"Their young, patchwork defense so glaringly lacks playoff experience that defensive coordinator Robert Saleh recently summoned a couple of veterans to explain the playoff mindset that's required going forth. Safety Ji'Ayir Brown spoke up, having intercepted Patrick Mahomes as a rookie in the Super Bowl two seasons ago (spoiler alert: the 49ers lost). Veteran Clelin Ferrell also talked, having reached last season's NFC Championship Game with Washington but also having missed the 2023 49ers' postseason because of a knee injury in the regular-season finale."
"Disclaimer: Fred Warner has started 12, and no one is officially ruling out a comeback next month while he rehabilitates from October's right-ankle surgery. I'm really just stressing to the guys we have to be desperate, because in the playoffs, ain't nobody going to lay down for us, Lenoir said. We can't make the small mistakes. Everything has to be on point. We have to hit the ground running."
"Saleh brought us to the sideline and was saying, Stop panicking,' linebacker Dee Winters said. We are a young defense. We have all the confidence in the world, so Saleh just pulled us aside and kind of told us to play our brand of football. Once we got settled in and the three-and-out, we built some momentum and won the game."
The 49ers clinched a playoff berth after the Detroit Lions' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The defense lacks playoff starting experience, so coordinator Robert Saleh summoned veterans Ji'Ayir Brown and Clelin Ferrell to convey the playoff mindset. Brown and Deommodore Lenoir are the only active defenders with prior playoff starts. Fred Warner is rehabbing a right-ankle injury and could return. Lenoir emphasized desperation, error-free play, and starting fast. After allowing two early Colts touchdowns, Saleh calmed and mentored the defense. Linebacker Dee Winters intercepted a pass and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown to seal a 48-27 win.
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