Niner Noise
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4 biggest challenges 49ers will face in Week 7 bout vs. Colts

By Peter Panacy

Ahmad Bradshaw #44 of the Indianapolis Colts against the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Ahmad Bradshaw #44 of the Indianapolis Colts against the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

No. 2: 49ers face a serious threat in Colts RB Jonathan Taylor

With poorish weather conditions impacting both teams’ offenses, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 49ers and Colts focus as much effort as they can on the ground game.

This could potentially be a problem for the Niners anyway, as Indy running back Jonathan Taylor has already risen to become one of the top rushing producers in the league this season, currently ranking fifth best in the NFL with an average of 5.4 yards per carry. Even more impressive is the fact Taylor, the Colts’ second-round NFL Draft pick from a year ago, has an additional 210 receiving yards this season, making him the epitome of a lethal dual-threat weapon.

Taylor is coming off an impressive 145-yard, two-touchdown rushing effort against the lowly Houston Texans a week ago. And while San Francisco’s defense is much more potent than that of the Texans, it’s more than evident this will be a challenge defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans needs to win.

Perhaps the 49ers cheat towards the box or utilize some big-nickel packages to counter Taylor’s threat.

Either way, he has to be limited as much as possible.