The San Francisco 49ers are recorded and known to be one of the most successful franchises in the NFL with five championships in their franchise history. But, let’s be frank, the Niners have not won a Super Bowl since 1995.
In the last five years, the 49ers reached the NFC Championship four times and the Super Bowl twice in an effort to replicate their past successes. However, the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty has been the kryptonite to the Faithful’s championship aspirations.
As we witnessed in Super Bowl 59, the Chiefs aren’t an invincible force. The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Chiefs, 40-22, due to their unstoppable pass rush. The question arises: why weren’t the Niners able to do the same in their previous championship matchups against Kansas City?
The simple answer is that the game is won in the trenches and the 49ers need to improve their linemen on both sides of the field. It’s a classic saying in football: the players upfront is what decides the game. The Chiefs’ offensive line was severely outclassed and outmatched by Philadelphia’s pass rush.
According to Ari Meirov on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Eagles did not blitz a single time on any of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 42 dropbacks. That means the Eagles only sent four pass rushers to get to Mahomes the entire game. They were able to generate a 38.1% pressure rate and six sacks.
Mahomes is constantly brought up in discussions about being the greatest of all time due to his historic start to his career. He just had his worst game ever because of Philadelphia’s relentless pressure. Mahomes was rattled and Kansas City could not find their rhythm because of this. The Niners have not had that effect on the three-time Super Bowl champions, which is why change is necessary for them to find such success.
Luckily for the Niners, Robert Saleh is returning as their defensive coordinator. Saleh was fired as the New York Jets’ head coach this past season, but he is still recognized as one of the top defensive gurus in the league. Saleh was once the mastermind behind the current 49ers’ defensive philosophy, but after his departure from the team in 2021, the defense lost its fire.
Saleh’s return is critical for the defense, but he’ll still need the right guys upfront in order to make this pass rush as feared as it once was. It’s been a struggle over the years to give former Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, a formidable partner on the opposite edge. San Francisco currently has serviceable edge rushers like defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Yetur-Gross Matos, but a true running mate alongside Bosa is crucial.
Hence, the 49ers need to fully commit to defensive end Myles Garrett. The four-time All-Pro has recently requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns, and the Niners need to do whatever they can to bring Garrett to the Bay. Perhaps former All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel can be dealt to Cleveland for Garrett, along with significant draft capital with Samuel requesting his departure from the 49ers. While it may be a big loss as Samuel is an integral piece to the Niners’ offensive attack, Garrett is worth all the gamble.
The defensive line has always been a point of emphasis for the Niners, but the energy also needs to be placed on the offensive line. If Brock Purdy is the franchise quarterback moving forward, then he has to be protected. What Mahomes experienced in New Orleans should be the wake-up call for the 49ers front office to prioritize protecting Purdy.
Last year, San Francisco drafted a gem of a right guard in Dominick Puni in the fourth round. According to PFF, Puni garnered an 80.5 offensive grade, which ranked him 11th amongst all guards in the NFL. Building a fierce line around Puni and future Hall of Famer left tackle Trent Williams has to be addressed this offseason. The Niners need help on the interior line, therefore, I anticipate draft picks and free agent signings to be catered towards such needs. If not, then viewers should expect Purdy to fall apart and run around the field looking for answers, like Mahomes did.
Does it sting a little that the Niners weren’t able to crack the code first? Sure, but the Eagles have laid out the blueprint and it’s up to head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch to execute. Next year, Super Bowl 60 will be played at Levi’s Stadium and I expect the 49ers to be hoisting up their sixth Lombardi trophy on their home turf.
