The 49ers are giving up 5.6 rushing yards per attempt and 158 rushing yards per game through two playoff games. Those are disgusting figures.
The 49ers won’t win the Super Bowl if they don’t improve their run defense.
The 49ers are giving up 5.6 rushing yards per attempt and 158 rushing yards per game through two playoff games. Those are disgusting figures. During the regular season, they would finish utterly last in the NFL.
However, the 49ers have some options for improving their run defense.
They must first pack the box with eight defenders. The 49ers have used two deep safeties in seven-man boxes to stop deep passes throughout the entire season. The run has been able to exploit these defenses with great ease. They will be destroyed by Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco if they play light seven-man boxes against him.Now that Tyreek Hill is out of the picture, the Chiefs have no reason to play two deep safeties. Their offensive isn’t quick enough. Pacheco’s the best weapon they have. Stop him and make their wide receivers beat man-to-man coverage.
Second, when the Chiefs use two or three tight ends, the 49ers must abandon the Wide 9 front. The Chiefs are no longer an offense that uses one tight end and three wide receivers, but the Wide 9 is still effective against those teams. They will prevail if they achieve their goal of winning the battle of the trenches. The 49ers have to occasionally play a five-man line and have done so in the past. It’s efficient and has Javon Kinlaw at nose tackle.
In the end, the 49ers need to play with real intensity. It’s astounding that the players acknowledged not giving it their all in the last two games.
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