How the 49ers mauled Josh Mauga in the second half

Did you notice how well the 49ers ran the ball inside in the second half against the Chiefs?

Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Bob Sutton primarily used a two-gap scheme without a strong safety in the box to play the eighth gap. Chiefs’ linebacker Josh Mauga often lined up in front of a guard and was responsible for two gaps.

Mike Iupati and Alex Boone mauled Mauga, and the 49ers gouged the Chiefs for 52 yards on five carries up the middle in the second half. Check it out:

Mauga mauling No.1: Third quarter, 9:28. Frank Gore gains 13 yards.

Mauga mauling No.2: Third quarter, 0:37. Carlos Hyde gains 7 yards.

Mauga mauling No.3: Fourth quarter, 11:31. Hyde gains 7 yards.

Mauga mauling No.4: Fourth quarter, 10:57. Gore gains 14 yards.

Mauga mauling No.5: Fourth quarter, 3:31. Hyde gains 11 yards.

This article has 44 Comments

  1. WOW!!

    Something positive to say about the Niners !

    ’bout time, Grant … I knew you had it in you ..

    1. MWNiner,

      What’s up with your guy Vernon? Have you heard anything about him practicing this week or an update on his condition?

      1. Harbaugh gave the players Monday and Tuesday off and that’s why there’s no real news for two days.

      2. jordo ..

        nope .. last I heard, both he and AD didn’t practice, but
        the way the article was written, both might be
        ready to take on the Lambs..

        but then … that was a day or two ago

    2. He didn’t say anything nice about the 49ers. He just mastered the obvious.

      Most DT’s in the league can get pushed around by two behemoths. Mauga was doubled on everyone of those runs. Never did the O-lineman have to block a LB.

  2. Grant, that is GREAT stuff, thank you. Really love the breakdowns of the game within the game.

  3. I counted 28 runs either going up the middle or to the left side of the line. None to the right. Wasn’t sure if it was a weakness in the Chief’s defense or the right side of the Niners line isn’t up to snuff. I don’t think I have ever seen a game when the run game doesn’t use one side to run.

      1. I called it up the middle but it was to the right side of center so yes I blew that one.

    1. Undercenter,

      That was a good catch, and you’re right for the most part. They only rant it to the right 3 times all game for a total of 9 yards.

      1. Jack I guess I need new glasses I didn’t see any. Maybe tonight I will rewatch the game and see what I didn’t see. See what I mean.

      2. Running behind Iupati was working a treat.

        I wonder if not having Anthony Davis in the lineup is affecting the coaches confidence in running to the right? Boone and Martin haven’t had great success.

        1. The lack of success is affecting it. When you add up the totals through five weeks they’ve run the ball 67 times to the right and 66 times to the left.

    2. “Wasn’t sure if it was a weakness in the Chief’s defense or the right side of the Niners line isn’t up to snuff.”

      A big part of that is the 49ers struggling to run to the right side. For the season they are averaging only 3.15 yards per carry on runs to the right side from the B gap (between the guard & tackle) out, and goes up to 3.42 when you add in the A gap runs in that direction.

      When they run to the left side from the B gap out they are averaging 5.76 yards per carry and 5.18 when you add in the A gap runs in that direction.

  4. So is it the chiefs bad calls or the 49ers good ones? Sucks I have to ask but lately it would probably be what KC did wrong not what SF did right.

    Oh and btw Grant… Are you still going to allow a blantant racist to post on here?

    1. NinerMD,

      I was about to ask him the same question. If there is no tolerance for racism in society, there certainly shouldn’t be any room on this blog!
      Ban him for the last and final time Grant.

      1. Exactly… I look at the trash talk as little fun for my day. But to take it that seriously and go onelame is disgusting. Shouldn’t be personal and especially racial.

        1. MD why don’t you just shut up and move on. There is plenty of bad blood on here and you always seem to let it linger. Be a man, grow up and stop your continuos crying! Whewweeeee!!!!!!!

          1. When you’re a punk who gets racist I’m not lettin anything go. That was way over the line. You’re a coward.

            1. Yeah ok and all the Canadian slurs are just fine and all the mothers insults are okay, challenging people to fights is acceptable right? Take a look at the history before opening up your mouth MD!

            2. Obvious that Grant doesn’t view it as racism unless is a Jewish slur. Guess the insult to my wife gets a pass too. Nice job Grant….

  5. appreciate the effort put into the analysis.

    i haven’t had a chance to look at the film in detail but one thing that surprised me is how the Niners were able to negate Dontari Poe who is supposed to be a good run defender.

    are you certain it was a 2 gap scheme? Seems odd to me that a linebacker would have 2 gap responsibility and be uncovered. Sutton has a background in 1 and 2 gap 3-4 schemes and 1 gap Tampa 2 scheme. I’m not saying you’re wrong; i’m just pointing out that Sutton has a varied defensive scheme background.

      1. looks like a straight up 3-4 alignment. so i’m guessing it’s a straight forward 2 gap scheme which should mean that the inside linebacker has a single gap flow responsibility and possibly Mauga is a classic “TED” linebacker meaning it’s his job to take on a blocker and allow the MIKE to flow freely. If two O-linemen consistently got out to the second level and leveled Mauga, then I’m guessing the Nose wasn’t able to control his gaps. i don’t know, i’m just speculating.

  6. From those pics it seems the O-line maybe saw something in the 1st half they could exploit. I feel it was some adjustments made that helped. Anytime you get a lineman on a linebacker before that LB takes some steps forward you have zero chance of winning. I’m going to give kudos to the o-lineman and coaches on that one.

    1. An excellent adjustment by the 49ers. Surprised Sutton didn’t adjust and put an eight defender in the box.

  7. The 4th play was actually an Iso to the side opposite of Mauga and featured a nice lead block by Miller on Johnson. Same with the 5th play except Gore sees the cut back lane open a bit quicker. That one also happened to be against an 8 man box.

    1. Jack ..

      izzit just me … or does the red-headed step kid
      kind remind you of his coach .. (Da Rath-man)

      (I see similarities to Rathman’s play from Miller)

      1. It’s not just you MWN. It would be like turning the clock back if they put a 44 jersey on him.

        BTW, Happy 52nd Birthday to Woody

        1. didn’t Miller have a nice catch in the flat that went for 5+ yards? I remember being impressed with the catch.

      2. Huge injury to our offense last season. This is why I really don’t believe Seattle is a better team than SF. Luckier yes. And I mean the injury bug. Huge losses for the running game with Iupoti and miller not there last year in the playoff game.

  8. 2. I looked through Colin Kaepernick’s five-game split from 2013 to ’14 and saw improvements across the board.

    Through his first 5 games of 2013 vs. 2014 – @Kaepernick7 has more completions, yards, passing TDs & has better QB rating and completion %.

    — Taylor Price (@TaylorPrice49) October 6, 2014

    3. Props to 49ers beat writer Cam Inman for this…

    #49ers @Kaepernick7 has 205 rushing yards. He’d be leading rusher on 7 teams: #Raiders, Broncos, Chargers, Titans, Jaguars, Lions, Panthers

    — Cam Inman (@CamInman) October 7, 2014

    Interesting. 7 teams? It’s pretty sad when in week 6 teams for have a rb with at least 250 yards. I understand Denver is a throwing team, but damn. You don’t win superbowls without a balanced team. And IMO I think ck will have a big game running vs stl Monday night. So he might still have more rushing yards than 7 other teams rb’s

    And as for the numbers above that. Looks like ck has improved from last season all across the board. And I’m definitely starting to see his improvement in the pocket. As hoff use to say …. All arrows up!

  9. Great thread. Kudo’s to Grant and multiple posters. Learned a lot. Appreciate the lesson.

  10. Thanks Grant. I love this stuff.

    Sometimes the 49ers complex man blocking scheme is frustrating, because blockers (eager to bock at the “second level”) allow defenders to shoot gaps and get to Gore in the backfield. But when it works, its a thing of beauty watching a massive guard like Iupati crunch a linebacker.

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