Defenseless
49ers’ Sherman rants on NFL offenses
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The way Richard Sherman tells it, defenses may as well not even show up for today’s passfriendly NFL, seeing how rules are “making it impossible” to stop the record-breaking offensive show.
And yet there was Sherman on the practice field Thursday in a surprise return from his Sept. 23 calf strain.
Sherman looks capable of ending a one-game hiatus and playing for the 49ers (1-3) on Sunday when the winless Arizona Cardinals (0-4) arrive with rookie quarterback Josh Rosen.
With or without Sherman, the 49ers defense, like any other, is more prone for failure than ever. Four games into the NFL season, records have been set for points scored (3,030), touchdowns (344) and touchdown passes (228).
“This is what the league wanted. They want record passing numbers,” Sherman said. “You’ve got an average quarterback passer rating like 92. That used to be Hall of Fame numbers. Now that’s the average quarterback.”
Sherman wasn’t done with his rant, adding:
“You can’t touch ‘em, You can’t tackle ‘em. You can’t hit ‘em high. You can’t hit ‘em low. You can’t knock them to the ground hard. If you push them too bad, all that’s a penalty.
“You can’t hit a receiver high, you can’t hit them low, you can’t push them, you can barely press them. It’s making it really difficult for teams to combat them.
“Every rule in the book is designed to make sure you don’t get them stopped.”
Sherman reiterated his social-media suggestion that quarterbacks should simply wear flags so pass rushers can grab those instead of risking roughing penalties.
A week after 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Sherman could miss a couple games, the marquee cornerback said that’s “not the case in my eyes,” not after he’s recuperated the past 10 days in the “fresh legs program.”
If Sherman returns, who sits? Jimmie Ward had started in his place, but he could shift to right cornerback, where Ahkello Witherspoon’s starting spot appears no longer his. Greg Mabin relieved Witherspoon in Sunday’s 29-27 loss to the Chargers and immediately impressed with a tackle and forced fumble on his first two snaps.
Sherman said Mabin’s play was a carryover from “amazing” practices, and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh noted the former practice-squad player has “earned the right to at least be part of the rotation with playing time.”