After just a single matchup, Raheem Morris has steered the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive unit into schematic realms unseen throughout Kyle Shanahan’s tenure.
During the 49ers’ 27-7 victory against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Morris’s group registered the fourth-highest defensive EPA per dropback (0.28) of the opening week, according to Ted Nguyen of The Athletic. Crucially, the statistics driving that performance highlight a genuine shift in scheme: Morris utilized two-high safety looks on 51.72 percent of the Rams’ passing plays, marking the highest frequency for a San Francisco defense since 2017. Furthermore, he leaned on dime packages (utilizing six defensive backs) for 14 percent of the plays—a tactic seldom used by the franchise in recent seasons—while integrating three-man lines and positioning first-year inside linebacker Jaden Dugger along the edge.
According to Nguyen’s assessment, Morris’s defensive scheme has the potential to catch teams off guard, provided San Francisco’s offense can establish leads and force rival teams into predictable passing downs.
These tactical adjustments translated clearly into the overall statistics. San Francisco limited the opposition to a mere 168 aerial yards and zero passing touchdowns across 28 throws, while Matthew Stafford registered an average target depth of 9.6 yards. Although Morris’s group failed to record any sacks, they still racked up eight quarterback hits and eight total pressures (representing a 27.6 percent pressure frequency), and the Rams’ attack failed to evade San Francisco’s tacklers, recording only three missed tackles—a figure significantly lower than many other defensive units in the opening week.
In total, the defense surrendered a mere 5.1 yards per snap and yielded just 15 first downs, establishing both metrics as some of the most dominant defensive displays of Week 1.
The primary concern moving forward is the sustainability of this approach. San Francisco’s lack of depth along the interior defensive line and their susceptibility to ground attacks were occasionally evident during the first game, and relying heavily on two-high safeties and extra defensive backs generally leaves a team vulnerable to power-running schemes.
The upcoming week presents a completely different challenge. San Francisco is set to face the Miami Dolphins, whose offense struggled to find momentum in the opening week under the guidance of new coordinator Bobby Slowik and signal-caller Malik Willis. While the Rams presented a traditional pocket-passing challenge, Miami relies heavily on raw athletic talent, highlighted by Willis’s rushing threat and the dynamic playmaking of running back De’Von Achane. This contrast in offensive philosophy will test whether Morris’s deep-coverage shells and sub-packages can remain effective against a mobile, run-heavy threat, both this weekend and throughout the rest of the season.
This piece was first published on Niners Wire: Raheem Morris’ 49ers defense is already charting new territory
