49ers' D-line resurgence fueled by strength-in-numbers approach

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers' defensive line's belief in each other never wavered despite the loss of a Pro Bowl-caliber teammate and a brutal early-season losing streak.

On the heels of consecutive defeats, the group that long has been viewed as the engine of San Francisco's fearsome defense relied on a handful of new faces to spark its return to dominance.

Veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins -- one of four 49ers players to combine for six sacks on Sunday -- lauded the defensive line's response to adversity while powering San Francisco's 30-13 win over the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium.

"It was a great job, just raising the sense of urgency of what it's going to take to win," Collins told NBC Sports Bay Area. "We were ... I wouldn't say unproductive, but we didn't win the last two weeks, so we just knew we had to get it done. It was collectively, as a team for sure."

Collectively was the theme in Sunday's win, as the 49ers had seven different defensive linemen record at least 10 pass-rushing snaps against the Patriots -- and each of them recorded multiple quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

Defensive tackle Kevin Givens -- who has been with San Francisco since 2019 -- helped fill the massive void of Javon Hargrave's absence, leading the way with 2.5 sacks, four pressures, three quarterback hits and one tackle for loss against New England.

It was Givens' 61st career NFL regular-season game, but the first time he ever had recorded multiple sacks in the same contest.

While Givens' breakout game came as a surprise to some, nobody on the 49ers' defensive line was stunned by the six-year veteran's standout performance.

"Kev always do that, man. Kev is a baller, Kev has been a baller in this league for a long time," Collins said. "He's always there when his number is called. Somebody that is going to run through a wall every time, and he was productive from it."

It's easy for a player to get lost in the shuffle of San Francisco's star power, which often distracts from the bare-minimum floor required to even make it on an NFL roster, let alone become a key rotational cog as Givens has been for half a decade.

"Everybody is here for a reason," Collins said. "Everybody is going to come in and be productive. That's what the expectation is. Kev works his ass off everyday. I expect nothing less."

Givens wasn't the only unsung hero to step into the spotlight Sunday, as rookie defensive tackle Evan Anderson made his presence felt with a forced fumble, a sack and a tackle for loss in his first regular-season NFL appearance.

After being signed as a high-priority undrafted free agent, Anderson quickly made an impression on his teammates as a relentless worker, patiently awaiting his opportunity to climb the ranks of a loaded roster.

"[Evan], he came in here since Day 1, he's always been a worker on the field" Collins told NBC Sports Bay Area's Laura Britt on "49ers Postgame Live" after Sunday's win. "His opportunity was presented to him and he took advantage of it."

Even with the strong group effort, the success of the 49ers' defensive line still starts and stops with Nick Bosa. The All-Pro had his best game of the season Sunday, logging seven pressures and a strip sack, but his leadership and ability to galvanize San Francisco's defensive front are just as impactful as his on-field contributions

"It feels good to get a win," Bosa said Sunday. "But it's such a long year that from an outsider's perspective or online, you’d think the building was burning down. But I told the D-line guys in our meeting last night that we've lost some guys, but I haven't lost confidence in this group one bit, and that's the truth. I think we're going to be just fine." 

Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu echoed Bosa's message following his own strong performance Sunday.

"I feel like we're just scratching the surface," Okuayinonu told NBC Sports Bay Area. "If you see some of the guys in our room and what they can do, man, it's like, 'Woah.' I'm watching these guys in practice every day like, 'Man, I'm playing with some legends. So, to be in that room with those guys, man. You're going to see more during the season. We're just scratching the surface."

After registering eight sacks through three games, San Francisco's powerful showing against New England vaulted the 49ers into a tie for the NFL's fourth-most (14) sacks through four weeks.

It's easy to envision a performance like this springboarding San Francisco's defensive line moving forward, but Collins has been in the NFL long enough to know that's not how this league works.

"I think every week is a new week. You got to keep stacking the days, keep having an intent to get better," Collins said. "The game rewards you going out there and hustling, practicing hard. At the end of the day, you got to go out there and make the plays."

The 49ers clearly have the pieces up front to continue making those plays. The only question that remains is who will step up next.

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast