Key halftime modification assisted Lenoir, 49ers’ defense to win

Key halftime modification assisted Lenoir, 49ers’ defense to win initially appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

INGLEWOOD — Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir shared an essential halftime modification was the factor the 49ers’ defense had a far better 2nd half in their 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

Though the very first thirty minutes of the contest, quarterback Matthew Stafford had actually finished 14 of 18 pass efforts for 143 backyards and a goal. Lenoir exposed protective planner Steve Wilks had a statement for the locker space at halftime.

“‘We are going to play man coverage,’ ” Lenoir remembered his coach stating. “‘We are going to have to tighten it up and let the rush eat.’ I would just say we were playing zone and we didn’t really get the pressure on Stafford.

“I feel like once we played man coverage and got tighter, it was harder for them to complete passes.”

There is no concern the 49ers’ defense had a hard time getting the Rams’ offense off the field throughout the very first half. Los Angeles scored on 3 successive prolonged ownerships to open the video game.

“For the scheme that they ran, it fit perfectly,” Lenoir stated. “Getting into the soft zones, being in open windows, and making it easier for Stafford.”

While the protective line did not tape any quarterback sacks — linebacker Fred Warner notched the only takedown of Stafford — it did get pressure on the pocket. The defense as a whole liquidated the video game with a noteworthy 27 pressures, per PFF.

Lenoir, comprehending the connection in between rush and protection, felt the duty of covering longer in an effort to assist the pass rushes “get home.” The protective back thinks the halftime break enabled the group to reset and regroup.

“After halftime, I think that was one of the best things that could have happened to us,” Lenoir stated. “Just being halftime, just taking a chill pill for everybody, and just focus, lock in and be able to make adjustments.”

The modifications succeeded. San Francisco held the Rams to just 3 points in the 2nd half while developing 2 turnovers, assisting the group leave Southern California with a 2-0 record.

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