Niner Noise
FanSided

5 stats where the 49ers actually performed well in 2017

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates his touchdown against Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates his touchdown against Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Rushing Touchdowns

15 — Seventh in the NFL

The 49ers may have been a pass-first offense, as they finished 2017 ranked second in overall attempts (607) compared to 22nd in rush attempts (408).

But when it was time to find pay dirt in the end zone, the ground game saw the majority of action.

San Francisco ended up finishing in a tie for seventh, with 15 touchdowns coming by the way of the running attack. These 15 scores accounted for exactly half of the Niners touchdowns on the season.

Not surprisingly, running back Carlos Hyde led the team with eight touchdowns — all on the ground. Yet Hyde will be a free agent this offseason, so one can raise questions how the 49ers will find that kind of production elsewhere in 2018.

This mark is a positive, for sure, but it also opens up question marks about San Francisco’s red-zone efficiency.

Despite the rushing-TD factor, the Niners still finished with the NFL’s 27th-ranked red-zone offense, according to TeamRankings.com.

We’ll dive into statistical areas needing improvement later, but perhaps this particular stat number suggests some problems in the passing game within opponents’ 25-yard lines.

Still, it’s good to know the Niners were able to muster some production on the ground when needed.