New Orleans Saints: Three keys to overcome the San Francisco 49ers
By Jason Reed
3. Get creative with the running backs
Alvin Kamara is one of the most talented running backs in the NFL and Latavius Murray has proven to be the perfect complementary piece alongside Kamara to share snaps with. The Saints are blessed with a great running back situation that most teams should envy.
Despite this, it always feels like the Saints could give us a little bit more with the running game. It is lethal most times when Sean Payton goes to it but there are times in which the team can either rely too heavily on the passing game or get rather predictable in the play calls.
The passing game cannot be the focal point for the Saints to beat the 49ers. If the Saints want to win this game they have to be a run-first team. The teams that have had success against the 49ers have implemented this strategy, the Saints must do so too.
The Ravens had their usual big day running the football and put up 178 yards on the ground against San Francisco. The Seahawks garnered 147 yards on the ground, averaging 4.3 yards per carry in their win.
That is the first and third-highest rushing yards allowed by the 49ers in a game this season. The second belongs to the Arizona Cardinals, who picked up 153 yards on the ground and nearly shocked the 49ers in Week 9, only losing by three points.
The Saints do not have the benefit of a scrambling quarterback that those teams have but they do have one of the most dynamic runners in the league. It does not have to be all in running the ball, either, as using Kamara and Murray in the passing game can have the same effect, which is getting either of them in open space to make guys miss.
Next. Drew Brees still has plenty left in the tank. dark
Because as good as the Saints’ offensive line has been, they will not fully stop this 49ers pass-rush from getting to Drew Brees. To limit that, the Saints have to force the 49ers to respect Kamara and Murray first.