Pass rushers are extremely coveted in The National Football League as they are known to make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. In 2011, Jim Harbaugh became the head coach of The San Francisco 49ers and his first draft pick was used on University of Missouri defensive end/outside linebacker Aldon Smith. In his two seasons at Missouri, Smith recorded 16 sacks. Smith blossomed in his first season in The NFL as his 14 sacks earned him The Professional Football Writers Association’s Defensive Rookie of The Year Award. Smith helped The Niners reach The NFC Championship Game last season for the first time since 1997 as San Francisco had the fourth best defense in The NFL.
This season Smith has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump as his 19.5 sacks lead The NFL over fellow young defensive studs such as J.J. Watt of The Houston Texans and Von Miller of The Denver Broncos. With three games remaining in the regular season, Miller is on pace to break former New York Giant defensive end Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record of 22.5. Smith’s season has been highlighted by a 5.5 sack performance in The 49ers 32-7 victory over The Chicago Bears in Week 11 on Monday Night Football. Smith’s 33.5 career sacks in his season-plus are an NFL record as he will look to add to that mark this week against The New England Patriots. In The Niners last seven games, Smith has recorded at least one sack in each game. Over the stretch, San Francisco’s record is 6-1. Overall defensively, The Niners are second in total defense this season and their 38 sacks are fifth in the league.
Smith’s ability to rush the quarterback brings two names to mind in Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and former 49ers and Cowboys defensive end Charles Haley. Ware is in his eighth season and he has already totaled 110.5 career sacks. Haley was a fourth-round pick of The Niners in 1986 from James Madison University as he is the only man in NFL history to win five Super Bowl Championships. All three men are in the range of 6’4″, 250 lbs., with an innate ability to rush the quarterback. Smith appears to have longer arms than Haley and Ware, but Harbaugh and 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio have done a good job of lining Smith up at different positions which doesn’t allow offenses to get a fix on him. Smith has played both defensive end positions as well as multiple linebacking assignments which allows him to almost “freelance” as a pass rusher.
A 49ers victory over The Patriots on Sunday night combined with a Seattle Seahawks loss will give San Francisco The NFC West Title for the second consecutive season. If The Niners are going to make another run in the postseason, it will hinge on Smith’s ability to rush the passer. In two playoff games last season, Smith recorded two sacks as the big stage of January football is not daunting to the native of Greenwood, Mississippi. In a very short period of time Smith is making a name for himself as an elite pass rusher. At this rate in several years we will not only link Smith’s name to Ware and Haley, but to Hall of Famers such as Derrick Thomas and Lawrence Taylor. The sacks are good for Smith, but his ultimate goal is to help The 49ers hoist up The Vince Lombardi Trophy at The Super Bowl.
Leave A Comment