SANTA CLARA — While things have not gone according to plan across the board for the 49ers this season, Cris Collinsworth recognizes one area where the team has made a dramatic improvement.
Collinsworth, the lead analyst for "Sunday Night Football" on NBC, highlighted the defensive backfield ahead of San Francisco's Week 8 game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium.
“Everybody wants to play man coverage, and I think the 49ers have the ability to match up against almost anybody now,” Collinsworth told NBC Sports Bay Area. “And maybe that’s something they wouldn’t have done in the past.”
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Rookie Renardo Green replaced veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom last week in nickel situations. In those passing situations, Green entered the game to join Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward.
“Renardo Green has made a huge difference back there,” Collinsworth said. “Lenoir back there, Ward back there, it gives them three legitimate man coverage kind of guys.”
Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes had the worst statistical game of his career last week — though he still made enough winning plays in a 28-18 win over the 49ers. Mahomes completed 16 of 27 passes for 154 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 44.4.
Collinsworth said he believes the 49ers’ defensive backfield is trending in a positive direction.
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Green was in pass coverage on 22 snaps, and Mahomes threw his way only two times, according to PFF. Kansas City caught only one pass with Green in coverage as tight end Noah Gray came up with a 26-yard reception.
“It’s a good defense that’s going to be a lot better as Green comes in, too, because now they have the capability and we saw it a little bit against the Chiefs,” Collinsworth said. “The whole game comes down to third down and 5 every single week and who wins those battles.”
Collinsworth was also generally impressed with rookie safety Malik Mustapha, who has taken over in the starting lineup with Talanoa Hufanga out indefinitely with a wrist injury.
Mustapha made some big hits in the game but Collinsworth shook his head about a fourth-quarter play in which Mahomes leveled him at the goal line on a 1-yard touchdown scramble.
“I could not believe the way he played a week ago,” Collinsworth said of Mustapha. “It was exciting to watch — kind of like Hufanga and the way he played. It’s so physical, until he got to Patrick Mahomes.
“I’m like, wait a minute, is this the same guy who’s been wiping people out all day and he gets run over by the quarterback? What the heck happened out there?”
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