Numbers don’t always tell the whole story, but they paint a pretty vivid picture of the 49ers’ struggles during their four-win 2018 season. Their ability to reverse their failures in a few key statistical categories could make or break their 2019 campaign.
The good news for their outlook this season is that they’ve taken steps this offseason to directly improve in those key areas. Here are five bad 49ers stats from last year that should be better in 2019:
Seven takeaways (two interceptions)
The 49ers’ defense struggled last season due in part to their inability to get off the field with a takeaway. Their two interceptions were an NFL record low in that category. Their moves to address the pass rush should help them generate more turnovers despite the fact the rest of their defense will be relatively familiar. Dee Ford and Nick Bosa rushing the passer off the edge should force more fumbles on quarterback hits, and more interceptions because opposing signal callers won’t get to sit comfortably in the pocket and pick the secondary apart. New linebacker Kwon Alexander’s speed and aggressive playing style should also help force a few turnovers as well.
37 sacks
Tying for 22nd in the league isn’t catastrophic, but pressuring the quarterback went deeper than just sack totals last season for the 49ers. Eight of their sacks came in Week 9 vs. the Raiders. Their ability to regularly make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable manifested itself in the league’s worst pass defense. Ford and Bosa, like with turnovers, should directly and indirectly increase the sack numbers. Cassius Marsh and Ronald Blair both had 5.5 sacks to lead 49ers edge rushers last season. Bosa or Ford should put up close to 11 by themselves. Add in the pressure that takes off DeForest Buckner, who led the team with 12 sacks a season ago, and the 49ers should have a dynamite pass rush.
Red zone touchdown percentage
For as good as head coach Kyle Shanahan is as a play caller, the 49ers regularly stumbled inside the 20 last season. They scored touchdowns on 41.2 percent of their trips to the red zone last season – the worst mark in the league. A healthy Jimmy Garoppolo should help in this department, but so should the addition of wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who’s very good at creating separation in tight spaces. Jalen Hurd, a third-round pick in this year’s draft, is a weapon who can be deployed in a variety of ways in the red area. Sixth-round tight end Kaden Smith is also a big target who might get some looks near the goal line. Free agent wide receiver Jordan Matthews is also a dominant red zone threat if he winds up making the roster. The 49ers identified this weakness and added a slew of players who should help them improve on it immensely.
No WR over 500 yards
The 49ers’ receiving corps was close to nonexistent last season. Injuries played a role, along with the dominance of second-year tight end George Kittle. However, there’s no reason an offense as creative as Shanahan’s should have zero wide receivers over 500 receiving yards. Kendrick Bourne led that unit with 487 yards. Dante Pettis was second at 467, and he would’ve gone well over 500 with a fully healthy rookie campaign. Getting 16 games from Pettis and Marquise Goodwin, along with the additions of Samuel and Hurd, should vastly improve San Francisco’s receiving corps.
32 turnovers
The 49ers’ inability to hold onto the football last season only exacerbated their myriad issues on defense. Not getting takeaways on defense is bad, but giving the ball away at a rate of twice per game makes it impossible to win at any respectable rate. Getting Garoppolo back healthy should help immensely in this category. Backups CJ Beathard and Nick Mullens accounted for 17 interceptions in 13 games. They also fumbled seven times, but didn’t lose all of them. Taking care of the ball on offense should be easier with the starting quarterback under center, and a more consistent group of starting receivers and running backs who don’t fumble or have throws bouncing off their hands for interceptions.
