The San Francisco 49ers found out the hard way in Week 18 what it was like not to get their offense going against a resolute defense in the Seattle Seahawks, losing a painful bout to decide the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed by a score of 13-3.
Additionally, the Niners found out how a strong defense in tandem with an effective rushing attack can wholly thwart an opponent's chances to come back.
Perhaps head coach Kyle Shanahan can take those lessons into San Francisco's Wild Card matchup on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles, and there's one particular element he can aim to exploit to help the 49ers advance to the divisional round.
Getting their own run game going behind All-Pro tailback Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey was held largely in check by the Hawks defense, rushing a mere 23 yards on eight attempts while adding another 34 yards through the air. But, as good as it is, Philly's own defense isn't quite at the level of Seattle's, and coordinator Vic Fangio's run defense might be the weakness the Niners need to exploit the most.
And there's a good chance it happens.
49ers must rely heavily on Christian McCaffrey to upend Eagles in Wild Card round
Philadelphia boasts a top-five scoring defense, yes. But it'll also surrender yards, particularly on the ground by allowing an average of 4.3 yards per carry -- a middle-of-the-pack figure.
On a per-game basis, the Eagles are surrendering 124.4 yards per game, a figure that ranks 22nd in the league, meaning a McCaffrey-focused offensive attack might be the best means to ensure San Francisco maintains possession but also protects its own weakened and shorthanded defense.
And it's not as if the McCaffrey X-factor is unfamiliar to the Eagles' prospects for winning this bout.
"Got to stop their run, Christian McCaffrey. Being on top of that. I've heard he's been doing a great job since he's been back," Eagles defensive tackle Brandon Graham said, via ESPN's Tim McManus (h/t Inside the Iggles). "We just got to be us, man. bring the energy and play fast on defense and put the offense in a great position. It's going to be field positioning in that game..."
Philly has thrived in low-scoring games, averaging only 22.3 points per contest, meaning the 49ers can play into that figure but have to do so by controlling the clock and denying Philadelphia possessions.
The best way to do that is with McCaffrey, and it might be the lone means to attack Fangio's defense a