The San Francisco 49ers enjoyed a long run of elite defenses during Robert Saleh's first tenure as defensive coordinator. That's why, after a somewhat uneven showing in 2024 that saw the team post a 68.3 defensive grade per Pro Football Focus, ranking 15th in the league, Saleh's return elicited excitement throughout the Niners' locker room.
Tight end George Kittle proclaimed "Violence is coming" to celebrate Saleh's return, knowing full well how the defensive mastermind is able to confound opposing offenses thanks to his coverage schemes and relentless pass rush.
Still, there were concerns. Saleh's scheme puts a lot of pressure on his front, with the defensive lineman needing to win without the help of the blitz, and a lot of responsibility falling squarely on the shoulders of the linebacking corps to not only clean up in the run game, but also cover huge swaths of grass against the pass.
In his first go-around, Saleh was blessed with immense talent at both positions; however, this time around, things don't look as flush, particularly along the defensive line.
Would Saleh's system still work this go around, especially against a revamped Seattle Seahawks rushing attack that was the talk of the preseason?
Robert Saleh proved in Week 1 he can still run an elite defense with 49ers
Saleh's defense quietly stole the show against Seattle, stifling that vaunted rushing attack and giving up just 3.2 yards per carry. The longest run of the day they surrendered went for just 9 yards on a quarterback Sam Darnold scamper.
Against the pass, it was vintage Saleh. His philosophy of "bend, don't-break" leads to a lot of zone coverage, counting on his defense to limit big plays and come up and make timely tackles to limit yards after the catch. Darnold completed 69.6 percent of his passes but was held to just 150 yards through the air and no touchdowns.
Saleh couldn't have asked for a better result.
The last piece of the puzzle you needed was a nose for the ball. Saleh's defenses typically don't result in defensive backs accumulating a ton of interceptions, thanks in large part to the win-with-four pass-rush strategy, allowing for a heavy zone coverage approach, generating a lot of check-downs. That means, if the Niners are going to generate turnovers, they have to be aggressive in trying to force fumbles.
That was on full display against Seattle. The defense forced wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Darnold's favorite target who hauled in nine receptions for 124 yards, to cough the ball up twice, recovering one of them. With the game on the line, defensive end Nick Bosa reminded us all why stars matter, coming through clutch with a big strip sack to seal the deal for San Francisco.
All said and done, the linebackers and defensive line were two of the best units on the field in Week 1, just as Saleh hoped.
If this continues, the rest of the league will be put on notice because violence is indeed coming.