SANTA CLARA — The way Richard Sherman tells it, defenses may as well not even show up for today’s pass-friendly NFL, seeing how rules are “making it impossible” to stop the record-breaking offensive show.
And yet there was Sherman on the practice field Thursday in a surprise return from his Sept. 23 calf strain.
Sherman looks capable of ending a one-game hiatus and playing for the 49ers (1-3) on Sunday when the winless Arizona Cardinals (0-4) arrive with rookie quarterback Josh Rosen.
With or without Sherman, the 49ers defense, like any other, is more prone for failure than ever. Four games into the NFL season, records have been set for points scored (3,030), touchdowns (344) and touchdown passes (228).
“This is what the league wanted. They want record passing numbers,” Sherman said. “You’ve got an average quarterback passer rating like 92. That used to be Hall of Fame numbers. Now that’s the average quarterback.”
Sherman wasn’t done with his rant, adding:
“You can’t touch ’em, You can’t tackle ’em. You can’t hit ’em high. You can’t hit ’em low. You can’t knock them to the ground hard. If you push them too bad, all that’s a penalty.
“You can’t hit a receiver high, you can’t hit them low, you can’t push them, you can barely press them. It’s making it really difficult for teams to combat them.
“Every rule in the book is designed to make sure you don’t get them stopped.”
Sherman reiterated his social-media suggestion that quarterbacks should simply wear flags so pass rushers can grab those instead of risking roughing penalties.
A week after Coach Kyle Shanahan said Sherman could miss a couple games, the marquee cornerback said that’s “not the case in my eyes,” not after he’s recuperated the past 10 days in the “fresh legs program.”
If Sherman returns, who sits? Jimmie Ward had started in his place, but he could shift to right cornerback, where Ahkello Witherspoon’s starting spot appears no longer his. Greg Mabin relieved Witherspoon in Sunday’s 29-27 loss to the Chargers and immediately impressed with a tackle and forced fumble on his first two snaps.
Sherman said Mabin’s play was a carryover from “amazing” practices, and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh noted the former practice-squad player has “earned the right to at least be part of the rotation with playing time.”
— HEALTH CENTER: Left tackle Joe Staley (right knee) remained on a side field doing agility drills with trainers while several other injured 49ers returned to practice in limited fashion, including right tackle Mike McGlichey (knee), center Weston Richburg (knee), wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (hamstring), running back Matt Breida (shoulder) and safeties Adrian Colbert (hip) and Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder).
— GETTING DEFENSIVE: Constant shuffling in personnel at linebacker and in the secondary has keyed the 49ers communication issues and blown coverages, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said.
“What needs to be great is the ability to communicate. That has to accelerate,” Saleh said. “When one person is gone, the next person has to come in and elevate his ability to communicate so there is no hitch in the defense. So, when you’re having all the mixing and matching, especially between the two safeties and the two linebackers, communication is where it hurts.”
Linebacker Reuben Foster took accountability for his multiple mistakes through two starts after serving a two-game suspension. That included a communication breakdown with Witherspoon that left Antonio Gates uncovered on a touchdown catch Sunday.
“I’m hard on myself when it comes to me messing up and I’ve got to come here Monday to watch the film and look at the disgust, knowing I can do better,” Foster said.
Foster will make his 2018 home debut Sunday. What kind of difference will that home crowd have for the defense? “The crowd noise gets the offense offbeat, and it gives us an adrenaline rush knowing we have that gold and red out there screaming for us to go out there and be some sharks.”
