Lodi News-Sentinel

49ers’ biggest defensive challenge? Keep Jalen Hurts from running amok

- Jerry McDonald

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers need only turn the clock back 10 years to see what kind of potential nightmare Jalen Hurts represents Sunday in the NFC Championsh­ip Game.

That was the night their own Colin Kaepernick rushed for 181 yards on 16 carries in a 45-31 win over the Green Bay Packers in a wild card game at Candlestic­k Park.

The Packers never knew what hit them as Kaepernick found small creases and gigantic holes enroute to a record-setting rushing performanc­e that is still a playoff record for a quarterbac­k.

The 49ers, 15-4, face a challenge similar to the one Green Bay faced that night, when dealing with Hurts, a finalist for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award in large part because his running ability adds a dimension the NFL’s top-ranked scoring defense has yet to see this season.

In Week 17, the 49ers found themselves flummoxed by the Raiders’ Jarrett Stidham, a game they won 37-34 in overtime. Stidham had 34 yards on seven carries and had the 49ers defense on their heels in a way that happened infrequent­ly in 2022.

“I think we got tested in that Raiders game kind of unexpected­ly and it reminded us of what the Kryptonite could be of the way we play,” defensive end Nick Bosa said.

Although Hurts missed two games with an injured right shoulder, he carried 165 times for 760 yards and had 13 rushing touchdowns. The carries were the most among all NFL quarterbac­ks and the yardage figure was fourth. That came after a 784-yard season with 10 touchdowns a year ago.

The shoulder didn’t appear to be a problem in the Eagles’ 38-7 divisional win over the New York Giants, as Hurts carried nine times for 34 yards.

The Eagles can put Hurts on the run in three different ways — a read option where the quarterbac­k reads the defensive end then either hands the ball off or keeps it; a called run such as a sweep or quarterbac­k draw; or a scramble after not finding an open receiver on the first or second read.

Quarterbac­ks against the 49ers this season gained only 283 yards on 62 attempts in the regular season and had 50 yards on eight

rushes in two playoff games. Only one quarterbac­k all season — Justin Fields of Chicago with 11 carries for 28 yards in a rain-soaked opener — ran the ball more than 10 times.

The most yards gained by a quarterbac­k against the 49ers this season was 50 yards on six carries by Marcus Mariota in a game where the 49ers were missing defensive tackle Arik Armstead, Bosa and nickel back Jimmie Ward due to injury.

Opposing quarterbac­ks had just two rushing touchdowns against the 49ers all season, a 3-yard run by Mariota and a 1-yard sneak by the Rams’ Matthew Stafford.

Hurts has carried 17 times in a game three times, including a high-water mark of 157 yards in a win over Green Bay on Nov. 27. The last time Hurts faced the 49ers was Week 2 of the 2021 season. He rushed for 82 yards on 10 carries but the 49ers won 17-11.

Linebacker Fred Warner sees a much more experience­d quarterbac­k this time around.

“He has command of the offense, knowing where to go with the ball, being more decisive,” Warner said. “He’s using his legs to create plays and launching the ball downfield to guys who can make plays. I think that’s what’s elevated him to an All-Pro quarterbac­k.”

For the 49ers, defending a running quarterbac­k was more of a nuisance than a serious concern. That changes Sunday, and defenders will need to be aggressive enough to get after Hurts but not so aggressive they invite penalty flags.

Defending against a running quarterbac­k has gotten more problemati­c every year with rules implemente­d to protect the highest-paid players from harm. Ronnie Lott, the 49ers Hall of Fame defensive back, urged his team on KNBR to take no prisoners when Hurts is on the run.

“As long as he’s a run threat, you’re going to attack him like he’s a running back,” Lott said. “They’re not going to attack him like he’s a quarterbac­k, they’re going to attack him like he’s a running back.”

 ?? RAY CHAVEZ/BAY AREA NEWS GROUP ?? The 49ers’ Samson Ebukam (56) and Nick Bosa (97) head back to the sideline after sacking Cowboys quarterbac­k Dak Prescott in Santa Clara, on Jan. 22.
RAY CHAVEZ/BAY AREA NEWS GROUP The 49ers’ Samson Ebukam (56) and Nick Bosa (97) head back to the sideline after sacking Cowboys quarterbac­k Dak Prescott in Santa Clara, on Jan. 22.

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