Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
The San Francisco 49ers have dominated through three games this season, outscoring opponents 92-42 en route to a 3-0 record, which only has been matched by two other teams in the NFL thus far.
Through three games, the 49ers have started strong, forcing opponents to implement more of a pass-heavy approach, while their opponents haven't been strong rushing teams as well.
In Week 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers threw the ball 46 times, rushing just 10 times in a 30-7 loss to San Francisco. The Los Angeles Rams had 55 passing attempts and 22 rushes in Week 2, while the New York Giants had 33 passing attempts to 11 rushes in Week 3.
That strategy will likely flip in Week 4, when the 49ers face the Arizona Cardinals, who gashed the Dallas Cowboys on the ground in their 28-16 victory last week, rushing 30 times for 222 yards, with lead back James Conner leading the way with 98 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts.
In a way, the 49ers will face their first true test on the ground against the Cardinals and new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, and head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed to agree on Thursday, acknowledging the threat that Arizona possesses on the ground.
"[Our run defense] has been good so far, but you're right," Shanahan said in reference to a reporter. "I don't think we've been challenged a ton in it. I think our biggest challenge will be this week and just what you mentioned going ahead, I think it'll only get stronger. So, we've got our work cut out for us, we're well aware of that. They've been committing to it, they've been blocking it well, and the runner has been running hard and they got a quarterback element that always makes it a problem. So we've got to be on our stuff this week."
The 49ers could see a significant transition in offensive approach from opponents in the coming weeks, as they face the Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, and Cleveland Browns in consecutive weeks, who all operate with balanced or more run-heavy attacks.
Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks shared praise towards the Cardinals rushing attack as well, pointing out Conner's success this season, as well as the schematics that Petzing has utilized thus far on the ground.
"I think number one, Conner runs the ball hard, very determined guy, makes a lot of people miss after contact," Wilks said in reference to the Cardinals' strengths on the ground. "And again, the offensive line doesn't get enough credit. They do a great job with their gap schemes, opening up holes, getting on the perimeter, getting to the second level. So, they create a lot of problems."
While the 49ers enter the game as two-score favorites, they will need to mitigate the rushing efforts from the Cardinals to see the same level of success they've encountered thus far.
"We got too many weapons": 49ers defense very confident in offense
By David Bonilla
Dec 3
The San Francisco 49ers will undoubtedly rise to the top of most—if not all—power rankings this week after their 42-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. It will be hard to find anyone who doesn't view the Bay Area squad as the Super Bowl favorite after 13 weeks of NFL play.
San Francisco is proving to be a balanced team, equally impressive on offense and defense. Even 49ers defenders are in awe of the firepower on the offensive side of the football.
"I think the offense showed what we capable of when we're fully healthy," cornerback Charvarius Ward said in the locker room after the game.
Tough assignment: How Nick Bosa and the 49ers defense limited Jalen Hurts
By David Bonilla
9 hrs
On Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers defense adopted a different approach against the Philadelphia Eagles. It involved a typically aggressive-minded defensive line being ... well ... less aggressive.
The unit has had its problems when facing mobile quarterbacks, often struggling to bring down elusive signal-callers, resulting in surrendering some embarrassing numbers.
They wanted to avoid that while facing Jalen Hurts, an MVP candidate who has amassed an impressive 2,328 rushing yards and 38 rushing touchdowns in his four NFL seasons. This time, the strategy was containment. The primary objective was to prevent Hurts from exploiting the 49ers with his legs, even if it meant sacrificing potential sacks.
Passing up aggressively pursuing a quarterback can
It wasn't that long ago that everyone was trying to figure out what was wrong with the San Francisco 49ers' defense. Desperately searching for answers, the team even seemed willing to yield to media pressure, relocating defensive coordinator Steve Wilks from the coaching box to the sidelines during games following its bye week.
After struggling through three consecutive losses, the 49ers have won three straight since the adjustment. The defense is playing lights-out football, conceding only 30 total points over the last three games, a notable improvement from the 72 points allowed during its three-game skid.
As of Sunday morning, San Francisco's defense stands as the league's stingiest, permitting a mere 15.5 points per game. This marks a remarkable turnaround
No Huddle Podcast: 49ers Thanksgiving Revenge And Philly Week
By Site Staff
Nov 27
(Episode 289) - Brian Renick is joined by Jason Aponte, the host of the Sprint Right Option podcast and also a Niners Nation contributor. The guys react to the Seahawks' win, the biggest takeaways on offense and defense, the NFC playoff picture, and Philly week!
The audio for the show is embedded above. Don't forget to subscribe!
You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on
