The San Francisco 49ers suffered a tough loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams in the last game. They lost the game and, more importantly, lost a major piece of their defense in defensive tackle Javon Hargrave with a torn triceps. He will miss the rest of the regular season due to the injury that landed him on Injured Reserve. With Hargrave out of commission, the unit will have to reshuffle its strategy for the defensive schemes. Kyle Shanahan said that the 49ers may blitz much more to compensate for Hargrave. Let’s have a look at how this may impact them going forward.
Effect of Injury to Hargrave
Feb 6, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (98) during a press conference before Super Bowl LVIII at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesJavon Hargrave played a huge role in the defense scheme of the 49ers. His real strength is forcing the quarterback while other defenders drop back into coverage. So, it’s truly huge to lose him. With him on the field, they can rush four players with seven in coverage. That often creates big problems for opponents in terms of taking the chains. Without Hargrave, the 49ers will find it very hard to create pressure with four rushers only. For them, stepping up the blitzes could be an answer.
Blitzing is a more aggressive tactic, but that is what Blitzes will do: add more pressure on the opposing quarterback. Now, it has both good and not-so-good sides because it can bring big plays but also leaves the defense vulnerable, especially its secondary. He made this point in his presser as he bemoaned that there is a need to change some defensive plays for the mix-up that keeps offenses guessing. Its task was cut out by playcalling when trying to make up for the absence of Hargrave. They should be looking in players like Talanoa Hufanga and Fred Warner to complete that action-blitzing, which will surely give less coverage on the backend.
Team Rising to the Task
The rest of the defensive lines are also charged with their game in the absence of Hargrave. The 49ers do not have an immediate replacement with the same skill set as Hargrave. This means other defensive linemen have to step up in performance, not just rushing the passer but also in run defense. Shanahan said guys have to step up, so this is a moment for younger players to prove what they can do. If they can step up, it will alleviate some stress off the secondary in blitzing situations.
The 49ers’ secondary will have to face more blitzing too. With more people at the quarterback, the defensive backs have to hold out longer with their coverage. This can be tough, especially if the blitzes don’t get home that quickly either. Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen may look to mix up coverage schemes in a manner that counters the quick passes. As long as the secondary can communicate and limit any holes in the defense that a couple of big plays could be a death knell for an offense, San Francisco is a team to watch.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the 49ers head into a crossroads off the back of losing Javon Hargrave. It’s obvious, that this team has to discover new ways to generate pressure. However, it comes with some risk, as it is bound to lead to turnovers that get generated. Fans would be watching closely to see how players respond as the coaching staff implements changes. It’s not an easy situation, but it can be an opportunity for the 49ers to evolve their defensive approach. We’ll see how well they may now substitute without Hargrave.
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