One former BYU linebacker had some complimentary words for another former BYU linebacker.
Fred Warner is coming off one of his most impressive performances as a pro, as he made nine tackles (including a tackle for loss) and had a pass deflection and an interception in helping the San Francisco 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-12 on Sunday in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
On Monday, Kyle Van Noy, who’s now with the Los Angeles Chargers, joined the “NFL Total Access” crew on the NFL Network show and talked, at one point, about what he saw out of the back half of the 49ers’ defense.
“The back seven did their thing. The two best linebackers in the league right now in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, they did their thing,” Van Noy said. “Really, really did an excellent job disguising their coverages. ... They really did a good job, A-.”
Warner picked off Dallas’ Dak Prescott on a tipped pass late in the first half with the Cowboys driving inside the San Francisco red zone. His 16-yard return helped set up a 49ers’ drive that ended with a 50-yard field goal on the final play of the half to give San Francisco a 9-6 lead at the break.
In the third quarter, Warner made another play that earned praise around NFL circles.
With Dallas facing a third-and-5 at the San Francisco 40 in a tie game, Warner, in one of the best displays of his pass coverage skills, provided tight coverage on CeeDee Lamb on a pass downfield that ultimately ended up in an incompletion.
Prescott’s shot downfield to Lamb, if completed, would have set up the Cowboys in the red zone. Instead, Dallas punted, and the 49ers later recaptured the lead.