SUDDEN IMPACT
Bosa’s play reminiscent of early days of Warriors’ Green
Is Nick Bosa the 49ers’ Draymond Green?
Before Green arrived, the Warriors’ defense was five guys leaking out for a fastbreak. Or simply taking a break. Coach Don Nelson finally gave up all pretense of caring about defense, officially turning that chore over to an assistant coach, as if to say, “You’re in charge of the doughnuts.”
Coaches Mark Jackson and then Steve Kerr preached a new defensive emphasis, but it was Green who brought the monster to life with his aggressiveness, intelligence and personality.
Bosa isn’t Draymond yet, but he’s off to a promising start. In the 49ers’ 313 win over the Browns on Monday night, the rookie defensive end wreaked enough havoc to earn himself NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
The entire 49ers defense is greatly improved, Bosa is just one part of the new deal. But he has become the poster dude for the 49ers’ new brassery and badassery.
Cornerback Richard Sherman said that he can play more aggressive pass coverage, knowing the wideout he’s covering might want to make another move or two but, “Then you see Bosa all over the quarterback. What else is he going to do? Either you’re going to throw it, or you’re going to eat it and take a sack.”
One similarity between Bosa and Green: Neither got the memo about rookies coming into the league quietly, respecting their elders and keeping a low profile.
Green was the mouth of the Warriors — on the court, in the huddle, with the media — long before he even became a starter. Bosa is not afraid to speak up. He taunted Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield during the game Monday, then bragged about it afterward.
Likewise on the field, there’s nothing tentative about Bosa.
Could it be that Bosa’s father John, a former NFL player, and older brother Joey, advised Nick that there’s no need to tiptoe into the league?
“Yeah,” Bosa said Wednesday, when asked if his plan was to walk into the NFL like he owns the place. “Definitely come in with confidence. It’s the same game we’ve been playing our whole lives; shouldn’t be afraid of anybody or any task. I just came in with the same confidence that I’ve always had.”
Bosa is already a player the opposition has to scheme for. Since he’s new, there’s always the possibility that he has weaknesses that will be discovered and exploited. Bosa said he’s not worried about that. What are the other teams going to do, doubleteam him?
“Yeah, but like I’ve said before, (extra attention) can’t really last too long, because you’ve got three other guys who could get to the quarterback, so if they want to chip me and slide (extra blockers) to me, it will free up Arik (Armstead, the other defensive end) oneonone on a guard. I’ll take that every day.”
And memo to opposing scouts: It’s possible Bosa hasn’t shown his entire repertoire. “I have more,” he said. To Green, defense is chess. The physical stuff is important, but it’s also about moves and countermoves and thinking ahead. Bosa said he won’t reveal much about his strategy, but indicated he does certain things early in the game which “opens up my fastballs that I throw later in the game.”
Like Green, Bosa seems unconcerned that he might talk himself into trouble. You speak your mind, then go play the game, then speak your mind some more. If you’re a fraud, you will be exposed soon enough. But Sherman, for one, doesn’t see that happening to Bosa.
“This is one of the best teammates you could ask for, and he’s been that way since Day 1,” Sherman said. “On the field he’s a monster, he’s a monster. He’s getting there and he’s just dominant. He’s trustworthy, he’s reliable, he’s everything we hoped he could be when he was drafted.”
Monday’s mauling of the Browns and Mayfield was personal for Bosa. Two years ago, when Mayfield’s Oklahoma team killed Bosa’s Ohio State team, Mayfield rubbed it in, dramatically jamming an Oklahoma flag into the Ohio State turf at midfield.
Bosa got payback Monday, with two sacks and five hits on Mayfield. Bosa pantomimed a flag planting, then he planted an actual 49ers flag, then he threw shade on Mayfield in the postgame.
Will Bosa have trouble getting that skyhigh for future opponents who don’t have Mayfield at quarterback? “No, I’ll be fine,” Bosa said. Somewhere, Green is nodding his approval.