It’s impossible to ignore Raheem Mostert’s historic production

Raheem Mostert is playing like an all-time great running back.

Raheem Mostert’s emergence over the last three weeks has buoyed a struggling 49ers run game. It’s not the first time he’s flashed as a productive NFL running back, but now he’s leaving the 49ers’ coaching staff no choice but to play him.

With Tevin Coleman struggling and Matt Breida dealing with an injury, Mostert has become an integral part of the rushing attack. He’s responded to the opportunity with 35 carries for 260 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and three touchdowns, along with five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

[lawrence-related id=644658,638994]

His three touchdowns have come in each of the last three games, including one against the Ravens when he set career highs in carries (19) and yards (146).

His 29 carries the last two weeks are his most ever in a two-game stretch.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the touches aren’t going away as long as Mostert keeps producing.

[lawrence-related id=645977]

“Raheem’s earned it over these last few weeks,” Shanahan said. “I mean, how many games can you go and how many years can you go averaging six yards a carry, somewhere in there? I mean, we keep trying to balance it out and stuff, but what Raheem has done these last few weeks and has continued to do, we need to give him more opportunities. He’s given us no choice. I’m happy for him and it’s been great. He’s been extremely impressive.”

Mostert is averaging 6.0 yards per carry on 102 attempts. Only 27 players have ever averaged 6 yards per carry on 100-plus rushes over the course of a season, and 11 of them were quarterbacks.

[lawrence-related id=649897]

This is proving to be more the norm than a flash in the pan for the former undrafted free agent. His numbers in three seasons have been eye-popping despite inconsistent work.

Since Shanahan arrived in 2017, Mostert has 899 yards and five touchdowns . on 142 attempts. That’s good for 6.3 yards per carry. Only five other players have ever done that in their careers: Michael Vick, Tavon Austin, Bobby Douglass, Randall Cunningham and Percy Harvin. Mostert is the only running back in that group.

[lawrence-related id=649635]

Shanahan said part of the reason for Mostert’s success is his speed, and teams’ inability to adjust to it:

“Well, he’s faster than most people and I think sometimes it’s a little bit deceptive,” Shanahan said. “I mean, you see guys who have an angle on him and all of a sudden, they just don’t. I don’t know if they don’t know that he’s that fast, because our other guys are fast too. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but when you do it week in and week out, I mean, it’s time for people to notice. I mean, he’s been pretty damn good and he needs some more opportunities because he’s making the best of it.”

Mostert didn’t enter the season with a big role on offense, but he’s played his way into one just in time for the most important stretch of the year.

[lawrence-related id=650247]

Jimmy Garoppolo was very good vs. Ravens’ blitz

Jimmy Garoppolo repeatedly beat the Ravens’ blitz-heavy scheme.

The Baltimore Ravens had a plan for Jimmy Garoppolo. They were going to blitz the 49ers’ quarterback effectively every time he dropped back. Perhaps the only thing that kept Garoppolo from a big game through the air was the rain-soaked conditions at M&T Bank Stadium.

Baltimore sent extra rushers at Garoppolo on 84 percent of his drop backs Sunday according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Garoppolo finished the game 15-of-21 for 165 yards and one touchdown overall. Most of that productivity came against the blitz thanks to the sheer volume of them dialed up by Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

Per Wagoner, Garoppolo went 12-for-18 for 149 yards and a touchdown when the Ravens brought pressure. He was three-for-three for 16 yards when Baltimore didn’t blitz. The offensive line, tight ends and running backs deserve some credit for their quarterback’s production. They did a nice job in blitz pickup and bought him enough time to unload some money throws in a close game.

It wasn’t all good though. Garoppolo was sacked twice on blitzes and his crucial incompletion on fourth-and-1 late in the fourth quarter came with extra pass rushers bearing down on him. Those were the only sacks of the game for Baltimore.

Chances are the Ravens’ blitz-heavy game plan came partly as a result of trying to stop the 49ers’ rushing attack. They ripped off 6.0 yards per carry on 29 attempts Sunday.

Garoppolo on Sunday was good for the most part and didn’t seem impacted by the rain. However, he did have a few throws that appeared to get away from him, and the 49ers’ 25 drop backs may have been influenced by the downpour.

The good news for Garoppolo is that the blitz-heavy scheme didn’t adversely impact him much. It would’ve been bad news if the book on Garoppolo was to simply throw blitzes at him. The fact he handled that pressure on the road in the biggest game of the year is a positive step toward getting the signal caller ready for postseason games.

Welcome to the Raheem Mostert show

Raheem Mostert should see more time after his huge showing Sunday.

Raheem Mostert might be the key to unlocking a 49ers run game that’s was relatively dormant the four weeks prior to Sunday’s loss in Baltimore. While the 49ers fell 20-17, Mostert shined on a dreary East Coast day that was muddied by steady rain throughout the contest.

Mostert ran it a career-high 19 times for a career-high 146 yards and a touchdown. It was his second-consecutive week with a score – the first time in his career he’s had touchdowns in back-to-back games. His 146 rushing yards were the most by a 49er since Carlos Hyde hung up 193 on the Jets in 2016 according to a release from the team.

[lawrence-related id=649897]

This may become a trend down the stretch for San Francisco. With Tevin Coleman struggling (49 carries for 122 yards) the last five games, and Matt Breida nursing an ankle injury that’s forced him to miss the last three, Mostert could see more action thanks to his health and relatively fresh legs.

Going into Sunday, Mostert had just 73 carries for the season. He’s up to 92 and he’s been remarkably efficient in those rushes. His 92 attempts have produced a team-best 5.9 yards per carry. He’s up to 6.3 yards per carry in 133 attempts with the 49ers.

With Breida set to return soon, it’s unlikely San Francisco turns to Mostert as a workhorse back. They also need him on special teams where he’s a tremendous asset in coverage.

[lawrence-related id=649926]

On the other hand, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get more work going forward. He’s been terrific at getting to the edge and finding chunks of yards after turning the corner. He showed Sunday he’s capable of doing more than running outside. His touchdown run against the Packers came on an inside handoff as well.

The 49ers thrive offensively thanks to their ability to put a slew of high-quality playmakers on the field. They’re at their best when the run game is running at a high level. Mostert allows them to check both of those boxes, and he may be a much-needed late-season spark for the 49ers offense in the thick of the playoff race.

[vertical-gallery id=649958]

49ers stats from 36-26 win over Cardinals

The 49ers stuffed the stat sheet Sunday against Arizona.

The 49ers stuffed the stat sheet on both sides of the ball in their 36-26 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.

It’s impossible to gain the complete context of a game through just the stats, but San Francisco’s numbers do provide some insight into how Sunday’s game went. Here are their offensive and defensive numbers from Week 11:

Passing

Jimmy Garoppolo: 34-of-45, 424 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs, 115.4 rating

Garoppolo was terrific Sunday save a pair of red zone interceptions that nearly led to the 49ers’ demise. He’s doing a nice job getting the ball out quickly, and he’s doing better about finding his check downs when there’s nothing open down the field. If he eliminates the inevitable two or three bad mistakes each game, he has a chance to be elite.

Rushing

Tevin Coleman: 12 carries, 14 yards
Raheem Mostert: 6 carries, 13 yards
Jimmy Garoppolo: 1 carry, 7 yards

Arizona sold out to stop the run both times they played San Francisco. That becomes easier with George Kittle out of the game, but the lack of productivity from this group is reaching a concerning level. Getting a healthy Matt Breida should help some, but San Francisco can’t survive on 19 carries for 34 yards moving forward.

Receiving

Deebo Samuel: 10 targets, 8 receptions, 134 yards
Kyle Juszczyk: 7 targets, 7 receptions, 63 yards
Richie James Jr.: 1 target, 1 reception, 57 yards
Tevin Coleman: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 48 yards
Emmanuel Sanders: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 33 yards
Kendrick Bourne: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 31 yards, TD
Jeff Wilson Jr.: 1 target, 1 reception, 25 yards, TD
Raheem Mostert: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 14 yards
Ross Dwelley: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 14 yards, 2 TDs
Marquise Goodwin: 2 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards

Samuel was the hero with his career-best performance while George Kittle was sidelined and Sanders was hobbled by a rib injury. Wilson’s catch came on his lone offensive snap of the game, and Dwelley came through with a pair of touchdowns in the starting tight end spot for Kittle. It’s not the most high-profile group of pass catchers, but the 49ers found a way to get big-time production behind Samuel and Juszczyk, who quietly had a terrific day.

Defense

Fred Warner: 12 tackles, TFL
Dre Greenlaw: 10 tackles, TFL
Jimmie Ward: 6 tackles, 1.0 sacks, PBU
K’Waun Williams: 4 tackles
Emmanuel Moseley: 4 tackles, PBU
Jaquiski Tartt: 3 tackles, FR
Richard Sherman, 3 tackles, PBU
Nick Bosa: 3 tackles, TFL, QBH
Dee Ford: 2 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 2 TFL, QBH
DeForest Buckner: 2 tackles, 1.0 sacks, TFL, QBH
Jullian Taylor: 2 tackles, 2 TFL
DJ Reed Jr.: 2 tackles, FF, FR, TD
Arik Armstead: 2 tackles, 1.0 sacks, TFL, QBH
Damontre’ Moore: 2 tackles, FF
Elijah Lee: 2 tackles, TFL
Solomon Thomas: 1 tackle

The 49ers’ defense struggled in the early going against Arizona and spotted the Cardinals 16 points. They only surrendered 10 points in the second half though and found a groove against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals offense. There weren’t any huge defensive plays that stand out, but the play of the game on that side of the ball might have been Arik Armstead’s sack on third down with 3:05 left and the Cardinals up by 3 points. It got the ball back to the 49ers offense and set them up for the game-winning touchdown. Armstead now leads the team with 8.0 sacks. Ford left the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury after sacking Murray. Greenlaw was productive again in place of Kwon Alexander.