If the 49ers are to have success offensively in 2016, it’s no secret that they’ll have to run the football.
If San Francisco can run the ball with Carlos Hyde and Co., it will take the pressure off quarterback Blaine Gabbert and a still-suspect receiving corps. And, in the 49ers’ season-opening shutout victory over the Rams, the 49ers were able to do just that. Chip Kelly’s team ran the ball 42 times for 150 yards and three touchdowns, with Carlos Hyde leading the way. Hyde had 88 yards on 23 carries and two TDs.
Now, however, the 49ers have to travel across the country to take on the defending NFC champions, the Carolina Panthers, a much more talented team than the Rams.
Will the 49ers again be able to run the ball? The stats seem to indicate they can.
The Panthers gave up 148 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in their Game 1, 21-20 loss to the Denver Broncos. The 5.1 yards allowed per rush ranks tied for third worst in the NFL.
Plus, Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com notes that the 49ers’ strength in Week 1 – rushing between the tackles – is the Panthers’ weakness. The 49ers gained 144 yards between the tackles, while the Panthers gave up 5.7 yards per attempt up the middle of the field.
That’s the good news for the 49ers. The bad news is, the 49ers defense – which was excellent against the Rams – will have its hands full against quarterback Cam Newton, running back Jonathan Stewart and a strong running attack. The Panthers ran for 157 yards in their opener. Newton had a rough night throwing, for just 176 yards while being picked off once, but he’s much better than that.
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“Cam is unlike any other quarterback in the league,” Kelly told reporters this week. “He’s a second running back there … It’s like Eddie George that can throw. You know, it’s a tough task for any defense.”
The 49ers are hoping to begin the season 2-0 for the first time since 2012.
Oddsmakers have made the Panthers 14-point favorites for the game, set to kick off at 10 a.m. in the Bay Area.
