The 49ers secondary is banged up and in a bad way coming into this game. How will the 49ers adjust their play style?
They won’t change much in the back end where Miami will see a lot of zone looks. Where the 49ers have and will continue mixing up their scheme is in the front seven. Losing Bosa and DE Dee Ford, along with a couple of their replacements, has put San Francisco in a spot where they can’t just rush four and let their pass rush wreak havoc. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh runs a defense with sound coverages that’s not overly complicated, but a lack of game-wrecking ability on the defensive line has forced him to diversify the way the 49ers get after the quarterback. It’s less of an issue when the secondary is healthy because he can rely on them to cover for longer, but with Dolphins legend Ken Webster starting at cornerback spot and another Dolphins legend Jamar Taylor starting at nickel, the pass rush needs to get home as quickly as possible. Expect plenty of blitzes from San Francisco on Sunday in passing situations to try and limit some of the secondary’s responsibilities.