Niner Noise
FanSided

Winners, losers from 49ers Week 11 home win vs. Cardinals

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Tight end Ross Dwelley #82 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Emmanuel Sanders #17 after scoring a four yard touchdown reception against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of the NFL game at Levi's Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Tight end Ross Dwelley #82 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Emmanuel Sanders #17 after scoring a four yard touchdown reception against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of the NFL game at Levi's Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Running back Tevin Coleman #26 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes the football past linebacker Chandler Jones #55 of the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Running back Tevin Coleman #26 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes the football past linebacker Chandler Jones #55 of the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Loser: Running Back Tevin Coleman

One of the reasons why Jimmy Garoppolo threw so much on Sunday was due to the Cardinals taking away the Niners running game.

With running back Matt Breida out with an ankle injury, fellow runner Tevin Coleman was asked to shoulder the majority of the offensive load on the ground. And just like how both the Cardinals and Seahawks defended in Weeks 9 and 10, the defensive approach against head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense was to take away the running game.

It worked.

Coleman was held to just 14 yards on 12 carries, averaging a paltry 1.2 yards per attempt. As a result, Shanahan was forced to rely almost solely on Garoppolo’s arm and the hope his cast of receiving targets would provide enough playmaking abilities.

Granted, Coleman was essentially a victim of Arizona’s defensive standpoint. But until the 49ers can establish serious and consistent threats through the air, one can expect the Niners to face plenty more seven- and eight-man fronts against players like Coleman and Breida.