Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers, Breaking Down Team’s Strengths, Liabilities in 2016

By Peter Panacy

October 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers center Daniel Kilgore (67) prepares to snap the football during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
October 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers center Daniel Kilgore (67) prepares to snap the football during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 7
Next
Oct 11, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) carries the ball as New York Giants outside linebacker Mark Herzlich (94) defends during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Giants won 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) carries the ball as New York Giants outside linebacker Mark Herzlich (94) defends during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Giants won 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports /

Strength: The Ground Game

Head coach Chip Kelly will be utilizing an inside-zone offensive scheme, which plays right into the hands of No. 1 running back Carlos Hyde.

Hyde slimmed down during the offseason in the hopes the lost weight will prevent his nagging foot injury from becoming an issue once more this year. Fans are still waiting for the former Ohio State standout to truly “break out” and reach the potential he showcased in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings last year.

Contrary to some thoughts, Kelly’s offense won’t be a pass-happy one. According to NBC Bay Area’s Doug Williams, the running game will be the primary feature. He wrote:

"A common perception of Chip Kelly’s wide-open, fast-paced attack with the Philadelphia Eagles and at the University of Oregon is that it’s a pass-oriented scheme. Yet the stats show it’s primarily a ground-centered offense."

An effective running game will help the 49ers maintain possession and ensure the team’s defense gets the rest it needs — a major concern with any Kelly-led team operating with an uptempo offense.

Fortunately, Hyde is the exact player Kelly can maximize to ensure the potential for success is there.

Hopefully, Hyde stays healthy and has a good crop of backups to spell him when needed.

Next: Stopping the Run