© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The thinking entering 2018 was that the 49ers defense had to find ways keep the offense in the first two games as Reuben Foster served his two-game suspension. Once Foster, one of the NFL’s most promising, rising stars returned, he figured to elevate the play of the young 49ers defense.
That has not been the case.
In the five games that Foster has played this year, the 49ers have allowed 33.4 points per game. And Foster has regressed from his rookie form. Last year, Pro Football Focus awarded Foster with a 90.7 overall rating, the fourth-best for all NFL linebackers. This year, Foster’s PFF rating has sunk to 44.3, the eighth-worst rating out of all starting linebackers.
It’s still early, but that is some type of confounding tailspin.
In Week 3, Foster returned from his suspension and struggled. He missed six tackles and made just five. The defense as a whole wilted, allowing touchdowns on each of Kansas City’s opening five possessions. One week later, against the Chargers, Foster played much better. He dominated the opening two possessions by pressuring the backfield, and he played a steady game thereafter. The following two weeks produced a mixed bag, but his Week-7 performance regressed to the same struggles we saw from him in Week 3.
Foster compiled two tackles and missed three more in San Francisco’s 39-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday. Excellent tackling numbers do not always reflect excellent play, but for a linebacker whose greatest strength is finding the ball-carrier, Foster’s lack of numbers has been troubling.
Foster fell victim to several issues last Sunday, whether pre-snap confusion, poor tackling angles, missed tackles, or soft coverage. He played every down before exiting the game early in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury, which is not expected to have long-term implications. In the first half, he flashed his sideline-to-sideline speed and closed down running lanes that his teammates finished off with tackles. As the game progressed, however, Foster’s struggles magnified.
Some of that inconsistency may reflect the way defensive coordinator Robert Saleh used Foster. Saleh has blitzed Foster frequently since his Week-3 return, and positive results have typically followed.
On the Rams’ third offensive possession of the game, they had second-and-3 on their own 39-yard line. Both Foster, who blitzed on the edge, and Arik Armstead pressured Goff, who overthrew his intended target.
Foster got edge pressure again late in the third quarter, though Rams quarterback Jared Goff felt it and completed the pass.
The second-year linebacker blitzed on six of San Francisco’s first 13 defensive snaps, which equated to three drives. The 49ers allowed a field goal, enabled by favorable field position after C.J. Beathard fumbled, but did not allow the Rams to score a touchdown until the fourth drive. The backfield pressure was a key to the early success. On San Francisco’s first of two sacks on the day, Goff fumbled the snap, but Foster, who blitzed, and Cassius Marsh got backfield pressure. Marsh cleaned up the sack.
Then Saleh stopped blitzing Foster, which coincided with Los Angeles’ offensive success. The Rams scored a touchdown, field goal, and another touchdown on their fourth, fifth, and sixth drives of the day. During that span, Foster did not blitz once — 16 snaps in all.
The Rams entered the half leading, 22-7, and the rout was on. Foster blitzed just four more times in the second half, perhaps a result of conserving energy, and his play suffered.
Let’s take a look at the main areas in which Foster struggled.
MISSED TACKLES
Foster missed many of the challenging tackles he typically makes. In the second quarter, on second-and-5, Foster blitzed, eluded the blocker, and had a chance at wrapping up Rams running back Todd Gurley. Foster dove at Gurley’s feet but came up empty-handed.
Foster was slower than usual diagnosing plays. In the below example, Foster was a tad second too late pursuing the run. He lunged at the ballcarrier rather than running his body through him, which is how Saleh teaches tackling.
Foster jumps off the screen because he consistently manhandles bigger, heavier offensive linemen obstructing his path to the ball. He was on the wrong end of a third-and-short situation below. Rams center John Sullivan pancaked Foster, paving a lane for Gurley to convert.
It wasn’t all bad.
Foster’s quiet tackling day was not entirely a reflection of his containment. On a handful of plays, his closing presence allowed his teammates to clean up tackles, such as the example below. On second-and-4, Foster chased down running back Malcolm Brown, forcing him to the sideline for a no-gain.
PRE-SNAP CONFUSION
One of Foster’s worst reps came on Los Angeles’ first touchdown. The entire 49ers defense was unsettled, as the Rams upped the tempo. That included Foster. He scrambled to the ball but failed to make the tackle.
Foster seemed discombobulated with opposing movements and San Francisco’s assignments on Los Angeles’ first drive of the second half. On first-and-10, Foster picked up Rams receiver Josh Reynolds, but 49ers nickel corner K’Waun Williams had it covered. Foster subsequently darted across the line as the ball was snapped. He could not retreat quickly enough to make the tackle.
COVERAGE
Foster was not tested much in pass coverage, but he struggled when he was.
On the Rams’ opening second-half drive, they faced second-and-12. Receiver Nick Williams curled about five yards upfield. Foster saw it the whole way but sagged off Williams too much.
Goff easily hit Williams, who turned upfield for an 11-yard gain. Foster cleaned up the tackle, but it was a result of his soft coverage, which is why tackling numbers can be overused and overrated. The Rams converted the third down one play later.
Foster’s final play of the game encapsulated his frustrating day.
On first-and-10 at the 49ers’ 13-yard line, the Rams ran a play-action screen for Gurley. The pass should have never been completed with Goff under pressure and Foster in Gurley’s vicinity. But Gurley caught the ball and eluded Foster’s tackle before running for his third touchdown. Foster injured his shoulder on the play, which has been a recurring issue, sidelining him for the remainder of the game.
The 49ers’ have fallen victim to several defensive issues that have caused chaos, whether missed tackles, blown coverages, or bouts of miscommunication. Foster is not exempt from any of that. His talent is undeniable, but he has struggled with organization, a common theme of the 49ers defense. Foster’s greatest strength — tackling — is also met with injury-risk. He has hurt himself in three separate games this season on attempted tackles.
It’s still early, but until Foster ascends to the Pro Bowl level many expected him to in his second season, the potential of this 49ers defense will remain limited.