Podcast: 49ers Franchise QB Drought →
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports


Is it time to worry about the 49ers running game?

Bobby Horne
Aug 24, 2018 at 1:31 PM


We are two weeks into the San Francisco 49ers' 2018 preseason and they currently have the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL, averaging 421 yards per game.

Sure it's just preseason and stats in the preseason are meaningless but it's still something. Although things seem to be all good on offense by those numbers, the 49ers' rushing attack has been abysmal, accounting for only 182 yards on 53 carries. A 3.4 yards per carry average is not going to cut it in the NFL, even if it is just the preseason.

In both games the running backs have looked lost from top to bottom. Is it officially time to hit the panic button on the 49ers' rushing attack?

I wouldn't say so just yet. One thing that most people agree on is that running backs Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida are going to be getting the bulk of the work in the regular season. In the preseason they have collectively accounted for four carries. Both appeared in the first game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Breida did leave the Cowboys game with a shoulder injury and McKinnon injured his leg in practice, keeping them both out of the second preseason game. Since then it has been reported that McKinnon will sit the rest of the preseason and be ready for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.


In the game in which they both appeared, however, they also did not look good. McKinnon ran for negative yards and Breida had one carry. However, I'm not going to say the 49ers' running game is doomed based on four carries in a preseason game.

There is so much more that goes into what makes a running game work. In most cases a successful rushing attack takes the entire contest to flesh itself out. Can the running backs maintain their style through the fourth quarter when it matters most? Teams will make adjustments throughout the game that could benefit a rushing attack. There just isn't enough evidence to say that the 49ers' running game is of concern at the moment.

Now what is concerning are the injuries that both McKinnon and Breida have sustained. If that becomes a trend during the regular season then the 49ers will have a legitimate concern. That possibility is why I believe they brought in free agent running back Alfred Morris.

Morris is a change of pace RB compared to the rest of the roster who is a bruiser and can be a great short yardage RB. He can fill in when the 49ers need to gain some hard yards and his body is built to take a bit more punishment than that of McKinnon or Breida. This could alleviate some of the hits that they would be taking.

We as fans also have to understand that the 49ers' rushing attack is not going to be "traditional" in any sense. Make no mistake, the RBs in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense are going to be heavily utilized and catch a lot of footballs. But don't expect to see many 100+ yard rushing stat lines with these RBs.

The more important stat to focus on will be "all purpose yards". A more common line we might see this year may be something like this:

Jerick McKinnon: 14 carries, 53 yards / 8 receptions, 62 yards, 1 TD
Matt Breida: 12 carries, 41 yards / 5 receptions, 46 yards

Someone just glancing at the box score on Monday might say, "the 49ers couldn't even break 100 yards rushing with two RBs."

But if you take it all into account, that's 202 yards on 39 touches which comes out to 5.1 yards per touch. That's a solid day by the RBs if you ask me. Now you can start to see how this doesn't fall into "traditional" standards. That's the genius of Kyle Shanahan.

With such a small sample size from the starters and the offense not showing all of its cards in the preseason, there is no reason to panic just yet. If this trend continues through the regular season then it's a different story. Until then, pause the concern.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.


0 Comments

  • No Comments

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News



NFL approves roster exemption for 3rd active QB on game days after 49ers' playoff woes

By David Bonilla
May 22

The NFL has reportedly approved a bylaw allowing teams to have a third quarterback active on game days without teams needing to use a roster spot for them. The NFL bylaw on allowing a third QB to be active without burning a roster spot was approved, per source.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 22, 2023 This would have helped the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game last season. The team's starter,



Eagles' Lane Johnson agrees matchup vs. 49ers would have been "a different game" with healthy Brock Purdy

By David Bonilla
May 24

Lance Johnson fought through injuries to play in the Philadelphia Eagles' three playoff games, including the Super Bowl. The offensive lineman suffered a torn adductor injury late in the regular season but held off on undergoing surgery to participate in the Eagles' playoff run. Johnson was in pain throughout the run, which included an NFC Championship Game win over the San Francisco 49ers. However, the two-time All-Pro wasn't the only one fighting through an injury. Both of the 49ers' quarterbacks suffered injuries in the game. First, Brock Purdy left after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. Then, he was forced to return to the field after his backup, Josh Johnson, suffered a concussion. Purdy couldn't throw the football, though,



49ers' Levi's Stadium, Bay Area officially awarded Super Bowl LX in 2026

By David Bonilla
May 22

The NFL has awarded the Bay Area Super Bowl LX (60). The NFL title game will be played in February of 2026 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the San Francisco 49ers. NBC will televise the event. News that the Bay Area was expected to host the Super Bowl in 2026 was first reported last week by Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal. In March, 49ers CEO Jed York expressed confidence that the team could lure the NFL back for a Super Bowl. Levi's Stadium hosted Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016, a matchup between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina



3 49ers to temper expectations for in 2023

By Rohan Chakravarthi
May 22

The San Francisco 49ers experienced some significant change this offseason, as key contributors like Mike McGlinchey, Jimmie Ward, Samson Ebukam, Charles Omenihu, and Azeez Al-Shaair all departed in free agency, amongst others, leaving holes to fill on the roster. Some areas of need, such as defensive tackle and nickelback, were filled in free agency via the signings of Javon Hargrave and Isaiah Oliver, but several contributors are players on the roster that will have to step up in 2023 with expanded roles. However, there are also players whose expectations should be tempered for heading into the 2023 season, be it for a variety of


Featured

More by Bobby Horne

More Articles

Share 49ersWebzone