Earlier today, we took a look at the sacks given up by the 49ers offensive line, or more accurately: Anthony Davis. Now, we'll look at something positive: the specific run blocking for rushing plays that went ten yards or more. The 49ers had rushes of 40, 10, 25 and 12 yards, and Frank Gore ended up with 127 yards and a touchdown on just fifteen carries. Below, I'll take a look at each of those runs and what happened exactly to get the yardage gained. Three of the plays went to Gore, and the last one went to Hunter.
12:13 1st Quarter 1st and 10
49ers line up with Smith under center, Vernon Davis in blocking position on the right side of the line, Delanie Walker standing on left side of line, with a receiver split out wide on each side. The ball is snapped and Vernon Davis immediately occupies the left end. Anthony Davis and Adam Snyder both ignore the next guy on the line, breaking into the second level with Jonathan Goodwin handling the third. Delanie Walker gets good push on the last Eagles player on the line, while Mike Iupati pops out and occupies the second lineman, who had to think he had Gore good.
Iupati seals the man off and Gore chooses that as his lane. By now, Joe Staley has made his way to the next level and is hitting a linebacker, the corner is too far away on the right side, Snyder pushes into the player that Staley is blocking and Anthony Davis seals the hole off on the other side by blocking the other linebacker. Gore is through the hole, made mostly by Iupati, Davis and Staley, and is brought down after forty yards by Nnamdi Asomugha, who might have been able to make a play earlier, but Anthony Davis' block of the linebacker got in his way.
It was a product of good run blocking and good decision-making by Gore. The fact that he hit the hole with more burst than he has so far this season helps, as well.
:08 2nd Quarter 3rd and 8
The half is about to end and the 49ers just run the ball to kill the clock, but it's a good run, at least. The 49ers line up in shotgun formation, with three wide and Vernon Davis on the left side of the line. Gore is to Smith's right, and he takes the handoff and goes to the left side. Vernon occupies his block, Snyder backs up from the right guard spot and runs to the left side in front of Gore. Snyder crashes into Asomugha with a great block and Michael Crabtree pushed Joselio Hanson back a good five yards before he was able to tackle Gore after a 10-yard gain.
5:51 4th Quarter 2nd and 7
49ers line up in the shotgun, with Crabtree and Joshua Morgan split out to the right side, and Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker directly to the left of the line, Walker on the inside. Gore is to Smith's left. Smith takes the snap, and the blockers get going. Vernon Davis runs an out route on the left side, while Walker just impedes Jason Babin enough on the left side of the line (RDE position) to where he can't get to Gore, who is rushing up the middle. Mike Iupati engages with Mike Patterson and that's where the hole begins. Iupati keeps Patterson standing and locked up, while Staley moves around him and runs out to block the linebacker to the right of Iupati, creating the hole.
Anthony Davis successfully blocks his guy, Adam Snyder chips his and Jonathan Goodwin handles his well, turning with him and preventing Gore from being stopped before he can make it to the hole. Staley runs headlong into his linebacker and begins pushing him backward. Walker has moved out from his chip of Babin and is targeting the safety. Walker runs across, past Iupati and in front of Gore to push the blocker out toward Staley, and Gore has big yardage: between Iupati, Staley, Goodwin and Walker, Staley pushed his guy about ten yards, and the play goes for 25 yards before Gore is pushed out by Jarrard Page.
3:52 4th Quarter, 3rd and 7
Smith under center, Kendall Hunter in the backfield. The 49ers split three wide, with Vernon Davis on the right side of the line. Davis motions to the other side and lines up in front of Jason Babin. Iupati grabs his man next to Babin, while Staley collapses back. Anthony Davis falls down and cuts off the man Iupati is blocking, while leaving the left defensive end uncovered. It's a toss to Hunter on the left side, so that linemen has no chance of making a play. Snyder and Goodwin break to the left side, and Iupati passes off his blocker to Goodwin, before falling forward into a linebacker at the second level on the right side. Crabtree is up and making a block on Nnamdi Asomugha, and Staley assumes the lead blocking role for Hunter. Babin was handled expertly by Vernon Davis, and Hunter is off. Mike Patterson, the player first blocked by Iupati, is free and has a shot, but Hunter is too fast for him. Josh Morgan blocks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie back about six yards and Hunter gets the first down.
Adam Snyder neglected to block Jamar Chaney while running across the field, so he makes first contact on Hunter. Hunter stays up though and gets another two or three yards out of it before coming to the ground. Snyder did help him get another yard by assisting Crabtree with his block. All-in-all, a great play for twelve yards made possible by a Vernon Davis block, and assisted mightily by strong blocking from wide receivers Crabtree and Morgan, and Joe Staley.