NFC Championship Film Review: The 49ers' Dominant Defensive Game Plan
San Francisco's defense completely neutralized one of the league's most dynamic offenses. Here's the schematic blueprint.
The 49ers held their NFC Championship opponent to just 10 points, forcing four turnovers in the process. DeMeco Ryans' scheme relied on disguised coverages and a rotating blitz package that confused the opposing QB on critical third downs.
We study 15 key snaps from both the broadcast angle and end-zone camera to illustrate exactly how the defensive staff dissected their opponent's tendencies during the week of preparation.
The key insight: San Francisco's corners were instructed to play "bail" technique in the first quarter to bait the QB into short-side throws, then tightened coverage drastically after halftime once they had established a mental framework in his head.