In our latest series of 49ers Film Room, we break down the \u201cWide Nine\u201d technique and its effect on the San Francisco 49ers\u2019 2019 defense, including how Nick Bosa and Dee Ford fit into the Niners\u2019 new scheme.<\/h3>\n

We begin our 49ers Film Room series on the wide-9 technique by reviewing the basics of the defensive alignment, and identifying when 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has utilized the \u201cWide Nine\u201d on early downs during his first two seasons in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Stop me if you\u2019ve heard this before: After another disappointing season on the defensive side of the ball, the San Francisco 49ers are making significant changes to their defensive scheme this offseason. Many of these changes stem from new defensive line coach Kris Kocurek<\/a>\u2018s preferred use of the \u201cWide Nine\u201d which has quickly become the hottest \u2014 and perhaps least understood \u2014 football buzzword for football fans in the Bay Area.<\/p>\n

The Wide-9 Technique<\/h3>\n

If you don\u2019t know what a \u201cWide Nine\u201d defense is, you\u2019re not alone. As opposed to a specific type of defense, \u201cWide Nine\u201d simply refers to the wide-9 technique, or the far-outside alignment, of one or both of a team\u2019s edge rushers.<\/p>\n

When a defensive end or outside linebacker lines up in a standard 9-technique, he lines up across from the tight end\u2019s outside shoulder. In the \u201cWide Nine,\u201d the edge defender lines up wider than a normal 9-tech, outside of the tight end\u2019s direct field of vision, and at an angle facing the quarterback. If there\u2019s no tight end on the line of scrimmage, the EDGE lines up in a similar fashion with respect to the offensive tackle. This is also referred to as a \u201cGhost Nine\u201d technique, and is utilized by many NFL defenses \u2014 including the 49ers \u2014 on obvious passing downs. However, during his time as the defensive line coach in Detroit and Miami,\u00a0Kocurek used the technique in a wide variety of situations:<\/p>\n

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49ers and the Wide-9 on Early Downs<\/h3>\n

Throughout his two seasons as San Francisco\u2019s defensive coordinator, Saleh has frequently used \u201cGhost Nine\u201d defensive ends to attack the quarterback on passing downs. Saleh also utilizes \u201cGhost Nine\u201d or \u201cWide Nine\u201d edge rushers in many of his five-man fronts<\/a>, but it is extremely uncommon for the 49ers to use wide-9 defensive ends in four-man fronts on early downs \u2014 but that is about to change in 2019. One of these rare situations is when an opposing offense lines up with 12 personnel<\/a> in an Ace formation:<\/p>\n

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With two tight ends on the field, the Detroit Lions\u2019 offense has eight holes along the offensive line for running back Kerryon Johnson<\/a> to potentially attack, so the 49ers have eight gaps to fill. Defensive end Solomon Thomas<\/a> lines up in a 6-technique to control the C-gap and to slow a potential release from now-49ers tight end Levine Toilolo<\/a>, as strong safety Jaquiski Tartt<\/a> drops down to handle the D-gap. On the opposite side, 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead<\/a> lines up in a wide-9 across from Lions tight end Michael Roberts<\/a>. This allows SAM linebacker Mark Nzeocha<\/a> to slide inside into an improved position to fill the C-gap or pursue a run from the backside, while maintaining the ability to cover the slower Roberts if the Lions pass the football:<\/p>\n

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The Lions motion wide receiver Marvin Jones<\/a> toward the formation as the ball is snapped on this inside zone run, but by the time the wideout can make contact with Tartt,\u00a0Toilolo, who receives no assistance from right tackle Taylor Decker<\/a>, is tossed to the side by Thomas. Thomas knifes in to make the play in the backfield but can\u2019t bring down Johnson, who is quickly cleaned up by\u00a0Nzeocha and fellow linebacker Fred Warner<\/a>:<\/p>\n