5 key stats where 49ers offense dramatically improves in 2022

49ers stat improvement No. 2: Starting field position

If being better on first and second downs directly correlates to more production on third downs, finding paydirt in the end zone should directly correlate to having to march fewer yards down the field to get there.

Putting it bluntly, shorter fields equals fewer third-down attempts and less distance traveled. Not hard to understand that.

However, the hand-in-glove nature of the game mandates that any squad’s special teams unit plays complementary football, helping set up the offense for more success.

And in that regard, the Niners were not good at all in 2021.

San Francisco overhauled much of its special teams unit this offseason, including bringing aboard new special teams coordinator Brian Schneider. Many of the 49ers’ free-agent pickups were focused on improving this crucial third phase, too.

One of them, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, boasted a 22.2 kickoff return-yard average a year ago, while also leading the NFL with 367 yards on punt returns.

In contrast, the 49ers’ average offensive-starting field position after punt and kickoff returns in 2021 was on their own 26.9-yard line, fourth worst in the league.

Expect that to change significantly with McCloud in the mix.