For an NFL team to go five straight weeks without a rushing touchdown to open the season, you wouldn't expect them to have a winning record, much less be in first place of their division.
However, that anomaly belongs to the San Francisco 49ers. The current NFC West leaders entered Week 6 with a 4-1 record and a shot at the best record in their conference when they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Unfortunately, an 11-point loss exposed the Niners in more ways than one. Despite key injuries to position players on both sides of the ball, including a devastating season-ending injury to linebacker Fred Warner, San Francisco is struggling in one particular area where player performance is the bigger issue rather than player health.
Mac Jones' numbers in Week 6 show the 49ers offensive line is weak
With Brock Purdy sitting out again for San Francisco, backup Mac Jones took to the field once more. He came into this game undefeated to date, and with six touchdown passes to his lone interception thus far, Jones looked on pace to be capable of carrying his team to victory.
Jones managed to throw for a season-high 347 yards on Sunday. It's the second game in a row on the road in a row in which the former New England Patriot quarterback recorded more than 340 yards.
In his first three game with the 49ers, Jones was sacked a combined five times. In Week 6, the offensive line failed to protect the four-year veteran as he was sacked six times by the Buccaneers.
Though Jones threw for almost 100 yards more than Tampa Bay's quarterback, Baker Mayfield, the former also made 10 more completions than the Buccaneers' ball thrower. The six sacks that the 49ers' offensive line gave up cost San Francisco 52 yards.
Tampa Bay recorded 10 quarterback hits on Jones, including two each from defenders Vita Vea and Yaya Diaby. Diaby tallied two of those six quarterback sacks, as well.
San Francisco's offensive line has been called into question before. Against the Bucs, the 49ers finally scored their first offensive rushing touchdown, which makes fans wonder why it took so long and whether or not the O-line has been effective enough in run support.
Veteran offensive lineman Trent Williams is closer to retirement than another mega-deal. Second-year player Dominick Puni appears to have regressed, while center Jake Brendel is a liability.
Even rookie Colby Jones had played 348 snaps before Week 6. He has allowed three sacks and been tagged with three penalties.
It appears as if the Niners are finally paying for not investing more heavily in the O-line in recent years, and the Bucs game showed why.