Niner Noise
FanSided

5 stats the San Francisco 49ers need to improve in 2018

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers prepares for the snap in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Chicago Bears 15-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers prepares for the snap in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Chicago Bears 15-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Red-Zone Touchdown Efficiency

There’s one problem not even quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo seemed to solve on offense last year — the red zone.

Even after Garoppolo’s emergence, San Francisco still ended up finishing 2017 with the NFL’s 27th-best red-zone efficiency rating (touchdowns scored just over 47 percent of the time), per TeamRankings.com.

That’s not good. Especially when you consider the offensively challenged Cleveland Browns and New York Giants both had better results in this category.

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Part of the problem was a lack of a true red-zone threat. As Niner Noise’s Chris Wilson broke down last year, and wide receiver Louis Murphy was the team’s tallest at 6-foot-2.

Tight ends are typically key weapons in this area of the field, and the 49ers’ tandem of George Kittle and Garrett Celek combined for six touchdowns a year ago. That’ll help, but the lack of red-zone weapons surely puts an emphasis on offseason plans heading into this season.

Next: Biggest winners, losers before NFL free agency starts

Whether it be on the ground or through the air, arguably the biggest key to San Francisco’s 2018 success will be how well it performs within opponents’ 25-yard lines.