On how to fix the rushing attack.
Looking at the components (RB, OL, scheme, coaching), I don't think it's the RB, and I don't think it's the OL (personnel-wise). Sitton, Bulaga, Lang SHOULD be decent in the run game.
Which leads me down to scheme and/or coaching. And I think both are at fault:
Our OL hasn't run-blocked well under Campen, but it's difficult for me to tell whether that's on the coach or on the scheme. I hates zbs, I hates it. There are very few that have been able to successfully implement it. And I think it requires a more run-oriented team to get all of the parts working together well to successfully pull it off.
Which leads to my second issue: McCarthy almost completely abandoned the run Sun. Subtracting out AR's runs, the pass/run ratio was 44/9 or 83/17%.
And those times we ran the ball, too many of the runs are draws from the shotgun formation. How many of Benson's 9 carries on Sun were draws? IMO, McCarthy needs to commit more to the run from a traditional running formation IOT sell our play action passing better.
I'm not saying we need to become a run-oriented attack. I just liked the looks of the 49ers offense MUCH better than the looks of our offense on Sun, from a play-calling mix perspective. We were way too one dimensional and predictable. Our O only scored 2 times, with Cobb's return on ST the 3rd score. The 49ers pwnd us big time.