What Robert Saleh Expects Of 49ers' Pass Rush, Even Without Stars Bosa, Warner

What Robert Saleh expects of 49ers' pass rush, even without stars Bosa, Warner originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA – Missing his best pass-rusher and top linebacker is not something that 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is willing to accept or use as an excuse.

“The expectation is no different no matter who’s out there,” Saleh told reporters after practice on Friday. “It’s to step on the gas and give us everything you’ve got.”

The 49ers have had to reach far into their reserve tanks this season as injuries have piled up on a seemingly weekly basis.

Five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa and four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner have been lost to season-ending injuries. There’s slim hope of Warner returning for the NFL playoffs should San Francisco get into the postseason.

Few, if any, teams could overcome losses like that without a blip. Over the last four-plus seasons, Bosa and Warner have combined for 61.5 sacks (55.5 by Bosa) and 806 tackles (581 by Warner).

Saleh, though, insists it doesn’t matter who he has on the 49ers defense. The main focus remains the same – get to the quarterback and take him down.

Reserve middle linebacker Curtis Robinson had that type of attitude against the Cardinals last week after Tatum Bethune, who already was filling in for injured Warner, suffered a high ankle sprain and left the game.

Robinson didn’t record a sack but he did have 12 tackles.

“It’s like a quarterback in the league, your second-string quarterback’s not getting a lot of reps,” Saleh explained. “And it (is the same for) the Mike linebacker to the starter. Just as much as you prepare yourself mentally, the speed of it kind of goes faster. You’re making the calls or you’re making the checks, and then you got to worry about the ball getting snapped. I thought for the circumstances, I thought he did a nice job.”

Despite the lack of pressure on Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett, the 49ers beat the Cardinals pretty handily. With no cavalry coming to rescue the pass rush, however, Saleh expects whoever is healthy to pick up the pace.

“I know Jacoby was getting rid of the ball pretty good last week. It was easy to take a lot of things underneath which we were giving them,” Saleh said. “But yeah, our expectation doesn’t change. We expect to win our one-on-ones. We expect to take advantage of our opportunities. We expect to be relentless, violent, and play with elite strain and effort. That’s the expectation.”

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