49ers regularly inquire about holds vs. Nick Bosa; Why 3 CBs played all 74 defensive snaps vs. Rams

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa earned Pro Football Focus' highest grade during Monday night's win over the Los Angeles Rams. That includes all the players on the field, not just those on the 49ers roster. Bosa finished the game with three tackles, two sacks, and five quarterback hits. In addition, the analytics site credited the pass rusher with nine quarterback hurries and a career-high 14 total pressures.

Even more impressive is that Bosa accomplished all of that while being held for much of the game. That's something that the talented pass rusher is getting used to, though, because it seems to happen weekly.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan, speaking with reporters via a conference call on Tuesday, was asked about the opposition's overly aggressive manner of trying to stop Bosa. Have the 49ers reached out to the league about offensive linemen constantly holding Bosa?

"It's something I've seen a lot with him since he's been here, going back to his first year in the Super Bowl," Shanahan said. "It's always been tough with that. But yeah, we turn everything in every week, and sometimes they agree; sometimes they don't. So that's kind of the [status] quo in anything that has to do with that, and you just hope it improves."

The 49ers had seven players who played all 74 defensive snaps against the Rams. That includes three cornerbacks—Charvarius Ward, Emmanuel Moseley, and Deommodore Lenoir.

Why did the 49ers opt to keep three cornerbacks on the field for the entirety of Monday night's contest?

"If [the Rams] had a fullback, and they did those type of personnels, I'm sure we would get our three linebackers on the field, but that's something they don't really do much," Shanahan said. "So we went into the game expecting it, and we don't really rotate our corners, especially the way they've been playing. And D-Mo did a hell of a job in this game too. He's strung two good games back to back."

The 49ers' two safeties, Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson, also played all 74 defensive snaps. With Jimmie Ward slated to return from his hamstring injury soon, could this be the best secondary the coach has had during his tenure with the Niners?

"I believe it has the opportunity to be," Shanahan responded. "I mean, I think at this time, just how well we're covering on the outside, how [well] our safeties have played together, having the depth of getting Jimmie back, hopefully getting [CB] Jason Verrett (on PUP due to knee) in there, and D-Mo here these last could of weeks has really stepped it up too. I'm not going to say we're there yet, but I do believe we have that opportunity to be [great]. I expect us to be before it's said and done."