3 stats 49ers must improve upon in Week 3 vs. Packers
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers must defend the run better, more consistently
The 49ers had a tale of two defenses between Weeks 1 and 2, with the Lions gashing the Niners to the tune of 116 yards on the ground and 4.8 yards per carry. In Week 2, San Francisco surrendered 151 rush yards and allowed an average of 5.2 yards per attempt. Although it’s important to acknowledge Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts picked up 82 of those yards, and Aaron Rodgers won’t be anywhere near that big a rushing threat.
Still, the cumulative efforts for the 49ers defense have resulted in an average of 5.0 yards per carry allowed thus far, which ranks 28th worst in the league.
This is potentially problematic in Week 3.
While the focus will be on stopping Rodgers, Packers running back Aaron Jones might be the primary threat here. Especially after his four-touchdown game against Detroit in Week 2. And while three of those came through the air, another facet the Niners have to deal with, it’s important to note the 26 year old holds a 5.1 yards-per-carry average over his five-year career.
Stopping Jones and lowering that defensive yards-per-carry average should be a top priority for defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, hopefully setting a tone that’ll carry over beyond Sunday’s contest, too.