John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Bright Spot: 49ers offensive line offers strong protection in loss to Panthers
Sep 19, 2016 at 10:59 AM
•
Despite the 46-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers offensive line has continued to shine when it comes to pass protection. They gave QB Blaine Gabbert time in the pocket and protected him well. What he did with that time and protection is a difference story as the quarterback completed just five of his sixteen attempts beyond 10 yards, including two interceptions. But the offensive line did exactly what was asked of them in pass protection.
According to advanced statistics site Pro Football Focus, the 49ers offensive line allowed just six pressures throughout the entire game. For the second week in a row, they have performed admirably – a sharp contrast to the unit on display just one year ago.
The top five graded offensive players by
Pro Football Focus were all offensive lineman and the site calls the unit the strength of the 49ers' offense.
"A mauling run blocker with athleticism to match, LT Joe Staley is one of the NFL's best O-linemen," said John Breitenback of
Pro Football Focus. "He allowed just a solitary hurry in 42 dropbacks. Combined, the starting offensive line allowed just six pressures. In addition, four of the five up front earned run-blocking grades of at least 74.6. An offense severely lacking talent can at least be confident of its production in the trenches."
| Top Week 2 Offensive Performances for the 49ers |
| Player |
PFF Grade |
| LT Joe Staley |
84.1 |
| C Daniel Kilgore |
81.6 |
| RT Trenton Brown |
79.5 |
| LG Zane Beadles |
77.5 |
| RG Andrew Ziller |
77.4 |
Despite the strong play in the trenches to protect the quarterback, run blocking has been a different story. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde was able to manage just 34 yards on 14 carries. That's 2.4 yards per carry against the Panthers and 3.3 on the season. Compare that to the 5.4 he was averaging at this point in the season last year.
"What I saw was me not performing well," Hyde said following Sunday's loss. "I come off a good week and then I perform that way, just unacceptable. I have to get better. I have to do better. I have to not put the ball on the ground. I'll get better. I have to."
We reached out to
Pro Football Focus analyst and 49ers media correspondent Jeff Deeney, who feels that the 49ers offensive line has been inconsistent so far this season. "Aside from left tackle Joe Staley, who currently has our highest grade (86.3) among all NFL tackles, the offensive line has been inconsistent through two weeks," Deeney told us. "Although they have faced two of the better front sevens in football to start the year, the line has had a difficult time opening up holes in the running game. Running backs are averaging only 0.4 yards per carry before contact over the first two games."
Other than Staley (84.5) and Andrew Tiller (79.4), no 49ers offensive lineman has graded higher than 47.8 when it comes to run blocking. Backup tackle Anthony Davis has a grade of 60.4, but that is only though three total snaps, all of which were during run plays.
Following the loss in Charlotte, Staley said that the Panthers caught the 49ers offensive line off guard early with what they were doing. "They had a good plan for us," said Staley. "We'll be ready and we got to go back on Monday and fix everything."
| Stats through 2 Games |
| |
2015 |
2016 |
| Sacks allowed |
6 |
2 |
| Rushing yards |
211 |
122 |
| Passing yards |
500 |
413 |
The 49ers still have a lot to work on as the season progresses. For the team's quarterbacks, defensive pressure can no longer be used as an excuse for poor play.
The 49ers are preparing to face the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday, September 25.
More San Francisco 49ers News
Brandon Aiyuk discusses strong chemistry with 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo
By David Bonilla
Jul 30, 2021
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was among the first players to work with Trey Lance after the San Francisco 49ers drafted the quarterback. The two had the same speed trainer and were in Orange County together, so they got together. Lance immediately impressed the second-year receiver.
"Every single day, he was there, ready to work, no matter what he had going on," Aiyuk shared with reporters on Friday. "So, just the character of the kid, as a young kid, I just saw that early on."
While Lance to Aiyuk could be a staple of the 49ers offense for years to come, the receiver figures to catch most of his passes this season from a different quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo is
Kyle Shanahan says no change to 49ers' QB plans after Trey Lance's strong practice
By David Bonilla
15 hrs ago
Trey Lance was impressive on Tuesday. It may have been his best practice of training camp. The San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback completed all 13 of his passes during team drills before his final throw, intended for wide receiver Richie James, fell incomplete. Lance even had a beautiful deep touchdown throw to Trent Sherfield that wowed teammates, the media, and fans. However, most of his passes on the day were shorter throws.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan insists that the team's quarterback plans haven't changed. A few practices aren't going to change that. Jimmy Garoppolo is the starter, and Lance will serve as his backup.
Shanahan was asked if Lance's outing on Tuesday was the type of performance that might convince him that the No. 3 overall pick deserves
Why analyst doubts 49ers QB Trey Lance's chances for Offensive Rookie of the Year
By David Bonilla
Jul 26, 2021
Right now, DraftKings has San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance tied with Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris for the third-best odds (+800) to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors during the upcoming season. Only Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (+300) and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (+750) own better odds.
While NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein is high on the No. 3 overall pick, he isn't buying into the hype when it comes to the quarterback's chances to be named the NFL's best rookie. Any 49ers fans who have been listening to what the team has said this offseason will certainly
2019 49ers vs. 2021 49ers, Part 1 (Offense)
By Marc Adams
Jul 23, 2021
How well do the 2021 49ers stack up to the 2019 team?
Lately I have listened to some podcasts and read some tweets comparing the current San Francisco 49ers team (2021) to the 2019 team that fell just short of winning the Super Bowl. I find the comparison interesting. And since many people quickly assume the 2021 49ers are not as good as the 2019 team, I wanted to take a look for myself. So as we prepare for the team to report on Tuesday, let's compare the two teams, position by position. For the purpose of this very scientific experiment, we will assume everyone is healthy (even though that never happens). Let's start on offense. The defensive comparison is coming soon.
Offense
Quarterback:
