49ers rush defense
 

The 600lb gorilla in the room that doesn't get mentioned is: How many teams the 49ers play have (3) three quality runnings backs active on gameday?

Each of them bring something different; PT is great at breaking tackles and turning a loss into a big gain; plus he is excellent running the screen play.

Chris Ivory just runs over people and had the speed to get into the secondary quickly.

Darren Sproles is faster than greased lightning and doesn't need a big hole from the offensive line to make a big game.

Plus, the Saints can rotate them in and out so they don't get tired.

SF may keep anyone of them from gaining a 100 yds, but they won't all three of them.

38-17 Saints!!!

Great point and this is where New Orleans wins the game .... sure, pundits of the NFC West division champs will argue, "but SFran didn't allow a rushing touchdown until Wk #13, 14, 15" or whatever, but who does it with more style and panache then the Saints? You can't stop 'em all, and combined, they will get their hundred yard game, bet ... plus a few TDs in that redzone that SFran is so proud of defending.

..... just sayin'. Thought I'd throw that out there before the FortyNiner Faithful latch onto this thread ..... you may now return to your regular program .....

go Saints.

Won't go anywhere without holes to run through.

This is a test for our O line.

I love a good O/Line thread because I don't care what people say, the game is won or lost right there. They could take away all the backs, offense & defense, and just play a big scrum out there for 60 minutes and I'd still be a fan.

Bushrod, Nicks, Evans .... with Stief and de la Puente in support .... I'd say they pass that test.

give 'em beef, Saints.

No doubt. They are tough, tough against the run. We just have to keep feeding the ball to keep their d from pinning their ears back and coming after Drew. They are a very good run D though, and there simply is no denying that

Don't forget Jed Collins. His ability to snuff the initial tackler and clear the gap will be key.

Here is another weird thing I realized last night, about their rushing D and statistics. Basically, I read on a 49ers forum, they were boasting that in the first six games of the year, 5 of the first 6 major running backs they played against, did not finish the game because of injury. Which is sort of a grim "1970s Oakland Raiders" type statistic. I'm not taking that lightly -- no doubt they are a mean and physical defense, against the run. But basically what it ALSO kinda means is that, large portions of many of their games were played against scrub or backup backs, instead of it being a stat reflecting their defense standing firm against the other team's star RB the whole entire game. Not taking anything away from their ranking, they are very very good, just an observation. Whatever that's worth, perhaps it's just a byproduct of how good they are, but NOT playing whole games against certain first-string running backs early in the year, definitely helped make their numbers better/higher.

Obviously I don't want anyone to get hurt, but the thing the 49ers will have to reckon with against the Saints, is that even if God forbid, one of our backs goes down, the Saints still have other healthy backs to turn to, and the drop off in quality between them is not as severe as it might be with many other teams around the league. Ivory at 4th string, could easily be a starter on many teams aroud the NFL. Plus the thing of rotating them and keeping them fresh, the Saints backs won't wear down like most conventional teams who have one WORKHORSE all-day back who does all the heavy lifting.

". . . the Saints backs won't wear down like most conventional teams who have one WORKHORSE all-day back who does all the heavy lifting."

The 49ers don't have the luxury of giving their best run defenders a break; they will be not only be facing rested Saints RBs, they will also be fighting off the Saints monster O-linemen!!

The 49ers defender will be so tired their a$$es will be sucking buttermilk, they won't be able to get much of a pass rush against Brees, and we know what that will result in!!

Looking back on it, I think that during the 1:15 winning drive at the end of the last Frisco game, the 49ers D was very tired and worn down. They fumbled that punt, and that kept their D on the field a long time. Then their O scored too quickly, against last year's weird and sloppy Saints D. And then in the last drive, the Niners had no time outs, and Drew just absolutely picked the gassed Niner defense apart, in a surgical passing way. The unrelenting pace the Saints kept up on that final drive was far too much for the Niner D to handle.

I'd like to see some no-huddle offense starting late in the 3rd qtr.

Really.

Alaska

Despite the 49ers having the home field advantage, there is a reason that the Saints are now favored by 4. There is no offense in the NFL that is as good as the Saints.
It would be hard to argue that there is a better offensive line in the NFL than the Saints.
It would be hard to argue that there is a better TE in the league than Graham.
It would be hard to argue that there is a better group of RB's in the league than the Saints.
It would be hard to argue that there is a better group of WR's in the NFL than the Saints.
It's almost impossible to prove that there is a better QB in the league than Drew Brees.

Screw stats. The 49ers are extremely outmatched here and since the Saints won the Superbowl less than 2 years ago, experience favors the Saints by far. Not only that, the Saints are en fuego right now. Tomorrow we'll see gold digger flambe'.

we will see after the game. i say the saints will have to pass to open up the run in first half

I agree, I mean I dont care who the hell they played against- 77 yards a game is a telling stat. They are good against the run, but.. we might force them into more nickel packages, which could help our running attack.

I couldn't get a bandwagon fan to take me up on my offer. That 77-yard stat is propped up somehow, but stats put me to sleep so I'll just wait and let P.T. break the 77 barrier with Ivory on his heels.

Having wickets to explode tomorrow will make this game much more interesting.

Alaska

I am not going to be mad if we rush for two hundred yards, but you can't prop up 77 yards a game man. come on now, knock it off, lol.

Good thread. Can't play today. Bro is in town.

Gold digger flambe'. LOL.

Luv'in it.

Not too worried. Brees can attack the gap between LB's and DB's as well as anyone in the league.

We'll force them to drop back by hitting that seam with Colston and Graham. Moore would have been huge for this strategy but oh well.

I look for Drew to play "pick your poison" all game long. If they cheat up, throw right behind them.

If they play back, run.

Today's NFL is all about the QB. We got one, they don't.

Really true! If we keep them to 20 or less, we win, almost without a doubt. The more they score above that the less likely our chances. I think those numbers are inversely proportionate. lmao

I also think that our packages and ability to pass could force them into more nickel, which will assist our run game too!! Which goes back to your point about Drew

In the run game I would much rather have 3 backs that could gain 60 to 70 yards each than 1 back than gets 100 yards a game. Our O-line is the best in the league and highly capable of getting our rb.'s open holes all game long. We are capable of slugging it out with the 9'ers, beating them at their own game. That would be interesting. It could also open up endless possibilities all game long.

I wonder how much of their success against the run was because they faced a lot of really bad QB's and could afford to keep 8 in the box most of the game, forcing bad QB's to try and beat them.

I am sure that plays a part to some extent, certainly. The Giants have a good pass game, and they kept running the ball, but went no where. Like 3. some odd per carry.

Our pass game though has to give us some edge in running the ball if it is successful. 3.8-4.2 yards per would make me very happy

the 49ers don't play 8 in the box, period. they have shut down the run game with the front 7 all year long. best front 7 in football.

Interesting fact- against the 6th best run d (atlanta) and the 11th (minny) we rushed for over 160 yards. Atlanta gave up 97 rypg, and minny 107!

Good info.

You can stack the box with 7 also. Its called playing the run 'cause the QB is crap.

how do you "stack the box" with 7 guys? they play a 3-4 defense. unless they're in nickel every play has 7 guys in the box. in fact this goes for every teams base defense.

You cheat up to play the run. "Stacking" may not be the correct term, but you get the point.

i really don't get the point. the linebackers are already "in the box". how would they cheat up? the OLB's play on the line of scrimmage just like every other 3-4 defense. and the MLB's play 5-6 yards off the ball, again just like every teams MLB. your really not making any sense.

The defense is focusing on run 1st, then pass, like every defensive alignment can do. They can move closer to the line as the ball is about to be snapped or stay pu or drop back.

All teams do it when expecing the run, 3-4 or 4-3, it doesn't matter.