49ers Vs. Steelers: Top Five Defensive Plays

by David Fucillo on Dec 21, 2011 9:00 AM PST in San Francisco 49ers Game Recap, Review 2011

The San Francisco 49ers defense put together another impressive effort this past Monday as they continued their season long turnover festival. The 49ers picked off three Ben Roethlisberger passes and recovered a Roethlisberger fumble. Big Ben fumbled late in the game, but managed to recover it. That adds up to four turnovers and a fifth almost turnover.

Although the second fumble wasn't recovered by the 49ers, it still rounds us up to five defensive plays worth looking at. Given how important turnovers have been for the 49ers in 2011, it is worth pointing out those plays in particular. The sacks and other defensive plays were huge, but the turnovers generally came at either key times on the field or in key points on the field.

1. Ben Roethlisberger picked by Carlos Rogers in end zone
2. Ben Roethlisberger picked by Dashon Goldson at SF 34
3. Ben Roethlisberger fumble forced by Ray McDonald/Aldon Smith, recovered by Justin Smith
4. Ben Roethlisberger picked by Tarell Brown at SF 2
5. Ben Roethlisberger fumble on mishandled shotgun snap (no 49ers recovery)

I took a look back at the three interceptions and Roethlisberger's ankle injury did not help matters. He seemed to throw off his back foot for the most part and the passes were sailing a bit on him on the first two interceptions. On Tarell Brown's pick, Roethlisberger basically just chucked it up and hoped for the best. I noticed that on a lot of the deep passes, Roethlisberger would basically just throw it up for grabs. Such is the life of a quarterback having to throw off his back foot all night long.

Eric Branch put together an article discussing the 49ers turnover differential, which highlights the 49ers +25 mark. The 49ers +25 differential is currently the second best mark since 1991. Last year the New England Patriots had a +28 turnover differential. Considering how awful the Patriots defense is this season, that's quite the turnaround.

The 49ers have put together an impressive playmaker defense. Dashon Goldson and Carlos Rogers are the most visible parts of the ball-hawking defense as they are tied for second in the NFL with six interceptions apiece. Both have had their share of struggles in recent years and are putting it back together this season.

This will make for an even more intriguing offseason for the 49ers football operations staff. The team has a lot of cap space but also has a lot of free agents following an offseason of one year contracts. Goldson and Rogers have done as much as anybody on the team to boost their free agent stock this offseason.

Carlos Rogers indicated he was interested in returning to San Francisco and has said he wants to get a deal done sooner rather than later. Dashon Goldson has not come up in such discussions but I would imagine he will not be short of potential suitors in a few months.

Do you back up the Brinks Truck for these guys or come up with some kind of alternative for either?

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Comments

chalk up another W for the D and ST, thanks fellas

by Coretete on Dec 21, 2011 9:16 AM PST reply actions

Surprised by #5

Game was essentially over

by mrg80 on Dec 21, 2011 9:18 AM PST reply actions

Nor do I see how that was a defensive play?

by whatsURdeal on Dec 21, 2011 4:46 PM PST up reply actions

Most Awesome....Aldon lifting,sacking Big Ben, while Ray knocks ball out

and Justin gets the fumble!

Aldon literaly lifted Big Ben off the ground in the air and then slammed his silly butt on the ground. That was an impressive sack!

Aldon sacks ben, Ray knocks the ball out of Bens hand while being sacked by Aldon and then……Justin picks up the fumble.

That has to be in the 9ers Highlights in the locker room, a picture of that play with the title being " Animals!"

by BigMar on Dec 21, 2011 9:21 AM PST reply actions

That was AWESOME!

by Hesperia9er on Dec 21, 2011 8:18 PM PST up reply actions

Larry Grant's leaping deflection

Or any of Andy Lee’s Punts.

by NinerOptimus on Dec 21, 2011 9:34 AM PST reply actions

Before Andy Lee booted one, the announcers were waiting for another punt inside the 10

and the Punt Return man for the Steelers called a fair catch at the 11, the announcers, seemed dissappointed in Andy Lee haha. It just goes to show how great he is, most Punters are measured by punts inside the 20, Andy “MVP” Lee, is in his own category, Punts inside the 10 lol

Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let her sleep.

by chicagobullies on Dec 21, 2011 9:57 AM PST up reply actions

I'm confident we'll resign Rogers, Goldson is a little bit of an unknown

Not that I don’t want Goldson but it seems like he might go after the best money offered to him this offseason. Given the way our FO seems to handle things now I’m not sure the best money will come from us. We were all pretty confident in Reggie Smith before Goldson was signed, are we still there now?

by Method24 on Dec 21, 2011 9:43 AM PST reply actions

Goldston will get money, hopefully not Antrelle Rolle money, but he'll get his paycheck

I’m thinking the FO and coaching staff was a little hesitant to make a commitment to Goldston, due to their infamiliarity and his lackluster previous season. Also, I think this off-season the 49ers Brass will resign Rogers, and I think they will throw a pretty good /fair deal to Goldston, but I ultimately see him taking the money elsewhere, and I do not think anyone would be suprised if he did.

Goldston is a good sure tackling, ball-hawking safety, and he really helps this defense quite substantially. I would really hate to see him go, and do not think Reggie Smith has what it takes to make this defense work, quite as well as Dashon does.

Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let her sleep.

by chicagobullies on Dec 21, 2011 10:01 AM PST up reply actions

NO REGGIE

Reggie is a step slower, takes terrible tackling angles, is not an enforcer or ball hawk like DG, and cant stay healthy. Resign The Hawk, Grant, Rogers

by WaltMalt on Dec 21, 2011 12:59 PM PST up reply actions

Career years

It is a little worrisome to resign all of these guys. A lot of our FA’s are having career years.

Rodgers
Goldston
Alex Smith

It is scary to pay a player based on his best year.

Rodgers has always been a good cover corner and is now getting picks to go with it. So that seems like a pretty safe bet.

Alex, I think, will just keep getting better the longer that he, the OL, and the WR’s are in the same system together. I wouldn’t expect any fall off to occur and he should continue to improve.

Goldston I don’t know about. He has made some mistakes. I love the way he hits and his picks but he is playing way above his norm. I don’t know how much he is going to improve the mistakes he makes and I wouldn’t count on this many picks going forward.

Ginn, I love as a returner and 4th or 5th receiver.

Ahmad Brooks is going to be replaced by Aldon I think but we could use some depth.

Adam Snyder as with all of the the OL is having an up and down year. I don’t know what is out there that is better. And the best way to improve an OL is to keep the same people together for as long as possible (if they are the right people or at least close to it).

There are some more but those seem to be the big ones.

Luckily Baalke, and the coaches are a lot smarter than me and have a much better ability and opportunity to evaluate these guys than I do.

Joe, Jerry, Steve, and....Who is next?

by 16to80fan on Dec 21, 2011 10:34 AM PST reply actions

Only 1 of these players are on this team.

Rodgers
Goldston
Alex Smith

"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh

If you order a "Cowboys kicker" at the bar, you get a shot of iced Bailey's.

Follow @michaelsp310

by mikeinsp on Dec 21, 2011 11:25 AM PST up reply actions

mr spell checker!!!!!!!!!!! awesome dude!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks

"You know whats funny? I always thought uhm dogs lay eggs and I learned something new today" Peter Griffin

by HUNGRY HUNTER on Dec 21, 2011 11:35 AM PST up reply actions

Thanks for that.

However, if you are going to be that guy, and apparently you are, then you should probably worry a little more about your own grammar.

Only one of these players IS on this team.

‘Is’ is in reference to the 1 player. Thus ‘is’ is used rather than ‘are’.

All of them ARE names.

1 of them IS on the team.

But, lets not be like that. What do you say? Why don’t we avoid being annoying DB’s and just talk about football.

Joe, Jerry, Steve, and....Who is next?

by 16to80fan on Dec 21, 2011 1:06 PM PST up reply actions

I was talking about football.

I was talking about our players whose names you spelled wrong.

So, you probably should take your own advice.

just talk about football.

"If the 49ers success offends you, so be it." - Jim Harbaugh

If you order a "Cowboys kicker" at the bar, you get a shot of iced Bailey's.

Follow @michaelsp310

by mikeinsp on Dec 21, 2011 6:14 PM PST up reply actions

you sir

have been owned. don’t be a poor sport about it!

by 3beam on Dec 21, 2011 6:44 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Smith sack-fumble was the defensive play of the game, hands down

As for Rogers and Goldson, I would imagine Rogers is brought back on a 4-5 year contract, but Goldson is an unknown. I’d certainly like them to bring back Goldson at this point, despite his consistantly poor tackling form and occassional blown coverage, because he’s playing great and there is nothing else for us at this point. They should definitely be drafting a replacement for down the road this year though.

by 9thevolution on Dec 21, 2011 11:55 AM PST reply actions

Gotta bring back Rogers

Even though he’s 30 I think he’s still gonna perform at a high level for 3-4 years and give way to Culliver within the next year or so as the number one corner. I like the depth we have at corner right now (getting older) but always like to draft a corner in the middle to late rounds for depth to develop, I.E. Brock, Holcomb

Love how Dashon is playing right now but I think he might be more after the money following last years off season. I could see him slumping after signing a bigger contract and I am comfortable with Reggie starting in the future.

by LPF on Dec 21, 2011 12:05 PM PST reply actions