Don’t let the 49ers’ win over the Seahawks overshadow what’s at stake for Nick Sorensen next week against the Chiefs.
Sorensen is having a rough start to his first season as a defensive coordinator. He replaced Steve Wilks, whom the 49ers fired after just one season because he let the defense drop from first to third in points allowed.
This season under Sorensen, the 49ers rank 14th in points allowed. They’ve given up 21.7 points per game, up from 17.5 points per game under Wilks in 2023. And the 49ers haven’t faced many high-powered offenses, yet.
Next week, Sorensen will have to face Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes for the first time as a defensive coordinator. When Wilks faced the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Wilks held them to 19 points through four quarters and 25 points including overtime. And then the 49ers fired him a few days later.
Can Sorensen hold the Chiefs to fewer than 20 points in four quarters? He couldn’t even hold the Seahawks to fewer than 20 points this past Thursday night, and their quarterback is Geno Smith, who’s nothing special.
So far through six games this season, Sorensen hasn’t shown the ability to confuse opposing quarterbacks or pressure them consistently. He’s simply relying on the talent of his players, which is why the 49ers defense has underperformed.
The Chiefs are one of the most difficult teams in the league to beat when they’ve had an extra week to prepare. Sorensen better be ready.
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