49ers Defense: Was It Truly As Good As the Stat Sheet Against Seattle?
Watching a game, a fan gets certain impressions. Sometimes, they are obviously accurate. Tight end George Kittle was dominant until he suffered an injury. Jake Moody was atrocious, and it had nothing to do with an injury.
Other impressions, however, can be more nuanced. Robert Saleh clearly had a substantial effect on the defense, but while the stat sheet looks very good, and the points allowed (the stat that really matters) was excellent, how dominant was the defense actually? I do not want to be negative, but it bears examination.
The run defense
The final tally was that the defense allowed only 84 yards on 26 carries, for 3.2 yards per carry. That is outstanding. On the other hand, the Seahawks' 69-yard touchdown drive had two passes (one that resulted in pass interference) and nine runs (6 yards, 5 yards, 5 yards, 4 yards, 2 yards, 4 yards, 4 yards, -1 yard, and a 1-yard touchdown run). Taken as a group, that's 30 yards on nine carries—a pitiful 3.3 yards per carry.
However, when you realize there was only one negative play, and the other carry for short yardage was a touchdown, the yards per carry was actually 4.3. That's not all that good. My eyes told me Seattle was running up the middle with no problem.
On their second field goal drive, an eight-play, 34-yard drive, the Seahawks passed once for six yards. The runs: 8 yards, 5 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards, 4 yards, and -1 yards. After the pass that left them at 4th-and-1, announcer Greg Olsen wondered why they did not go for it. They had been averaging 4.6 yards per carry on the preceding six runs, and without the one negative play, it was actually 5.8. I wondered the same thing and breathed a very long sigh of relief when they lined up for the field goal attempt, since a field goal meant a touchdown would give the 49ers the lead rather than a tie.
On the drives when the defense forced a punt, most of the plays that the 49ers called were passes, with only a run or two thrown in.
What this tells me is that this run defense is not—right now—a lot better than last year's. Linebacker Dee Winters is much improved, but the defensive tackles, Jordan Elliot and Kalia Davis, were anything but stout up front. CJ West was the 49ers' most disruptive defensive tackle in his 26 preseason snaps, playing against the opponents' starters. I would like to see more of him.
The pass defense
It was clear the Seahawks wanted to go after rookie slot corner Upton Stout, and they had some success doing so. That said, until their final drive, quarterback Sam Darnold only completed three passes over 10 yards. Most of his connections were checkdowns. That means the corners—even Stout—had pretty good coverage downfield for much of the game. And except for some boneheaded post-play penalties, I do not recall cornerback Deommodore Lenoir's name being called. They just didn't throw his way.
Cornerback Renardo Green made some excellent plays. Rookie safety Marques Sigle had six tackles. While this unit is very young with its two rookies and one second-year man among the five, the back end shows a lot of promise. Sure, Stout struggled at times, but he is a rookie who missed all of the preseason games and a good chunk of training camp. He will improve.
It was wonderful to get the win, and especially to end it with a forced fumble, and especially-especially against Seattle, and even more especially in front of the obnoxious "12th man." And it is beautiful to have Robert Saleh back. As fans hoped, he certainly made a difference. But the 49ers have a ways to go on defense, especially against the run. Winters has made huge strides and looks like a legit starter. But I want those defensive tackles to step up. General Manager John Lynch drafted two to make a difference, and in the first game, they hardly saw the field.
Still, let's relax and take a deep breath (with Jake Moody only making a cameo in this article). The first game is behind them; there are 16 more to go. And there's a lot to be positive about.
Next-Gen Capitals: 5 Young Guns Poised to Impress
The Washington Capitals will hold their 2025 Rookie Camp from Sept. 12-15 in Annapolis, Maryland, at the McMullen Hockey Arena, home of the Navy’s men’s hockey team. Several Capitals’ recent draft picks will be eligible to attend the camp.
Under the leadership of former general manager (GM) and current president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan, as well as current GM Chris Patrick, the Capitals have restocked their talent pool with some highly skilled prospects. This is good news, since the team’s perennial regular-season success means they have not had many high draft picks. However, management and Capitals scouts have shown a keen eye for evaluating talent, making several strong selections in recent years.
Here are five top prospects to watch at Washington’s Rookie Camp.
Ryan Leonard
As the Capitals’ only top-10 draft pick since Karl Alzner in 2007, expectations for Ryan Leonard are high. The 2025 Hockey East Player of the Year and World Junior Championship MVP got his first taste of the NHL last season, playing nine regular-season and five playoff games in Washington.
The former Boston College Eagle was selected eighth overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Central Scouting ranked Leonard fifth among North American skaters, and he was the fourth non-European player selected, behind Russia’s Dmitriy Simashev (Arizona Coyotes) and Matvei Michkov (Philadelphia Flyers).
The 20-year-old Leonard is intent on making the opening-night roster. With a few pounds added over the summer and building on the confidence he gained with his short stint as a pro at the end of last season, he just might. He also gave Capitals fans a lot to be excited about at last year’s World Junior tournament, as he captained the US team to a gold medal and tied for second in tournament scoring. What was more impressive was how he dragged his team into the battle, playing with physicality and emotion.
His tenacious style and innate ability to get under the skin of his opponents earned him the ire of the Canadian crowd. Capitals fans hope he can bring the snarl and skill he exhibited on the world stage to Washington.
Andrew Cristall
Vancouver-born winger Andrew Cristall was taken 40th overall in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old Cristall put up gaudy numbers in the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season, posting 132 points in 57 games split between the Kelowna Rockets and the Spokane Chiefs.
Cristall was traded to Spokane for their playoff run just before the trade deadline and delivered an incredible performance. In 19 playoff games, he scored 21 goals and 41 points – ranked third all-time in a WHL postseason.
Cristall impressed the Capitals coaching staff and management at last summer’s development and rookie camps, and followed that up with a strong showing in the preseason. He was the last player cut from the opening-night roster.
The Hockey Writers’ Peter Baracchini called Cristall, “One of the top playmakers in this class,” adding that, “he’s very creative and evasive, possessing high-end offensive IQ. He’s very deceptive and shifty with his movements as he maintains great control of the puck, handling it confidently in high traffic areas and even beating defenders one-on-one.”
After dominating in his final year of juniors, the 5-foot-10 winger will either be playing for the Capitals this season or their American Hockey League affiliate in Hershey. If he can repeat his success from last season, look to see the highly skilled Cristall in the lineup to add an offensive spark.
Terik Parascak
Terik Parascak, the Capitals’ 17th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, put up big numbers with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars the last two seasons, including 105 points as a rookie in 2023-24. The 6-foot winger possesses impressive puck skills and a high offensive IQ that the Capitals are hoping will translate to the professional game. In his draft year, NHL Central Scouting ranked him 15th among North American skaters and third among right-wingers.
Jesse Courville-Lynch wrote that Parascak, based on his offensive skill alone, was “arguably one of the strongest players in his draft class.”
At the end of last season, Parascak was loaned to Hershey as an 18-year-old. He played in their last regular-season game of the season and was a black ace in the playoffs.
The biggest knock against Parascak is his skating, and if he can grow his game so that it catches up to his offensive instincts, he will be challenging for a regular spot on the Caps in the future. Look for him to continue to develop in junior this season, where he’ll work on his skating and bulk up for a future in the NHL.
Lynden Lakovic
Another prospect from Western Canada, Lynden Lakovic, was taken in the first round, 27th overall, by the Capitals in 2025. The 6-foot-4, 201-pound winger from Kelowna, British Columbia, captained the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors last season.
Two seasons ago, Lakovic helped lead the Warriors to their first Western Hockey League championship, scoring four game-winning goals in the playoffs, including three in overtime. Last season, with a roster depleted of much of its offensive talent, Lakovic led the team in scoring despite missing over a month due to an injury.
The Hockey Writers’ Dayton Reimer said of Lakovic: “He’s built like a power forward, he plays much more of a finesse game, giving him a unique blend of size and skill not seen in any other players at the top of the draft class.”
The big winger will return to junior for the 2025-26 season, where he will hopefully add some bulk to his frame while developing some of the skills the Capitals are looking for, namely more grit and physicality. If he can become more of a complete player this season, his future in Washington looks good.
Ilya Protas
The younger brother of Capitals’ star Aliaksei, Ilya Protas, is becoming a star in his own right after dominating the Ontario Hockey League last season. He finished second in the league, with 50 goals and 124 points in 61 games for the Windsor Spitfires. He also added 25 points in 12 playoff games for good measure.
The Hockey Writers’ Jordan Orth said, “When he has the puck on his stick, Protas has shown that he is more than capable of being an offensive weapon. He maintains possession thanks to his size and patience with the puck.”
After a solid, but not stellar, first North American season in the United States Hockey League in 2023-24, Protas had a breakout campaign in Windsor last year. Many teams that passed on him in his first year of eligibility are cursing their bad luck now.
The 6-foot-5 Belarusian winger just turned 19 in January, but he was not included on the Spitfires’ preseason roster, so there’s a possibility he’ll be spending the season in Hershey, unless he makes the Capitals out of camp. Protas was drafted out of the USHL, so he is not compelled to stay with his junior team another year.
Adding muscle to his frame and playing against bigger, stronger players should be his mission for this season, and if he’s anything like his brother, Capitals fans have cause for excitement. The elder Protas had a breakout year of his own last season, with 30 goals and 36 assists.
Some of the rookie camp attendees will join the Capitals’ preseason training camp, which opens on Sept. 18 at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia. Optimism is high as the Capitals look to build upon their successful 2024-25 campaign. With the offseason departures of Andrew Mangiapane, Taylor Raddysh, and Lars Eller, there should be spots available for these rookies to earn if they show up and compete as expected.
