Matt Breida on 49ers 2019 offense: ‘It’s not about the individual’
By Peter Panacy
San Francisco 49ers running back Matt Breida joined the Jim Rome Show this week to talk about the team’s success, head coach Kyle Shanahan and much, much more.
The 8-0 San Francisco 49ers are off to their best start since 1990 and remain the league’s only undefeated team heading into Week 10 of the 2019 season.
While there are plenty of reasons why, the Niners’ potent rushing attack has been pretty critical. During this hot stretch, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s ground attack is averaging 171 yards per game.
And running back Matt Breida, who has 524 rush yards in total so far, is one of the key players in San Francisco’s offensive success.
Breida was a guest on The Jim Rome Show earlier this week, and he was quick to point out just how selfless everyone on the Niners offense has been over the first half of the season.
“It’s not about the individual,” Breida said. “All of us don’t care about our stats or if we go to the Pro Bowl. All of us care just about winning at the end of the day.”
49er’s RB Matt Breida on Kyle Shanahan and the 49er’s offense from The Jim Rome Show on Vimeo.
Perhaps this is best exemplified by the split duties Breida has shared with fellow running back Tevin Coleman, who is behind Breida in the season totals with 355 rush yards, yet has six net touchdowns to Breida’s two.
“I feel like that’s a big reason why all the adversity we went through, playing games like the Steelers when we had five turnovers on offense, but the defense had our back. Things like that have helped us get to this point.”
In his previous two years as head coach, Shanahan’s squad wouldn’t have been able to overcome a five-turnover game. Nor would they have been able to absorb the rash of injuries already suffered over the first half of this season.
Yet the 49ers are undefeated, boasting an inside track to both the NFC West crown and, perhaps, the No. 1 seed in the conference when the playoffs roll around.
Breida wasn’t hesitant to give Shanahan credit, either.
“It’s probably one of the funnest offenses to play,” Breida said of the scheme. “Definitely one of the hardest. But once you learn it, there are so many ways for you to get open, you to get the ball. It’s a dream come true for any receiver, running back, tight end. Even quarterback.
“Things are working out great. Kyle is probably the smartest coach I’ve been around, schematically, coming up with plays and just the way he’s able to decipher defenses.”
And it’s working.
Over their first eight games of the year, the Niners boast the No. 3 scoring offense and are averaging 390.3 yard per game — seventh best in the league. It’s not just San Francisco’s stout defense getting the job done this season.
Meanwhile, Breida and the 49ers will look to keep their 2019 unbeaten streak alive through Week 10, as they prepare for what should be a hotly contested Monday Night Football bout against the 7-2 Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.