2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 12-5
49ers defense
Every snap the 49ers defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good+0.07 EPA a play allowed, 24th of 32, and 0.07 above what the offenses they faced usually manage (26th).
- How they playThey blitz on 23% of dropbacks, the 29th-most in the league, and get pressure on 17%.
- Where offenses find roomThrough the air: +0.14 EPA a dropback, 25th, softest deep middle (+1.73 a throw).
- Who hurt themPuka Nacua (LA): 149 yards and +15.2 EPA on 18 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | +0.07 | 24th of 32 | 27th | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | +0.14 | 25th of 32 | 23rd | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.04 | 18th of 32 | 45th | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 49% | 31st of 32 | 6th | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 8% | 5th of 32 | 86th | |
| Yards per play | 5.7 | 22nd of 32 | 33rd | |
| Yards per carry | 4.3 | 20th of 32 | 39th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 41% | 19th of 32 | 42nd |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 3.2% | 32nd of 32 | 2nd | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 17% | 31st of 32 | 5th | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 9% | 32nd of 32 | 2nd | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.0% | 30th of 32 | 6th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 55% | 13th of 32 | 61st | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 2.16 | 18th of 32 | 47th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 0.9 | 26th of 32 | 22nd | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | +0.07 | 26th of 32 | 20th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the 49ers. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 6 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 1 against the Seahawks, 0.31 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average 0.00 a play elsewhere, the 24th-toughest schedule of offenses.
at SEAW 17-13-0.27usual +0.05
at NOW 26-21-0.08usual -0.09
vs ARIW 16-15-0.01usual -0.02
vs JAXL 21-26+0.10usual +0.03
at LAW 26-23+0.07usual +0.15
at TBL 19-30+0.32usual -0.02
vs ATLW 20-10-0.11usual -0.02
at HOUL 15-26+0.24usual -0.03
at NYGW 34-24+0.17usual +0.00vs LAL 26-42+0.41usual +0.13at ARIW 41-22+0.09usual -0.02
vs CARW 20-9-0.18usual -0.03
at CLEW 26-8-0.22usual -0.19
vs TENW 37-24+0.23usual -0.18
at INDW 48-27-0.04usual +0.08
vs CHIW 42-38+0.36usual +0.06vs SEAL 3-13+0.07usual +0.03Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is deep middle: +1.73 EPA a throw against a league +0.73. The lockdown zone is intermediate right, +0.12 a throw (league +0.26). Completions against them run 2.5 points over expected, 25th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 4.3 yards a carry against them, 20th of 32. The leak is outside right: 5.9 a carry and +0.23 EPA (league 5.2, +0.07).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 17.616th | 143.819th | +0.3426th-toughest | 20.312th-most26.312th-most32.212th-most |
| Tight ends | 8.123rd | 53.217th | +0.107th-toughest | 9.09th-most11.99th-most14.89th-most |
| Backs, receiving | 6.530th | 34.623rd | +0.0217th-toughest | 18.115th-most20.813th-most23.611th-most |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 17.113th-most17.113th-most17.113th-most |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puka Nacua | LA | 18 | 149 | 2 | +15.2 |
| Michael Wilson | ARI | 20 | 190 | +12.2 | |
| Luther Burden III | CHI | 9 | 138 | 1 | +11.1 |
| Alec Pierce | IND | 4 | 86 | 2 | +9.6 |
| Colston Loveland | CHI | 10 | 103 | 1 | +8.6 |
| Davante Adams | LA | 19 | 165 | 1 | +7.6 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-short (1 to 3): offenses convert 59% against a league 60%. They are stingiest in the two-minute drill (-0.10 a play, league +0.03) and weakest in 2nd down (+0.21, league +0.02).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 453 | +0.00 | +0.01 | -0.01 |
| 2nd down | 349 | +0.21 | +0.02 | +0.19 |
| 3rd down | 189 | +0.04 | -0.05 | +0.09 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 61 | 59% | 60% | −1 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 46 | 46% | 44% | +2 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 82 | 26% | 26% | −0 pts |
| Red zone | 137 | -0.05 | 0.00 | -0.05 |
| Two-minute drill | 120 | -0.10 | +0.03 | -0.13 |
| When they lead | 561 | +0.06 | -0.01 | +0.07 |
| One-score game | 645 | +0.06 | +0.02 | +0.04 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 86 | +0.10 | +0.04 | +0.06 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 23% of dropbacks and average 4.3 rushers; 78% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow +0.09 EPA when they blitz and +0.16 when they do not.
They put 6.1 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 1%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.7 a carry; into eight or more, 6.5.
Offenses throw more than usual against them: 2 points over their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains +0.09 EPA against them on 22% of throws; screens +0.10.
44 defensive penalties for 371 yards, 30 of them first downs, the 9th-fewest. They miss 9% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 8th-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Bryce Huff leads the pass rush with 27 pressures and 4 sacks on 50% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91Sam OkuayinonuDT | 52% | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 39 | 1 |
| 47Bryce HuffDE | 50% | 27 | 4 | 15 | 6 | 29 | 2 |
| 93Kalia DavisDT | 45% | 4 | 0.5 | 2 | 4 | 28 | |
| 95Alfred CollinsDT | 45% | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 2 |
| 92Jordan ElliottDT | 42% | 4 | 2 | 1 | 31 | ||
| 98Mykel WilliamsDE | 35% | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 19 | |
| 56Keion WhiteDE | 30% | 9 | 1.5 | 6 | 2 | 12 | |
| 99CJ WestDT | 26% | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | |
| 96Clelin FerrellDE | 23% | 11 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 24 | |
| 94Yetur Gross-MatosDE | 14% | 4 | 2 | 8 |
Dee Winters plays 92% of the snaps with 98 tackles.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53Dee WintersLB | 92% | 98 | 8 | 7 | 87 | 81.5 | 13 | |
| 48Tatum BethuneLB | 45% | 92 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 100.3 | 5 |
| 54Fred WarnerMLB | 30% | 50 | 2 | 26 | 73.3 | 2 | ||
| 59Curtis RobinsonLB | 24% | 41 | 1 | 17 | 112.2 | 3 | ||
| 57Luke GiffordLB | 16% | 35 | 14 | 104.6 | 2 | |||
| 52Trevis GipsonLB | 7% | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 43Eric KendricksMLB | 4% | 6 | 3 | 113.2 |
Deommodore Lenoir is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 76.3 passer rating on 63 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2Deommodore LenoirCB | 98% | 63 | 39 of 63 | 357 | 5 | 76.3 | 2 | 5 |
| 0Renardo GreenCB | 75% | 69 | 38 of 69 | 450 | 1 | 78.2 | 10 | |
| 27Ji'Ayir BrownSAF | 74% | 43 | 28 of 43 | 355 | 4 | 99.7 | 2 | 6 |
| 6Malik MustaphaSAF | 64% | 34 | 22 of 34 | 329 | 3 | 91.5 | 1 | 3 |
| 20Upton StoutCB | 55% | 68 | 48 of 68 | 531 | 86.4 | 5 | ||
| 25Jason PinnockSAF | 45% | 24 | 19 of 24 | 183 | 4 | 105.3 | ||
| 36Marques SigleSAF | 36% | 30 | 25 of 30 | 357 | 3 | 126.3 | 2 | |
| 28Darrell Luter Jr.CB | 25% | 19 | 11 of 19 | 151 | 1 | 93.0 | 1 | |
| 26Chase LucasCB | 8% | 16 | 11 of 16 | 72 | 1 | 81.9 | 1 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.