Another setback for promising LB Lawson

SANTA CLARA — Linebacker Manny Lawson’s increased role in the 49ers’ defense will have to wait.

Lawson has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots due to a hamstring strain. When he returns to action, he should get more playing time, 49ers coach Mike Nolan said.

“As we go forward, Manny will play more and more,” Nolan said Wednesday. “Manny’s a good player and we need to get him on the field, no question. We’ll get him on the field.”

Lawson was a first-round pick in the 2006 draft. He was among the 49ers’ better defensive players in the first two games last year before a knee injury sustained in practice ended his season.

But Lawson has been a bit player on defense this season. He has been the first linebacker to come out of the game when the 49ers go with extra defensive backs. He did not play a snap of defense in a Week 2 victory at Seattle, as the 49ers played the entire game with extra defensive backs.

Veteran Takeo Spikes, who has been a three-down linebacker his entire career, remains in the game with the 49ers go with five defensive backs. Spikes leaves when the 49ers bring in a sixth defensive back, leaving Patrick Willis as the only linebacker.

Lawson’s playing time has been limited because of the emergence of other players on the defense, Nolan said.

Starting defensive end Ray McDonald has an increased role, allowing Parys Haralson and Roderick Green to line up at the defensive end (or outside linebacker) spots in pass-rush situations. Justin Smith remains on the field for all three downs, too.

The use of the 49ers’ substitute packages has come under scrutiny this season because of Lawson’s declining role in the defense. Yet, when the 49ers went with extra defensive backs against the Seahawks, the result was impressive.

Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had the worst passer rating of his career despite the 49ers’ pass rush being virtually non-existent. He completed just 18 of 36 passes for 189 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the 49ers’ 33-30 overtime victory.

“When you have a good game, you like what you did,” Nolan said. “The disappointment of the day (against the New Orleans Saints) had more to do with the explosive passes than anything else. It wasn’t a scheme issue.”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns Sunday in a 31-17 win over the 49ers. Again, the 49ers played primarily with five defensive backs and two linebackers.

Nolan pointed to some technical mistakes the 49ers made in the secondary against the Saints. Cornerback Nate Clements playing press coverage on a third-and-13 and getting beat deep. And safety Michael Lewis failed to go up to contest a deep pass despite being in good position.

“If you stay in base when they go to three wide receivers and you have a lot of confidence that Takeo Spikes can cover (Patriots slow receiver Wes Welker), then you try to do that,” Nolan said. “In our case, I’d like to think we have a better matchup with a defensive back. (It’s) a standard throughout the NFL. It’s a matchup issue. That’s all it really is.”

EXTRA POINTS

Quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan is an unabashed Steve Young fan. Young will get his No. 8 retired Sunday in a halftime ceremony. O’Sullivan grew up in Sacramento and regularly attended 49ers training camp in Rocklin.

When asked if he ever got Young’s autograph, O’Sullivan answered, “Sure.”

How many? “Multiple times.”

Tackle Jonas Jennings (shoulder) and cornerback Shawntae Spencer (knee) have been ruled out for this game. Spencer is lost for the season after undergoing surgery last week. The 49ers have not placed him on injured reserve because there is nobody they could add who would be active on game days, Nolan said.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick expects to see more gimmick plays with direct snaps to a running back. Miami running back Ronnie Brown exploited the Patriots defense on Sept. 21 in the Dolphins’ 38-13 victory.

Brown carried three times for 69 yards and a touchdown, threw a 5-yard scoring pass and handed off to Ricky Williams twice for 31 yards off direct snaps.

“I think we have to be ready for it down the road,” Belichick said. “(Frank) Gore has done it. A lot of teams have that formation or some element of it, and we obviously didn’t do a very good job of defending it.”

For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at 49ers.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at 521-5492 or matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com.