The San Francisco 49ers have one of the best offensive linemen in Trent Williams. Also, the 49ers don’t have a great offensive line. These two statements may seem contradictory, but they highlight the complexity of evaluating a football team’s offensive line.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Brock Purdy, the 49ers’ quarterback, has been under pressure on 39% of dropbacks this season. While this percentage is not awful, it is well above the league average. It indicates that the offensive line struggles to provide adequate protection for Purdy.
Despite the pressure, Purdy and the 49ers have excelled against the blitz, leading the league with a 0.42 Expected Points Added (EPA) per play against the blitz, according to Sumer Sports. This statistic suggests that Purdy performs well when the opposing team sends additional pass rushers.
However, PFF also notes that Purdy’s turnover-worthy play rate increases when he is under pressure. This means that when facing a fierce pass rush, Purdy is more prone to making mistakes or forcing throws, which could result in turnovers.
In the upcoming game, the offensive line, particularly McKivitz and the rest of the unit, will play a crucial role in keeping San Francisco competitive. The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best defenses in the league when it comes to pressuring the quarterback. Their 29.2% pressure rate and 31.7% blitz rate ranked second and sixth in the league, respectively, according to Sumer Sports.
The ability of the 49ers’ offensive line to hold off the Chiefs’ pass rush will directly impact Purdy’s performance and the team’s chances of success. If the line can provide adequate protection, Purdy will have more time to make decisions and find open receivers. On the other hand, if the Chiefs’ defense consistently disrupts the pocket, it will put immense pressure on Purdy and increase the likelihood of turnovers.
The complexity of evaluating an offensive line goes beyond the performance of individual linemen. It involves considering the team’s overall effectiveness against different types of defensive schemes and pressures. The 49ers may have one of the best offensive linemen in Trent Williams, but the unit as a whole still faces challenges and needs to perform well against a formidable Kansas City Chiefs defense.
Ultimately, the success of the 49ers’ offense in Super Bowl LVIII will heavily rely on the performance of their offensive line. If they can effectively protect Purdy and mitigate the Chiefs’ pass rush, the team will have a better chance of victory. However, if the offensive line struggles, it could spell trouble for the 49ers’ offense and their chances of winning the game.
