After Brock Coyle was asked to replace linebacker NaVorro Bowman, he made a mistake: He tried to replace NaVorro Bowman.
On Oct. 15, two days after the 49ers released Bowman, Coyle felt the weight of filling his All-Pro cleats and initially appeared to be playing in quicksand. In the first half of a 26-24 loss at Washington, quarterback Kirk Cousins targeted Coyle and completed five passes to a running back for 111 yards and one touchdown.
It was a rough start, by any standard, but it made sense, in a way. Allow the 49ers’ inside linebacker and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to explain.