He has eight touchdowns to one interception, stats that certainly could improve Sunday in the absence of 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, who will miss the game because of a calf injury. The 49ers have struggled defensively in large part because of the lack of a pass rush. The Chargers also are averaging 5.5 yards per rush, a figure topped only by Dallas and San Francisco. But led by linemen Solomon Thomas, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, the 49ers are the 10th-best defense in the league against the rush. Thomas, Buckner and Armstead were first-round draft picks out of the Pac-12.

Source: Los Angeles Times September 30, 2018 12:22 UTC