The 49ers defense continues to impress after allowing seven points to the Rams in Week 6. They allowed 157 total yards and had a takeaway against an explosive Los Angeles offense. When the offense is able to get a lead, the defense is able to pin their ears back, and that’s when the unit becomes really effective which showed last week.
Next up is Washington and an offense that features Adrian Peterson and up-and-coming rookie receiver Terry McLaurin. Here are the six players to watch on the 49ers defense this week:
DL Dee Ford
It feels like every week there’s a different player to watch on the defensive line. This week it’s Ford after his performance against the Rams last week. The pass rusher had 1.5 sacks, four tackles, and a forced fumble in the team’s 20-7 win. The Washington offensive line has allowed their triad of quarterbacks to be sacked 15 times this season, so there will be chances for Ford to have another huge performance like last week.
CB Emmanuel Moseley
Moseley has played well in two games since replacing Ahkello Witherspoon. Moseley has played 91 coverage snaps, and allowed six catches on nine targets for only 45 yards according to Pro Football Focus. He’s allowing an opponent passer rating of 78.5 when targeted. His first two games he faced off against Odell Beckham and a mix of Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. Sunday he will line up against Washington’s Terry McLaurin, another tough test for the young cornerback.
DL Arik Armstead
Armstead has consistently impressed on the 49ers’ defensive line this season. His snap count has increased throughout the season and he’s now on the field roughly 75 percent of the snaps. He’s also having the most productive season of his career. His 2.5 sacks is fourth on the team, trailing Bosa, Buckner and Ford, but he has a PFF grade of 89.5, which trails just Ford in that group. While the former three are getting the name recognition, Armstead has quietly been one of the better performers on the line, especially against the run.
DL DeForest Buckner
While he’s known for his pass rushing abilities, Buckner will be key in the run game Sunday. When Bill Callahan took over for Jay Gruden, he promised to get the ball to Adrian Peterson more. He did just that in his first game as the interim head coach. Peterson had a season-high in carries and yards in Washington’s win last week in Miami. With D.J. Jones out Sunday, Buckner will have more weight to carry to stop the run.
LB Fred Warner
If Peterson does get past the defensive line, it’ll be on Warner to help prevent the 34-year-old Peterson from breaking off big runs. Peterson had two fewer carries than Case Keenum had throws last week, showing that Callahan does want to run the offense through Peterson. If the 49ers can contain Peterson and control the ground, it’ll force Keenum to make plays against both the 49ers pass rush and secondary.
S Jimmie Ward
Ward stood out in Week 6 for the secondary in only his second game of the season. The safety had five tackles, and two pass deflections that both came on one drive near the end of the game. Ward has been good in his two starts since returning from injury and replacing Tarvarious Moore. His insertion into the lineup has solidified the secondary. If Ward can stay healthy, the 49ers defense looks and feels complete.
