos Gipson: Two hurries

Bryce Huff: Two hurries

CJ West: One hit

Upton Stout: One hit

Tatum Bethune: One hurry

The defense committed six missed tackles in the game — three of which occurred on Mayfield’s run on third-and-14 when the quarterback eluded a sack to run for a first down.

Malik Mustapha, Upton Stout, Renardo Green, Dee Winters, Trevis Gipson and Bryce Huff all missed one tackle apiece.

Mayfield was under pressure on just six of his 25 dropbacks, or 24 percent.

The 49ers blitzed on 26.9 percent of Mayfield’s dropbacks, which still is below the NFL’s average but the most for San Francisco since Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, when they blitzed 28.6 percent.

On the offensive side of the ball, Mac Jones was pressured 18 times during the game. 

Both rookie Connor Colby and second-year pro Dominick Puni have had a challenging start to the season. Coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about both of his offensive guards during his conference call on Monday and indicated that Puni’s knee injury might have affected the first few games.

“I think Dom has played better before in his rookie year,” Shanahan said. “I think it was a big injury coming into this season, which was a huge setback for him and has made things more difficult. I’m sure that hasn’t made things easier for him, but a lot of guys are battling stuff and I’ve got a lot of confidence in Dom. He’s played at a high level for us before, so I expect him to do it again.”

Colby, a seventh-round draft pick from Iowa, is undergoing the challenges of a rookie season as well as facing defensive tackle Vita Vea in Tampa. The two-time Pro Bowl selection recorded five pressures in the game — one hit and four hurries. 

“Connor’s getting a lot of experience, he’s playing, which is going to really help him in the future,” Shanahan said.  “I think nothing’s perfect. I think he’s got a number of good plays and a number of plays he’d like to take back. But, I think this is a moment in his career that is going to help him going forward and not hurt him.”

Quarterback pressures and pass blocking grades: 



LT Trent Williams: 80.4 grade, two sacks, two hurries

LG Connor Colby: 42.6 grade, one sack, one hit, one hurry

C Jake Brendel: 56.3 grade, two hurries

RG Dominick Puni: 50.0 grade, six hurries

RT Colton McKivitz: 76.8 grade, one hurry

Christian McCaffrey and Luke Farrell were charged with allowing one quarterback sack each.

It’s important to note that Williams was charged with four pressures but still has the highest pass-blocking grade because not all pressures are equal. Players’ grades are evaluated individually for each play.

RB Christian McCaffrey: 66.5 grade

McCaffrey still is being contacted immediately after the ball is in his hands. Forty-eight of the All-Pro’s 54 rushing yards came after contact. He is averaging only 0.7 yards per carry before contact through Week 6 and has only averaged more than 3.2 yards per carry in the 49ers’ Week 2 win over New Orleans.

WR Kendrick Bourne: 75.4 grade

Bourne caught five of his nine targets for 142 yards, 59 of which came after the catch. Four of the wideout’s receptions resulted in a first down.

K Eddy Pineiro: 75.1 grade

Pineiro is a perfect 15-for-15 this season in field goal attempts, four of which have been from 50 yards or more. The place kicker is 15-for-18 in his career from 50 yards or more.

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