3 biggest worries 49ers must have entering Week 13 vs. Seahawks
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers won’t run the ball easily vs. Seahawks
When these two teams met earlier this season, back in a Week 4 Seahawks victory, the 49ers’ primary objective should have been to run the ball. After all, at least at that point in the year, Seattle was one of the league’s three worst teams in stopping the run.
That since has changed. And in a big way.
Entering Week 13, the Seahawks are allowing an average of just 3.9 yards per rush attempt, which stands at fourth best. And while the Hawks have given up a sizable 1,374 rush yards total this season, a good chunk of that number stems from the Seahawks trailing in games and opponents chewing up clock with the ground game.
Granted, Seattle has been atrocious in time of possession this season, currently last in league standings with an average of 24:09 possession time. Yet with the Niners getting back to a run-first offense and dominating their own time of possession as of late, one has to figure that’s offset a bit by the Hawks’ ability to limit gains on the ground.
Sure, it might end up working in San Francisco’s favor still, as an average of 4 yards per carry should still generate plenty of first downs and afford elongated offensive possessions.
But one shouldn’t automatically assume the 49ers will simply be able to run rampant over the Seahawks in Week 13. That won’t be the case unless it’s purely from a volume standpoint.