How the 49ers Can Make Their Offense More Explosive

Opposing defenses work so hard to stop the 49ers run game that they leave themselves vulnerable to big plays through the air.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers had one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL last season.

They had 75 passes that gained at least 20 yards last season -- tops in the NFL, which is impressive, considering their starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, doesn't exactly have a strong arm. Opposing defenses work so hard to stop the 49ers run game that they leave themselves vulnerable to big plays through the air.

And that's because the 49ers running game is explosive, too. Christian McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the NFL, and he gets to run behind Trent Williams and George Kittle, two of the best blockers in the NFL. That's why when the 49ers ran to their left last season, they had eight runs that gained more than 20 yards and three runs that gained more than 50.

But when the 49ers ran to the right in 2023, they had just three runs that gained more than 20 yards and zero runs that gained more than 50. Which means the 49ers running game was decidedly unexplosive when right tackle Colton McKivitz was at the point of attack.

Considering how much opposing defenses have to sell out to defend the 49ers' runs to the left, the 49ers should be able to create huge plays to the right using counters, reverses and outside zone runs. And the 49ers did have big running plays to the right when Mike McGlinchey and Tom Compton were the right tackles. But not with McKivitz, because he's not as quick as those two.

The 49ers offense would be so much more explosive if they had a better right tackle.