ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The San Francisco 49ers came out of the bye defensively the same way they went into it: allowing far too many big plays and points in yet another loss.
Despite having a defense on pace to be one of the most porous ever in the NFL, San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly sees no reason to make a change at coordinator and get a replacement for Jim O’Neil.
“I don’t think there’s one person responsible for what has transpired on the defensive side of the ball,” Kelly said Monday. “I think there’s all of us have contributed to that.”
There has been plenty of bad on the defensive side of the ball so far for the 49ers (1-7) as evidenced in the play in the team’s seventh straight loss, a 41-23 defeat to New Orleans on Sunday.
The Saints gained 571 yards with 248 on the ground and 323 in the air, converted 11 of 17 third downs and met little resistance from a defense that has been unable to slow down anyone since opening the season with a 28-0 win over the Rams.
After allowing 513 yards to Tampa Bay two weeks ago, San Francisco was even more generous against the Saints as the team allowed back-to-back opponents to top 500 yards of offense for the first time since 1963.
The numbers are staggering.
The Niners are on pace to allow 520 points this season, second-most in NFL history to the 533 given up by Baltimore in 1981. San Francisco is on pace to allow the second-most yards ever and to give up the most yards rushing in 36 years.
“I don’t think overall the entire group is playing good as a group,” Kelly said. “There’s too many big plays that are occurring on the defensive side of the ball in terms of allowing big runs and we’ve got to do a better job of that.”
The Saints gained at least 19 yards on nine plays, including a 75-yard touchdown run by Mark Ingram on a play where one defender failed to slant to the left as the play was called.
“Execution is lacking on the defensive side of the ball in terms of being able to shut opponents down,” Kelly said. “We’ve got to do a better job tackling. We’ve got to do a better job when we have a blitz on or we have a slant on, that everybody’s getting to where they’re supposed to be and taking care of their responsibilities.”
Ingram became the seventh straight back to top 100 yards against San Francisco - the longest streak ever for a defense, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Even the move to put O’Neil in the press box instead of on the field didn’t help. But Kelly said the issues go well beyond O’Neil.
“Every coach we have is involved in it,” he said.” I’m involved in it. Our D-Line coach, our linebacker coach, our secondary coach, Jimmy, our outside linebacker coach, we’re all involved in what goes on on the defensive side of the ball. So, I don’t look at it that way that there’s one person.”
NOTES: Kelly said he has not talked to any colleges about potential job openings and plans to stay in the NFL. “I haven’t talked to a college since I’ve been in the NFL and that’s not my goal. My goal is to be the head coach of the 49ers and that’s what I want to do,” he said. … Kelly said the team is not considering putting DL Arik Armstead on IR despite a shoulder injury that has hampered him all season. … WR Torrey Smith was slowed during the game by a back injury. … Kelly said the team has not decided whether to activate rookie CB Will Redmond from IR. Redmond must be activated by Tuesday or be placed on season-ending IR.
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