There’s one very distinct problem facing the San Francisco 49ers’ offense so far in 2024.
Thanks in part to an injury to running back Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers are struggling to create explosive plays the way they did last season. As a result, San Francisco has been forced to churn out longer scoring drives in 2024.
Last season through two weeks the 49ers generated 15 explosive plays (20-plus yard passes and 10-plus yard runs). That’s the same number they’ve generated this season.
However, nine of their 15 explosives last season came on the ground with two of them going for 50-plus yards. This season just six of their 15 explosives have come on the ground with none of the runs eclipsing 24 yards.
Three of the 49ers’ explosive plays went for touchdowns last season, all of them runs. McCaffrey ripped off a 65 yarder in Week 1 and a 14-yard touchdown dash in Week 2. Deebo Samuel had an 11-yard touchdown in Week 2.
This season only one of the 49ers’ explosives has gone for a touchdown – Jordan Mason’s 10-yard run against the Vikings.
The 49ers in 2024 have six explosive runs that have accounted for a total of 91 yards. That’s an average of 15.2 per explosive carry. That average pales in comparison to what they did last season. In Week 1 alone they had 121 rushing yards on five explosive rushes. In Week 2 they had four such runs for 93 yards. In total they averaged 23.8 yards per run on nine explosive carries.
One of the results of the lack of explosives is an uptick in plays needed to score touchdowns.
In 2023 the 49ers had six touchdown drives in their first two games. One of them was a two-play drive, three were seven-play jaunts, one was nine plays, another was 11.
Without McCaffrey their TD drives dipped to just four through two weeks. One was a five-play drive against the Vikings. It’s not a coincidence that series featured their two longest plays of the game – a 28-yard pass to Samuel and a 22-yard run by Mason.
San Francisco’s other three TD drives this season have been 11 plays, 12 plays and 12 plays.
This is something they’ll need to figure out quick. Sustaining long drives is something the 49ers are good at, but it’s neither efficient nor conducive to racking up points.
Samuel and George Kittle’s absences in Week 3 won’t make life easier for the 49ers. They’re responsible for one-third of the team’s explosives in 2024.
Perhaps we see more of rookie running back Isaac Guerendo in hopes his speed leads to some home run plays. Rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing is also electric with the ball in his hands and may need touches to provide an offensive spark.
There’s more than one problem for San Francisco to iron out this season, but generating explosive plays has to be at the top of the list. Without those it’ll be an uphill climb on offense all year.
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