Week 18's loss to the Seattle Seahawks revealed just how vulnerable the San Francisco 49ers are defending against the run.
Yet the Philadelphia Eagles, the Niners' opponent over Wild Card weekend, aren't particularly great at defending the run either despite boasting an elite defense.
Both teams boast Offensive Player of the Year running backs, San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey and Philly's Saquon Barkley. Yet neither has exactly wowed rushing over the course of the season. McCaffrey, despite his 1,202 yards on the ground in 2025, averaged just 3.9 yards per carry -- his lowest figure since joining the 49ers back in 2022.
Barkley, a year removed from an unreal 2,005-yard campaign on the ground, hasn't fared much better, rushing for just 1,140 yards and averaging 4.1 yards per attempt.
So, that prompts the question: Which tailback outperforms the other on Wild Card weekend?
It's a hard one to answer.
Christian McCaffrey vs. Saquon Barkley might easily determine Wild Card winner
Barkley's own struggles stem from several sources, the biggest of which might easily be Philadelphia's offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, who hasn't exactly demonstrated a reputation for getting the most out of an offense rife with playmakers this season.
Meanwhile, CMC's own challenges on the ground were likely skewed by the 49ers' massive rash of offensive injuries, including quarterback Brock Purdy missing eight games, which allowed opposing defenses to hone in on one of the Niners' few consistently available weapons, McCaffrey.
Either way, Sunday's showdown might simply boil down to which running back outperforms the other.
"He's one of the best to ever do it, to be completely honest," Barkley said of McCaffrey ahead of the Wild Card showdown at Lincoln Financial Field, via Dan Dempster of NBC Sports Bay Area. "He's definitely going to be a challenge for our defense, but the defense is definitely up for the task."
McCaffrey should be excited about the fact the Eagles allowed 124.4 rush yards per game, 24th best in the league over the course of the regular season.
But that doesn't quite overshadow the fact San Francisco's own defense is allowing 4.3 yards per rush, 20th best, and was gashed for a whopping 180 yards by the Hawks last Sunday, giving up a staggering 4.6 yards per carry.
Whoever takes advantage the most might end up being the true X-factor in determining whether the 49ers or Eagles advance beyond Sunday's playoff tilt.