By and large, the San Francisco 49ers defense has gotten off to a great start to the year. The same could be said for their division rival and Week 3 opponent, the Arizona Cardinals. How these players perform will likely dictate if we’re saying the same thing come Monday.
Bryce Huff, DE, San Francisco
For as much as attention that Nick Bosa has been receiving, and rightfully so, we’d be remiss in not mentioning Bryce Huff. Although he has been in a limited role (26 snaps in the opener, 28 last week), Huff’s 82.6 pass rush grade is the highest on the team.
He especially excelled in Week 2, recording an 89.4 grade while racking up four hurries, a sack, and a forced fumble. If he can continue to build on that type of performance, the 49ers could have one of the best pass rushing duos in the league.
Dee Winters, LB, San Francisco
Pass coverage is an often overlooked aspect of linebacker play. Because of that, players like Winters are often overlooked.
But, when you record a coverage grade of 90.0 or higher to start the year, it’s hard to ignore. While he’s allowed ten catches through two weeks, they’ve gone for an average of only 4.1 yards.
This week though, coverage may not be the main way Winters contributes. His 4.49 40-yard dash time will be key in containing Cardinals QB Kyler Murray.
Budda Baker, SAF, Arizona
The veteran Baker will be key in helping to make up for the injuries to the Arizona secondary. While recognized as being primarily a box safety, he splits his time between there and free safety almost eveningly.
That time in the secondary may increase if the Cardinals are truly decimated by injury to the point that three corners could be sitting out. How Baker lines up will be interesting to watch and a clear indicator in how confident the staff is in their corner group this week.
Josh Sweat, DE, Arizona
One of the best ways to help a struggling secondary is with an effective pass rush. Through two weeks, Sweat has been almost a one man pass rush unto himself.
After getting three hurries and a hit in Week 1, Sweat added four more hurries and a sack in Week 2. Whether or not Sweat is able to continue that level of play, thus limiting the time a potentially undermanned secondary will have to cover, will play a large role in determining the outcome.