Tag: fred warner

Watch: Nick Bosa, Fred Warner force fumble vs. Bucs’ Baker Mayfield

Nick Bosa and Fred Warner got to Bake Mayfield to stop the Bucs’ offense and force a fumble.

Since their time in college at Ohio State and Oklahoma, San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield have had a brewing rivalry.

In their battle on Sunday, Bosa got the first word.

With the Buccaneers threatening, Bosa linked up with Fred Warner for a sack and forced fumble. On his birthday, Warner recovered the fumble to give the football back to Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense.

Via @49ers on Twitter:

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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49ers players say plan was to ‘confuse’ Trevor Lawrence

The 49ers said they accomplished their goal of confusing Trevor Lawrence and making him hold on to the ball too long.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence described his performance Sunday as “one of the worst games” he’s ever played and “really, really bad.” The San Francisco 49ers say their defensive game plan is the reason.

Lawrence completed 58.6 percent of his passes on the day for 185 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions, and a fumble. His 48.8 passer rating on the day was the lowest he’s recorded since his rookie season.

“The guys on the back end were disguising things. We were mixing it up,” 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead said. “Guys being sticky in coverage allowed us the extra hitch, and confusing him, and once we confused him, he was looking to scramble, and our job was to keep him in the pocket and get him down.”

“Our back end did an unreal job mixing things up and kind of confusing Trevor,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa added. “I think we got more [opportunities] than we’ve had all year, by far.”

The 49ers defensive line finished with five sacks, tied for the most Lawrence has ever been sacked in a game.

We got a lot of pressure up front to make his life difficult,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. “In the back end, using our disguises and being sticky in coverage, I think that’s kind of what made it a little difficult for Lawrence.”

In his postgame press conference, Lawrence acknowledged that the 49ers had “some exotic looks” on defense, but said that the Jaguars “had some answers for it.” The quarterback said most of the issue was the hole the team dug for itself early.

“We played the whole game from behind, so it changes your whole plan at that point,” Lawrence said. “When you get into the third quarter and you’re down that much because you haven’t got anything going, we’ve had so many three-and-outs, second-and-longs, third-and-longs, you don’t get to play the game the way you want to because it’s not the same circumstances.”

The 31-point loss is the most lopsided for the Jaguars since hiring Doug Pederson before the 2022 season.

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Fred Warner on adjustment with DC Steve Wilks on sideline

Fred Warner talked about how Steve Wilks’ move to the sideline went.

The 49ers defense responded well to defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ move from the booth to the sideline. In his first game on the field instead up up in the coach’s box, San Francisco’s defense allowed only 221 yards and three points in perhaps their best performance of the season.

Team captain and defensive signal caller Fred Warner in his postgame press conference talked about the adjustment from the coach.

“It was good. It was good having him down there,” Warner said. “The communication was flawless, and yeah, it was good having him down there.”

Communication was a big key in Wilks’ decision to get out of the booth and onto the field. When he’s upstairs he has to relay play calls to a coach on the sideline who then relays the plays to Warner.  Then there’s the issue of direct communication between players and the DC.

Those issues would seem to make some of the team’s defensive woes make sense. There have been a lack of in-game adjustments and some struggles specifically with players being in the wrong spots.

Warner said the improved communication was helpful.

“I think it was pretty similar honestly,” Warner said. “I think the thing was just kinda like us just going into it we wanted to make sure the communication was good in terms of the microphone and him getting the calls to me and I thought he did a great job.”

There were other things the 49ers defense needed to do well Sunday. It was better in coverage and better at getting to the quarterback, but those were likely things fixed over the bye and not a matter of where Wilks called plays.

If the improved communication was helpful, then it’s likely the sideline move will be a permanent one for Wilks.

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5 49ers players who could cause problems for the Jaguars in Week 10

Here are five 49ers players who could cause problems for the Jaguars in Week 10:

The Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers couldn’t be going in more opposite directions.

The Jaguars are on a five-game win streak after starting 1-3. The 49ers lost three straight games before the bye week after starting 5-0.

Both teams were expected to be top teams in the league, but now they meet in very different situations. The 49ers are trying to prove they’re still a top-tier team, while Jacksonville is trying to cement itself as an AFC powerhouse.

Here are five 49ers players who could cause problems for the Jaguars in Week 10:

Anatomy of a Play: How on earth did Joe Burrow DO that?

Joe Burrow had one of the 2023 NFL season’s most amazing plays against the 49ers, and here’s how it all happened.

When Tom Brady retired after the 2022 season, it was a good bump for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Because while Brady is the best in-pocket mover in pro football history (I will brook no argument), Burrow had become a close second, and he is absolutely now the best in the NFL at moving around the small boxing ring known as the pocket without leaving it, and making dynamic throws. Burrow had a rough start to the 2023 season as he recovered from a calf strain, but against the San Francisco 49ers in a 31-17 Week 8 win, Burrow made a play in which no defense would have been able to contain him… because San Francisco’s defense certainly tried.

With 11:29 left in the first quarter of the game, Cincinnati had  third-and-10 at its own 31-yard line, The 49ers had an overload look to the defensive right side in a concept they frequently use — three defensive lineman to the overload side, and linebacker Fred Warner as a standup three-tech to the other side. This time, instead of rushing, Warner dropped into the hook/curl area, as edge-rusher Nick Bosa crossed over tackle Javon Hargrave, and tackle Arik Armstead crossed the face of center Ted Karras.

As edge-rusher Randy Gregory collapsed the pocket to the other side, Burrow was in trouble all over the place. Most quarterbacks would have either taken a sack, thrown an errant duck, or moves outside the pocket.

But most quarterbacks aren’t Joe Burrow in the pocket. Somehow, Burrow escaped all that anarchy and fired an accurate pass to Tee Higgins for a first down.

Our buddy Joe Goodberry, a longtime Bengals expert, broke down what happened quite brilliantly:

From the overhead angle, you can see how the original routes broke down, and how Higgins used scramble rules to get free from cornerback Charvarius Ward. This play lasted so long that Warner, who dropped eight yards into coverage, nearly sacked Burrow just outside the pocket.

“I don’t use that word unbelievable anymore really, to be honest with you,” head coach Zac Taylor said after the game,. when asked about Burrow’s top-notch escapability. “But that first one, I mean, I’m joking because that’s just kind of what you come to expect and it’s just a great job. I’m sure he’s feeling pretty good. I’m sure he is going to be pretty sore, but just a good job with him never quitting on a play, keeping it alive. Again, I’ve learned just to keep my mouth shut, not say anything, and not think anything negative while he’s back there in the pocket moving around. You’ve just learned a lesson year four here. But again, that was a big play and he did a good job with his feet. He did a good job. There’s two men running through. That’s the best play you can get.”

“Yeah, it’s tough to break those down,” Burrow said. “They just kind of happen. Really, that was athleticism, acceleration, explosiveness, and those were really a big focus of mine in the offseason. I just haven’t really been able to show that too much, so it was nice to have that hard work pay off.”

It was nice for the Bengals in their quest to beat one of the NFL’s defenses, that’s for sure.

Watch: 49ers’ Fred Warner stops Vikings’ tush push with must-see play on goal line

Fred Warner was waiting for the Vikings edition of the tush push.

One of the most unstoppable plays of the 2023 NFL season has been the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback sneak coined “the tush push.”

With the Minnesota Vikings threatening near the goal line, Kevin O’Connell dialed up his edition of the tush push with Kirk Cousins under center. However, Fred Warner was waiting on the other side of the line scrimmage.

As the Vikings huddled around Cousins with plans to push him across the goal line, the 49ers All-Pro linebacker timed the snap perfectly and leaped over the trenches to blow up the play.

Via @NFL on Twitter:

https://x.com/NFL/status/1716636289385279851?s=20

After Warner quickly put the hopes of a tush push to an end, the Vikings were forced to kick a field goal.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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Social media reacts to Fred Warner stopping the Vikings’ Tush Push

49ers linebacker Fred Warner found the perfect way to stop the Vikings’ Tush Push, and Twitter had a lot to say about it.

Whether you love the Tush Push or Brotherly Shove — the short-yardage scrum that the Philadelphia Eagles have on lock, and most other offenses do not — the best way to stop it is not to ban it, but to actually, y’know, stop it.

Which San Francisco 49ers linebacker did on Monday night when the Minnesota Vikings tried it. Warner, who is the NFL’s best player at his position and an athletic freak in about 20 different ways, hurtled the Vikings’ line without touching any linemen on the way (thus making it legal), and put the kibosh on the whole thing.

It was an amazing performance.

Twitter had a lot to say about it, as you might expect.

49ers highlight: Fred Warner snags INT in 2nd consecutive game

WATCH: Fred Warner snags his 2nd INT in as many weeks.

The 49ers defense showed up early against the Browns. Cleveland QB PJ Walker telegraphed a throw in the middle of the field and LB Fred Warner stepped in front for an easy interception.

San Francisco’s offense didn’t capitalize though. They went backward and then missed a 54-yard field goal.

For Warner it was his second week in a row with an interception. He also came up with one against Dallas.

Fred Warner named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after Week 5 performance vs. Cowboys

The 49ers LB earned his third-career Defensive Player of the Week after a red-hot performance against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.

While Brock Purdy tossed four touchdown passes against the Dallas Cowboys’ vaunted defense on Sunday Night Football, Fred Warner and the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive group shut down Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Mike McCarthy on offense.

On his way to a sizzling performance, Warner etched his name in the early Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Warner notched eight tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception against the Cowboys.

Warner became the first player to record a sack, interception and a forced fumble in the same game since Navarro Bowman in 2013. Warner has notched three Defensive Player of the Week awards in his career with his last one coming in 2020.

Via @49ers on Twitter:

https://x.com/49ers/status/1712154211000209759?s=20

During the 2023 campaign, Warner has registered 41 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in five games.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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Anatomy of a Play: 49ers linebacker Fred Warner is an alien who can’t be stopped

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner showed every one of his transcendent traits in one play against the Dallas Cowboys.

Most NFL experts will tell you that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner is the best player at his position in the game, and No. 2 isn’t even close, whomsoever that player may be. The two-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro is having another fantastic season in 2023, with two sacks, four total pressures, 30 tackles, a forced fumble, and 22 catches allowed on 25 targets for 200 yards, 103 air yards, no touchdowns, one interception, one pass breakup, and an opponent passer rating of 82.1.

But there was one play against the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday night’s 42-10 spanking of America’s Team that really made it clear just how remarkable Warner is at everything a linebacker is supposed to do.

With 14:21 left in the first half, the Cowboys had third-and-2 at their own 10-yard line. Dallas head coach and offensive “shot-caller” (that’s a separate issue) Mike McCarthy called a mesh concept (short crossers to either side) with tight end Jake Ferguson and receiver CeeDee Lamb on that, and receiver Brandin Cooks running a short route right over it. The plan here was just to get enough yards to move the sticks.

And that’s where Warner came in. Not only did he blow up the entire mesh concept by knocking both Ferguson AND Lamb off their spots, but he then carried Prescott outside the pocket when those reads were gone… and then, he got his hands up to make Prescott think twice about throwing anything else.

From there, it was Warner’s second sack of the 2023 season.

You will not find many defensive players at any position who can turn an entire offense out with his presence, but Warner is the exception, and he has been just that for a while now.

“Yeah, if they put me in the conversation, great,” Warner said after the game, regarding his Defensive Player of the Year prospects. “To me, I know what I have to contribute to this team. I know the caliber player I am, and I don’t need anyone else’s recognition or people to tell me how great I am. I want to be the best person I can be and the best player I can be for my teammates and for this team. We know what we have ahead of us and the goals we’ve set out for ourselves. All the other stuff will take care of itself when you’re doing things the right way day in and day out. I’m just really grateful for this moment, seriously.”

Well, as far as I’m concerned, Warner should at least be in the conversation when that vote comes around.