Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2026 5:31 PM
Michael Penix Jr. neutralized San Francisco’s defensive front, as a historic drop in pressure overshadowed standout tackling from Malik Mustapha in the team's first defeat of 2026.
The San Francisco 49ers suffered their first defeat of the 2026 season on Sunday, falling 29-20 to the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Following the loss, Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its defensive grades and snap counts, revealing a unit that was completely neutralized in the pass rush against Michael Penix Jr.
While cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, linebacker Fred Warner, and rookie safety Malik Mustapha turned in solid individual showings, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ front four produced a season-low disruption rate that allowed Atlanta to control key moments of the second half.
Highest & Lowest Graded 49ers: Defense
Top 5 Defensive Grades
- CB Deommodore Lenoir: 75.7 (66 snaps)
- LB Jalen Graham: 75.2 (1 snap)
- DT James Thompson Jr.: 73.1 (28 snaps)
- LB Fred Warner: 72.6 (67 snaps)
- FS Malik Mustapha: 65.4 (66 snaps)
Bottom 5 Defensive Grades
- CB Jack Jones: 27.3 (22 snaps)
- DT Sebastian Valdez: 38.3 (38 snaps)
- LB Jaden Dugger: 39.8 (31 snaps)
- DT Osa Odighizuwa: 42.6 (48 snaps)
- FS Ashtyn Davis: 43.5 (7 snaps)
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir paced the 49ers' defense with a team-high 75.7 overall defensive grade. However, his mark ranked fifth overall among defenders in the game, trailing four Atlanta defensive players.
Pass-Rush Grades: A Historic Drop in Pressure
San Francisco’s pass rush, which racked up 27 pressures against Washington just six days prior, completely vanished in Atlanta. Only three 49ers defenders managed to record a quarterback pressure, culminating in a season-low three total pressures.
To put that in perspective:
- San Francisco’s previous season low was 14 pressures (Weeks 1 and 3).
- Their lowest pressure total in any single game during the 2025 season was five (Week 4).
- Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, returning from his one-game suspension, led the entire team with a modest 62.9 pass-rush grade.
- Rookie defensive end Romello Height struggled to generate traction, finishing with the game’s lowest pass-rush grade at 48.1.
Pressures Generated (3 Total)
- DT James Thompson Jr.: 1 pressure
- DT Osa Odighizuwa: 1 pressure
- DE Keion White: 1 pressure
Run-Defense Grades: Lenoir, Warner, and Greenlaw Anchor Front
While the pass rush struggled, San Francisco’s run defense held up admirably against Atlanta's ground attack.
- CB Deommodore Lenoir: Led the defense with a team-best 76.3 run-defense grade.
- LBs Fred Warner & Dre Greenlaw: The veteran linebacker tandem tied for the game high with four defensive stops apiece, regularly meeting ball-carriers near the line of scrimmage.
- DT Sebastian Valdez: Recorded the defense’s lowest run-defense mark at 40.2 across 38 snaps.
Coverage Grades: Warner and Lenoir Hold Firm, Jack Jones Targeted
The 49ers faced mixed results on the back end, with Atlanta actively attacking rotational corners in single coverage.
- LB Fred Warner: Led the defense in coverage with a 72.7 grade. He was targeted just once, surrendering a 10-yard reception.
- CB Deommodore Lenoir: Finished second on the unit with a 72.5 coverage grade, allowing only one catch for seven yards across two targets.
- CB Jack Jones: Endured a brutal afternoon, posting a game-low 27.0 coverage grade. Jones was targeted five times, yielding four receptions for 39 yards while committing a team-high two penalties (one declined) over just 22 snaps.
Tackling Grades: Mustapha Sets the Tone
Rookie safety Malik Mustapha delivered the strongest tackling display on the field, topping all players on both rosters with an elite 87.3 tackling grade while tallying eight tackles.
Conversely, the defense was charged with seven missed tackles on the day:
- DT Sebastian Valdez: Posted the lowest tackling grade of the game at 20.2.
- Missed Tackles Breakdown: FS Ji'Ayir Brown (2), LB Dre Greenlaw (1), CB Ephesians Prysock (1), DT Sebastian Valdez (1), LB Fred Warner (1), DE Mykel Williams (1).
Heading into their Week 8 bye at 6-1, the 49ers will look to recharge their pass-rush rotation and clean up coverage assignments before launching into the second half of the season.
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