Originally posted by ldhampton2s:
BTW, I think Akers will be the difference maker in this one. I think you guys will see a lot of Cam Akers and he's going to be very effective.
I know SF has stopped the run very well here recently, but I think Akers is hungry after those fumbles, and I think he has a huge game. The Akers is you saw in week 18 is not the one you'll see Sunday.
It won't matter. LA's problems in the run game haven't been their RB's against us. They haven't been able to get the edge going and your interior OL can't out-muscle Armstead and Jones or be quick enough to beat them.
McVay doesn't utilize many power-blocking runs. In each of the last 6 games he tried different things. 2019 he started with split zone to slow down the interior pursuit and was effective the first drive. After that we kept the 1 tech in his lane better and scrape exchanged the end, allowing bosa to collapse the cutback on the split zone.
He then tried to use more wide zone while he committed to the run and in the 2nd meeting. Problem was, they couldn't handle the quickness and leverage of our edge guys. They'd attack the outside shoulder of the end man immediately and hold their ground in leverage. That kept LA from extending the edge and spreading open the run lanes.
This also happened in both games this year.
When you guys can't get to the edge or take advantage of the backside 1 tech or DE, the run game is absolute toast. It has to do with McVay's belief that when this happens he'll be able to use the pass to open up the run game.
Harder to do against a team that knows your passing tendencies.
McVay likes passes around the hashes to set up his passing offense. A lot plays off that.
He doesn't have the commitment to variety in the run game that Kyle does. He'll use the entire width of the field in the run game.
[ Edited by jonnydel on Jan 27, 2022 at 7:34 PM ]
