Chip Kelly’s three years as the Eagles head coach saw the team’s defense on the field for more plays than any other team twice and they finished second in the other season, which has led to complaints from some players about the impact that his uptempo offense has on the other side of the ball when they go three and out quickly.
Kelly is with the 49ers now, but the team’s defensive leader isn’t worried about the potential for an increased workload in 2016. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman says there’s a simple solution for the defense when the offense is on and off the field in a hurry.
“Nah, I think people are blowing it out of proportion,” Bowman said, via NFL.com. “I think any defense you play in, if your offense is getting off the field quicker than you gotta get off the field quicker. You gotta hold yourself to that standard.”
The 49ers defense had an issue getting off the field quickly in 2015. The average drive by an opposing offense was three minutes, which ranked 32nd in the league, and they played the sixth-most plays in the league. Whatever the pace of the offense, an upgrade in talent and execution on defense is going to be necessary for the 49ers to get back on track.