49ers run defense. Miami is hoping to rely on the run game this season with RB De'Von Achane the team's most potent offensive player and QB Malik Willis a running threat. They were held to just 74 yards on the ground last week and will need to do better against a San Francisco defense that gave up 122 yards on the ground to the Rams and has major questions along the defensive line. To put that in context, the peak of the designed quarterback run game in the NFL was 2022, when signal-callers around the NFL collectively averaged more than 31 designed runs per week out of the pistol or shotgun. Those plays averaged 6 yards per rush attempt. Nearly 54% of those runs were successes, and they generated 0. 2 EPA per attempt. In addition to Jackson, Hurts and Murray, signal-callers such as Marcus Mariota, Josh Allen, Justin Fields, Daniel Jones and Malik Willis were all being used on designed runs multiple times per game.
Matt Derrick·
There has been clear progress from Garrett Nussmeier since rookie camp and OTAs, but he's still a developmental quarterback rather than an immediate challenger for the backup job. Earlier in the offseason, he was consistently sailing passes. His accuracy has steadily improved through training camp, showing legitimate development from where he started. The Rams game also showed why he's not ready to pass Justin Fields. Nussmeier had to deal with receivers struggling to properly adjust against zone coverage, and on several plays the spacing left him without a realistic place to throw the football. On one scramble to his left, multiple receivers ended up within roughly a four-yard radius, bringing three defenders into the same area and eliminating his options. He also missed a potential touchdown to Cyrus Allen after a broken play. Allen correctly worked toward open space in the back of the end zone, but Nussmeier's throw came out too flat rather than giving Allen enough air to go get it near the pylon. There's talent to develop, and his improvement has been noticeable, but right now his role is learning behind Fields rather than replacing him.
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