49ers’ offensive line will be sternly tested again
The former Arizona defensive coordinator ran a complex scheme the Cardinals kept after he became the Jets’ head coach in the offseason.
The Cardinals’ new defensive coordinator, James Bettcher, was an assistant on Bowles’ staff.
“They bring a lot of exotic blitzes and they take a lot of pride in their different personnel groupings and different fronts that they show,” left tackle Joe Staley said. ...
The 49ers allowed five sacks and their running backs averaged 2.6 yards on 23 carries.
Three of the sacks were a result of left guard Alex Boone, right guard Jordan Devey and right tackle Erik Pears losing one-on-one matchups.
Another sack, however, came after center Marcus Martin, 21, making his 10th career start, left the middle wide open when he moved left to help Boone block linebacker Jarvis Jones.
Heyward’s pressure forced Colin Kaepernick, drifting right, to do a 180-degree spin, a pirouette that finished him with him face-to-face with linebacker Ryan Shazier, who beat Staley with an outside speed-rush.
On another sack, Staley and several other players didn’t move for a full second after Martin delivered a shotgun snap.
[...] Devey, who was acquired in a trade with the Patriots in mid-August, has allowed the third-most quarterback pressures (nine) among guards.
The 49ers will get a boost if center Daniel Kilgore (ankle), who is on the physically unable to perform list, can make his anticipated midseason return.