SANTA CLARA – Talk to anyone about Jim Johnson's Philadelphia Eagles defense and one word is raised again and again: blitz.
"You never know who's coming," said 49ers safety Michael Lewis, a frequent blitzer in the five years he spent with the Eagles. "He's not afraid to put nine guys in the box and blitz guys and leave his (cornerbacks) on islands. He tries to create confusion for the offense."
Said linebacker Takeo Spikes, another former Eagle: "He's the type of coordinator (who) if he sees any indication from any prior games that you couldn't handle the blitz, then you pretty much have to expect that. … That's his mentality."
In a way, Johnson is the mirror of 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Both men have aggressive, attacking approaches. And both place the potential for big plays over that of possible losses.
"You just have to understand that they're … going to make some plays on you," Martz said. "Because they're real good at what they do and they're a good football team. You're going to have yours, too."
The clash of risk takers creates one of today's more intriguing matchups.
Martz's offense has allowed a league-leading 20 sacks this season while the Eagles' defense is tied for first in the NFL with 18 sacks.
But San Francisco also has taken advantage of teams that bring more than four pass rushers. The 49ers are tied for fourth in the league with 21 plays of 20 or more yards. That's in large part because quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan has been accurate on his long throws, completing 11 of 20 attempts of 20 or more yards.
"We always feel pretty good about the pressure as long as guys are making the right decisions," Martz said. "And as long as there's no confusion or hesitation then it usually is a pretty good thing."
Johnson's attacking style also stands out in comparison to San Francisco's defense.
So far this season the 49ers have relied heavily on their "Big Sub" package, which calls for five defensive backs. The scheme is designed to thwart the opposition's passing attack and prevent big plays.
In the last two weeks, however, it has done neither well. And it has struggled badly in third-down efficiency, an area in which Johnson's blitzing style excels.
So far this season, the Eagles have forced 18 three-and-out drives and have allowed only three 10-play drives, fewest in the NFL. The 49ers, by contrast, allowed four 10-play drives in last week's loss to New England.
Still, Spikes insisted the 49ers are beginning to forge their own defensive identity.
The 49ers are tied for fourth in the league with seven interceptions, two of them by Spikes.
"When people look at us, I think we definitely have an identity," Spikes said. "But it's not as consistent conception-wise as we want."
Read Matthew Barrows' 49ers blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
